diff --git a/src/ai/ai_core.cpp b/src/ai/ai_core.cpp
index eb45cd1e56..0660dfe0f5 100644
--- a/src/ai/ai_core.cpp
+++ b/src/ai/ai_core.cpp
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@
 		if (_settings_game.ai_config[c] != nullptr && _settings_game.ai_config[c]->HasScript()) {
 			if (!_settings_game.ai_config[c]->ResetInfo(true)) {
 				Debug(script, 0, "After a reload, the AI by the name '{}' was no longer found, and removed from the list.", _settings_game.ai_config[c]->GetName());
-				_settings_game.ai_config[c]->Change(nullptr);
+				_settings_game.ai_config[c]->Change(std::nullopt);
 				if (Company::IsValidAiID(c)) {
 					/* The code belonging to an already running AI was deleted. We can only do
 					 * one thing here to keep everything sane and that is kill the AI. After
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@
 		if (_settings_newgame.ai_config[c] != nullptr && _settings_newgame.ai_config[c]->HasScript()) {
 			if (!_settings_newgame.ai_config[c]->ResetInfo(false)) {
 				Debug(script, 0, "After a reload, the AI by the name '{}' was no longer found, and removed from the list.", _settings_newgame.ai_config[c]->GetName());
-				_settings_newgame.ai_config[c]->Change(nullptr);
+				_settings_newgame.ai_config[c]->Change(std::nullopt);
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/game/game_core.cpp b/src/game/game_core.cpp
index eff3055f96..c67446f7cc 100644
--- a/src/game/game_core.cpp
+++ b/src/game/game_core.cpp
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@
 	if (_settings_game.game_config != nullptr && _settings_game.game_config->HasScript()) {
 		if (!_settings_game.game_config->ResetInfo(true)) {
 			Debug(script, 0, "After a reload, the GameScript by the name '{}' was no longer found, and removed from the list.", _settings_game.game_config->GetName());
-			_settings_game.game_config->Change(nullptr);
+			_settings_game.game_config->Change(std::nullopt);
 			if (Game::instance != nullptr) {
 				delete Game::instance;
 				Game::instance = nullptr;
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@
 	if (_settings_newgame.game_config != nullptr && _settings_newgame.game_config->HasScript()) {
 		if (!_settings_newgame.game_config->ResetInfo(false)) {
 			Debug(script, 0, "After a reload, the GameScript by the name '{}' was no longer found, and removed from the list.", _settings_newgame.game_config->GetName());
-			_settings_newgame.game_config->Change(nullptr);
+			_settings_newgame.game_config->Change(std::nullopt);
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/openttd.cpp b/src/openttd.cpp
index 97face4e6c..b048f1c6c9 100644
--- a/src/openttd.cpp
+++ b/src/openttd.cpp
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ void MakeNewgameSettingsLive()
 		if (_settings_newgame.ai_config[c] != nullptr) {
 			_settings_game.ai_config[c] = new AIConfig(_settings_newgame.ai_config[c]);
 			if (!AIConfig::GetConfig(c, AIConfig::SSS_FORCE_GAME)->HasScript()) {
-				AIConfig::GetConfig(c, AIConfig::SSS_FORCE_GAME)->Change(nullptr);
+				AIConfig::GetConfig(c, AIConfig::SSS_FORCE_GAME)->Change(std::nullopt);
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/saveload/ai_sl.cpp b/src/saveload/ai_sl.cpp
index 90e96ba9a2..927c130470 100644
--- a/src/saveload/ai_sl.cpp
+++ b/src/saveload/ai_sl.cpp
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ struct AIPLChunkHandler : ChunkHandler {
 
 		/* Free all current data */
 		for (CompanyID c = COMPANY_FIRST; c < MAX_COMPANIES; c++) {
-			AIConfig::GetConfig(c, AIConfig::SSS_FORCE_GAME)->Change(nullptr);
+			AIConfig::GetConfig(c, AIConfig::SSS_FORCE_GAME)->Change(std::nullopt);
 		}
 
 		CompanyID index;
@@ -85,13 +85,13 @@ struct AIPLChunkHandler : ChunkHandler {
 			AIConfig *config = AIConfig::GetConfig(index, AIConfig::SSS_FORCE_GAME);
 			if (_ai_saveload_name.empty()) {
 				/* A random AI. */
-				config->Change(nullptr, -1, false, true);
+				config->Change(std::nullopt, -1, false, true);
 			} else {
-				config->Change(_ai_saveload_name.c_str(), _ai_saveload_version, false, _ai_saveload_is_random);
+				config->Change(_ai_saveload_name, _ai_saveload_version, false, _ai_saveload_is_random);
 				if (!config->HasScript()) {
 					/* No version of the AI available that can load the data. Try to load the
 					 * latest version of the AI instead. */
-					config->Change(_ai_saveload_name.c_str(), -1, false, _ai_saveload_is_random);
+					config->Change(_ai_saveload_name, -1, false, _ai_saveload_is_random);
 					if (!config->HasScript()) {
 						if (_ai_saveload_name.compare("%_dummy") != 0) {
 							Debug(script, 0, "The savegame has an AI by the name '{}', version {} which is no longer available.", _ai_saveload_name, _ai_saveload_version);
diff --git a/src/saveload/game_sl.cpp b/src/saveload/game_sl.cpp
index 9e938bafb3..1eb6539710 100644
--- a/src/saveload/game_sl.cpp
+++ b/src/saveload/game_sl.cpp
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ struct GSDTChunkHandler : ChunkHandler {
 		const std::vector<SaveLoad> slt = SlCompatTableHeader(_game_script_desc, _game_script_sl_compat);
 
