diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameUtils.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameUtils.java
index 7942f84f5..008b33de5 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameUtils.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameUtils.java
@@ -216,15 +216,28 @@ public class GameUtils {
     public static long dupeGame( Context context, long rowidIn )
     {
         long rowid = DBUtils.ROWID_NOTFOUND;
-        GameLock lockSrc = new GameLock( rowidIn, false ).lock( 300 );
+        GameLock lockSrc = null;
+
+        JNIThread thread = JNIThread.getRetained( rowidIn, false );
+        if ( null != thread ) {
+            lockSrc = thread.getLock();
+        } else {
+            lockSrc = new GameLock( rowidIn, false ).lock( 300 );
+        }
+
         if ( null != lockSrc ) {
             boolean juggle = CommonPrefs.getAutoJuggle( context );
             GameLock lockDest = resetGame( context, lockSrc, null, juggle );
             rowid = lockDest.getRowid();
             lockDest.unlock();
-            lockSrc.unlock();
+
+            if ( null != thread ) {
+                thread.release();
+            } else {
+                lockSrc.unlock();
+            }
         } else {
-            DbgUtils.logf( "dupeGame: unable to open rowid %d", rowidIn );
+            DbgUtils.logdf( "dupeGame: unable to open rowid %d", rowidIn );
         }
         return rowid;
     }
diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesListDelegate.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesListDelegate.java
index f12cb2a04..d4bab59ea 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesListDelegate.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesListDelegate.java
@@ -1246,8 +1246,10 @@ public class GamesListDelegate extends ListDelegateBase
             case NEW_FROM:
                 long curID = (Long)params[0];
                 long newid = GameUtils.dupeGame( m_activity, curID );
-                m_selGames.add( newid );
-                reloadGame( newid );
+                if ( DBUtils.ROWID_NOTFOUND != newid ) {
+                    m_selGames.add( newid );
+                    reloadGame( newid );
+                }
                 break;
 
             case SET_HIDE_NEWGAME_BUTTONS:
@@ -2130,7 +2132,9 @@ public class GamesListDelegate extends ListDelegateBase
             long newid;
             if ( null == btAddr && null == phone && null == relayID ) {
                 newid = GameUtils.dupeGame( m_activity, srcRowID );
-                DBUtils.setName( m_activity, newid, gameName );
+                if ( DBUtils.ROWID_NOTFOUND != newid ) {
+                    DBUtils.setName( m_activity, newid, gameName );
+                }
             } else {
                 long groupID = DBUtils.getGroupForGame( m_activity, srcRowID );
                 newid = GameUtils.makeNewMultiGame( m_activity, groupID, dict,
@@ -2352,7 +2356,9 @@ public class GamesListDelegate extends ListDelegateBase
 
     private void launchGame( long rowid, boolean invited )
     {
-        if ( ! m_launchedGames.contains( rowid ) ) {
+        if ( DBUtils.ROWID_NOTFOUND == rowid ) {
+            DbgUtils.logdf( "launchGame(): dropping bad rowid" );
+        } else if ( ! m_launchedGames.contains( rowid ) ) {
             m_launchedGames.add( rowid );
             if ( m_adapter.inExpandedGroup( rowid ) ) {
                 setSelGame( rowid );