diff --git a/xwords4/common/board.c b/xwords4/common/board.c
index cc06bb354..decf444f6 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/board.c
+++ b/xwords4/common/board.c
@@ -2180,7 +2180,7 @@ board_requestHint( BoardCtxt* board,
 # endif
 #endif
             searchComplete = 
-                engine_findMove( engine, model, selPlayer,
+                engine_findMove( engine, model, selPlayer, XP_FALSE,
                                  tiles, nTiles, usePrev,
 #ifdef XWFEATURE_BONUSALL
                                  allTilesBonus, 
diff --git a/xwords4/common/engine.c b/xwords4/common/engine.c
index b0b9c99be..71cda9104 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/engine.c
+++ b/xwords4/common/engine.c
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ struct EngineCtxt {
     const ModelCtxt* model;
     const DictionaryCtxt* dict;
     XW_UtilCtxt* util;
-    XP_U16 turn;
+    XP_S16 turn;
 
     Engine_rack rack;
     Tile blankTile;
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ struct EngineCtxt {
     XP_U16 star_row;
     XP_Bool returnNOW;
     XP_Bool isRobot;
+    XP_Bool includePending;
     MoveIterationData miData;
 
     XP_S16 blankValues[MAX_TRAY_TILES];
@@ -374,9 +375,9 @@ normalizeIQ( EngineCtxt* engine, XP_U16 iq )
  * filled in in *newMove.
  */
 XP_Bool
-engine_findMove( EngineCtxt* engine, const ModelCtxt* model, 
-                 XP_U16 turn, const Tile* tiles,
-                 const XP_U16 nTiles, XP_Bool usePrev,
+engine_findMove( EngineCtxt* engine, const ModelCtxt* model,
+                 XP_S16 turn, XP_Bool includePending,
+                 const Tile* tiles, const XP_U16 nTiles, XP_Bool usePrev,
 #ifdef XWFEATURE_BONUSALL
                  XP_U16 allTilesBonus,
 #endif
@@ -427,6 +428,7 @@ engine_findMove( EngineCtxt* engine, const ModelCtxt* model,
     engine->model = model;
     engine->dict = model_getPlayerDict( model, turn );
     engine->turn = turn;
+    engine->includePending = includePending;
     engine->usePrev = usePrev;
     engine->blankTile = dict_getBlankTile( engine->dict );
     engine->returnNOW = XP_FALSE;
@@ -763,9 +765,8 @@ localGetBoardTile( EngineCtxt* engine, XP_U16 col, XP_U16 row,
         row = tmp;
     }
 
-    if ( model_getTile( engine->model, col, row, XP_FALSE,
-                        0, /* don't get pending, so turn doesn't matter */
-                        &result, &isBlank, NULL, NULL ) ) {
+    if ( model_getTile( engine->model, col, row, engine->includePending,
+                        engine->turn, &result, &isBlank, NULL, NULL ) ) {
         if ( isBlank && substBlank ) {
             result = engine->blankTile;
         }
diff --git a/xwords4/common/engine.h b/xwords4/common/engine.h
index 865910614..639163eed 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/engine.h
+++ b/xwords4/common/engine.h
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ void engine_reset( EngineCtxt* ctxt );
 void engine_destroy( EngineCtxt* ctxt );
 
 XP_Bool engine_findMove( EngineCtxt* ctxt, const ModelCtxt* model, 
-                         XP_U16 turn, const Tile* tiles, 
-                         XP_U16 nTiles, XP_Bool usePrev,
+                         XP_S16 turn, XP_Bool includePending,
+                         const Tile* tiles, XP_U16 nTiles, XP_Bool usePrev,
 #ifdef XWFEATURE_BONUSALL
                          XP_U16 allTilesBonus, 
 #endif
diff --git a/xwords4/common/model.c b/xwords4/common/model.c
index 277c04ec1..289a5f361 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/model.c
+++ b/xwords4/common/model.c
@@ -580,9 +580,12 @@ model_getDictionary( const ModelCtxt* model )
 } /* model_getDictionary */
 
 DictionaryCtxt*
-model_getPlayerDict( const ModelCtxt* model, XP_U16 playerNum )
+model_getPlayerDict( const ModelCtxt* model, XP_S16 playerNum )
 {
-    DictionaryCtxt* dict = model->vol.dicts.dicts[playerNum];
+    DictionaryCtxt* dict = NULL;
+    if ( 0 <= playerNum && playerNum < VSIZE(model->vol.dicts.dicts) ) {
+        dict = model->vol.dicts.dicts[playerNum];
+    }
     if ( NULL == dict ) {
         dict = model->vol.dict;
     }
diff --git a/xwords4/common/model.h b/xwords4/common/model.h
index bab6c6a4f..588e57102 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/model.h
+++ b/xwords4/common/model.h
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ void model_setDictionary( ModelCtxt* model, DictionaryCtxt* dict );
 DictionaryCtxt* model_getDictionary( const ModelCtxt* model );
 
 void model_setPlayerDicts( ModelCtxt* model, const PlayerDicts* dicts );
-DictionaryCtxt* model_getPlayerDict( const ModelCtxt* model, XP_U16 playerNum );
+DictionaryCtxt* model_getPlayerDict( const ModelCtxt* model, XP_S16 playerNum );
 
 XP_Bool model_getTile( const ModelCtxt* model, XP_U16 col, XP_U16 row,
                        XP_Bool getPending, XP_S16 turn,
diff --git a/xwords4/common/server.c b/xwords4/common/server.c
index 85ca767ee..1e7b79979 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/server.c
+++ b/xwords4/common/server.c
@@ -882,7 +882,7 @@ makeRobotMove( ServerCtxt* server )
 #endif
         XP_ASSERT( !!server_getEngineFor( server, turn ) );
         searchComplete = engine_findMove( server_getEngineFor( server, turn ),
-                                          model, turn, tileSet->tiles, 
+                                          model, turn, XP_FALSE, tileSet->tiles,
                                           tileSet->nTiles, XP_FALSE,
 #ifdef XWFEATURE_BONUSALL
                                           allTilesBonus,