 		/* Free all current data */
-		GameConfig::GetConfig(GameConfig::SSS_FORCE_GAME)->Change(nullptr);
+		GameConfig::GetConfig(GameConfig::SSS_FORCE_GAME)->Change(std::nullopt);
 
 		if (SlIterateArray() == -1) return;
 
@@ -77,11 +77,11 @@ struct GSDTChunkHandler : ChunkHandler {
 
 		GameConfig *config = GameConfig::GetConfig(GameConfig::SSS_FORCE_GAME);
 		if (!_game_saveload_name.empty()) {
-			config->Change(_game_saveload_name.c_str(), _game_saveload_version, false, _game_saveload_is_random);
+			config->Change(_game_saveload_name, _game_saveload_version, false, _game_saveload_is_random);
 			if (!config->HasScript()) {
 				/* No version of the GameScript available that can load the data. Try to load the
 				 * latest version of the GameScript instead. */
-				config->Change(_game_saveload_name.c_str(), -1, false, _game_saveload_is_random);
+				config->Change(_game_saveload_name, -1, false, _game_saveload_is_random);
 				if (!config->HasScript()) {
 					if (_game_saveload_name.compare("%_dummy") != 0) {
 						Debug(script, 0, "The savegame has an GameScript by the name '{}', version {} which is no longer available.", _game_saveload_name, _game_saveload_version);
diff --git a/src/script/script_config.cpp b/src/script/script_config.cpp
index 6e9514e140..148279c902 100644
--- a/src/script/script_config.cpp
+++ b/src/script/script_config.cpp
@@ -17,10 +17,14 @@
 
 #include "../safeguards.h"
 
-void ScriptConfig::Change(const char *name, int version, bool force_exact_match, bool is_random)
+void ScriptConfig::Change(std::optional<const std::string> name, int version, bool force_exact_match, bool is_random)
 {
-	this->name = (name == nullptr) ? "" : name;
-	this->info = (name == nullptr) ? nullptr : this->FindInfo(this->name, version, force_exact_match);
+	if (name.has_value()) {
+		this->name = std::move(name.value());
+		this->info = this->FindInfo(this->name, version, force_exact_match);
+	} else {
+		this->info = nullptr;
+	}
 	this->version = (info == nullptr) ? -1 : info->GetVersion();
 	this->is_random = is_random;
 	this->config_list.reset();
diff --git a/src/script/script_config.hpp b/src/script/script_config.hpp
index 22d5832fd7..cc9e62f702 100644
--- a/src/script/script_config.hpp
+++ b/src/script/script_config.hpp
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ public:
 	 *   as specified. If false any compatible version is ok.
 	 * @param is_random Is the Script chosen randomly?
 	 */
-	void Change(const char *name, int version = -1, bool force_exact_match = false, bool is_random = false);
+	void Change(std::optional<const std::string> name, int version = -1, bool force_exact_match = false, bool is_random = false);
 
 	/**
 	 * Get the ScriptInfo linked to this ScriptConfig.
diff --git a/src/script/script_gui.cpp b/src/script/script_gui.cpp
index 2437d22742..c47bbadee0 100644
--- a/src/script/script_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/script/script_gui.cpp
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ struct ScriptListWindow : public Window {
 	void ChangeScript()
 	{
 		if (this->selected == -1) {
-			GetConfig(slot)->Change(nullptr);
+			GetConfig(slot)->Change(std::nullopt);
 		} else {
 			ScriptInfoList::const_iterator it = this->info_list->cbegin();
 			std::advance(it, this->selected);
diff --git a/src/settings.cpp b/src/settings.cpp
index 098df6761a..158945a79a 100644
--- a/src/settings.cpp
+++ b/src/settings.cpp
@@ -869,7 +869,7 @@ static void AILoadConfig(IniFile &ini, const char *grpname)
 
 	/* Clean any configured AI */
 	for (CompanyID c = COMPANY_FIRST; c < MAX_COMPANIES; c++) {
-		AIConfig::GetConfig(c, AIConfig::SSS_FORCE_NEWGAME)->Change(nullptr);
+		AIConfig::GetConfig(c, AIConfig::SSS_FORCE_NEWGAME)->Change(std::nullopt);
 	}
 
 	/* If no group exists, return */
@@ -879,7 +879,7 @@ static void AILoadConfig(IniFile &ini, const char *grpname)
 	for (item = group->item; c < MAX_COMPANIES && item != nullptr; c++, item = item->next) {
 		AIConfig *config = AIConfig::GetConfig(c, AIConfig::SSS_FORCE_NEWGAME);
 
-		config->Change(item->name.c_str());
+		config->Change(item->name);
 		if (!config->HasScript()) {
 			if (item->name != "none") {
 				Debug(script, 0, "The AI by the name '{}' was no longer found, and removed from the list.", item->name);
@@ -896,7 +896,7 @@ static void GameLoadConfig(IniFile &ini, const char *grpname)
 	IniItem *item;
 
 	/* Clean any configured GameScript */
-	GameConfig::GetConfig(GameConfig::SSS_FORCE_NEWGAME)->Change(nullptr);
+	GameConfig::GetConfig(GameConfig::SSS_FORCE_NEWGAME)->Change(std::nullopt);
 
 	/* If no group exists, return */
 	if (group == nullptr) return;
@@ -906,7 +906,7 @@ static void GameLoadConfig(IniFile &ini, const char *grpname)
 
 	GameConfig *config = GameConfig::GetConfig(AIConfig::SSS_FORCE_NEWGAME);
 
-	config->Change(item->name.c_str());
+	config->Change(item->name);
 	if (!config->HasScript()) {
 		if (item->name != "none") {
 			Debug(script, 0, "The GameScript by the name '{}' was no longer found, and removed from the list.", item->name);