diff --git a/town_cmd.c b/town_cmd.c
index 50e18dc96c..add337060e 100644
--- a/town_cmd.c
+++ b/town_cmd.c
@@ -1612,10 +1612,10 @@ static void UpdateTownGrowRate(Town *t)
 	}
 
 	if (_opt.landscape == LT_HILLY) {
-		if (GET_TILEHEIGHT(t->xy) >= _opt.snow_line &&	t->act_food == 0)
+ 		if (GET_TILEHEIGHT(t->xy) >= _opt.snow_line && t->act_food == 0 && t->population > 90)
 			return;
 	} else if (_opt.landscape == LT_DESERT) {
-		if (GetMapExtraBits(t->xy) == 1 && (t->act_food==0 || t->act_water==0))
+ 		if (GetMapExtraBits(t->xy) == 1 && (t->act_food==0 || t->act_water==0) && t->population > 60)
 			return;
 	}