diff --git a/src/industry.h b/src/industry.h
index 408c858601..68c19ebc11 100644
--- a/src/industry.h
+++ b/src/industry.h
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ struct Industry : PoolItem<Industry, IndustryID, &_Industry_pool> {
 	Date construction_date;             ///< Date of the construction of the industry
 	uint8 construction_type;            ///< Way the industry was constructed (@see IndustryConstructionType)
 	Date last_cargo_accepted_at;        ///< Last day cargo was accepted by this industry
+	byte selected_layout;               ///< Which tile layout was used when creating the industry
 
 	Industry(TileIndex tile = 0) : xy(tile) {}
 	~Industry();
diff --git a/src/industry_cmd.cpp b/src/industry_cmd.cpp
index a592642ddb..ce9e15ae8a 100644
--- a/src/industry_cmd.cpp
+++ b/src/industry_cmd.cpp
@@ -1396,7 +1396,7 @@ static bool CheckIfTooCloseToIndustry(TileIndex tile, int type)
 	return true;
 }
 
-static void DoCreateNewIndustry(Industry *i, TileIndex tile, int type, const IndustryTileTable *it, const Town *t, Owner owner)
+static void DoCreateNewIndustry(Industry *i, TileIndex tile, int type, const IndustryTileTable *it, byte layout, const Town *t, Owner owner)
 {
 	const IndustrySpec *indspec = GetIndustrySpec(type);
 	uint32 r;
@@ -1443,6 +1443,11 @@ static void DoCreateNewIndustry(Industry *i, TileIndex tile, int type, const Ind
 	i->construction_type = (_game_mode == GM_EDITOR) ? ICT_SCENARIO_EDITOR :
 			(_generating_world ? ICT_MAP_GENERATION : ICT_NORMAL_GAMEPLAY);
 
+	/* Adding 1 here makes it conform to specs of var44 of varaction2 for industries
+	 * 0 = created prior of newindustries
+	 * else, chosen layout + 1 */
+	i->selected_layout = layout + 1;
+
 	if (!_generating_world) i->last_month_production[0] = i->last_month_production[1] = 0;
 
 	i->prod_level = 0x10;
@@ -1514,7 +1519,7 @@ static Industry *CreateNewIndustryHelper(TileIndex tile, IndustryType type, uint
 
 	if (flags & DC_EXEC) {
 		if (!custom_shape_check) CheckIfCanLevelIndustryPlatform(tile, DC_EXEC, it, type);
-		DoCreateNewIndustry(i, tile, type, it, t, OWNER_NONE);
+		DoCreateNewIndustry(i, tile, type, it, itspec_index, t, OWNER_NONE);
 		i_auto_delete.Detach();
 	}
 
@@ -2017,6 +2022,7 @@ static const SaveLoad _industry_desc[] = {
 	SLE_CONDVAR(Industry, construction_date,          SLE_INT32,                 70, SL_MAX_VERSION),
 	SLE_CONDVAR(Industry, construction_type,          SLE_UINT8,                 70, SL_MAX_VERSION),
 	SLE_CONDVAR(Industry, last_cargo_accepted_at,     SLE_INT32,                 70, SL_MAX_VERSION),
+	SLE_CONDVAR(Industry, selected_layout,            SLE_UINT8,                 73, SL_MAX_VERSION),
 
 	/* reserve extra space in savegame here. (currently 32 bytes) */
 	SLE_CONDNULL(32, 2, SL_MAX_VERSION),
diff --git a/src/newgrf_industries.cpp b/src/newgrf_industries.cpp
index a627376fa0..f972e8e8a3 100644
--- a/src/newgrf_industries.cpp
+++ b/src/newgrf_industries.cpp
@@ -160,6 +160,9 @@ uint32 IndustryGetVariable(const ResolverObject *object, byte variable, byte par
 		/* Manhattan distance of closes dry/water tile */
 		case 0x43: return GetClosestWaterDistance(tile, (object->u.industry_location.spec->behaviour & INDUSTRYBEH_BUILT_ONWATER) == 0);
 
+		/* Layout number */
+		case 0x44: return industry->selected_layout;
+
 		/* Get industry ID at offset param */
 		case 0x60: return GetIndustryIDAtOffset(GetNearbyTile(parameter, industry->xy), tile, industry);
 
diff --git a/src/saveload.cpp b/src/saveload.cpp
index 105be14d92..535b5c9ef0 100644
--- a/src/saveload.cpp
+++ b/src/saveload.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 #include <setjmp.h>
 #include <list>
 
-extern const uint16 SAVEGAME_VERSION = 72;
+extern const uint16 SAVEGAME_VERSION = 73;
 uint16 _sl_version;       ///< the major savegame version identifier
 byte   _sl_minor_version; ///< the minor savegame version, DO NOT USE!