diff --git a/sc2/src/uqm/planets/planets.c b/sc2/src/uqm/planets/planets.c
index 83984755f..53ac8a373 100644
--- a/sc2/src/uqm/planets/planets.c
+++ b/sc2/src/uqm/planets/planets.c
@@ -202,15 +202,15 @@ DrawOrbitalDisplay (DRAW_ORBITAL_MODE Mode)
 void
 LoadPlanet (FRAME SurfDefFrame)
 {
-	BOOLEAN WaitMode;
+	bool WaitMode = !(LastActivity & CHECK_LOAD);
+	PLANET_DESC *pPlanetDesc;
 
 #ifdef DEBUG
 	if (disableInteractivity)
 		return;
 #endif
 
-	WaitMode = !(LastActivity & CHECK_LOAD) &&
-			(pSolarSysState->MenuState.Initialized != 3);
+	assert (pSolarSysState->MenuState.Initialized != 3);
 
 	if (WaitMode)
 	{
@@ -219,25 +219,13 @@ LoadPlanet (FRAME SurfDefFrame)
 		UnlockMutex (GraphicsLock);
 	}
 
-	// TODO: split off the scan screen redraw code into a separate
-	//   function so that we could lose this hack.
-	if (!pSolarSysState->TopoFrame)
-	{
-		// TopoFrame has not been initialised yet.
-		// This means the call to LoadPlanet is made from some
-		// GenerateFunctions.generateOribital() function.
-		PLANET_DESC *pPlanetDesc;
+	StopMusic ();
+	TaskContext = CreateContext ("TaskContext");
 
-		StopMusic ();
-
-		TaskContext = CreateContext ("TaskContext");
-
-		pPlanetDesc = pSolarSysState->pOrbitalDesc;
-
-		GeneratePlanetSurface (pPlanetDesc, SurfDefFrame);
-		SetPlanetMusic (pPlanetDesc->data_index & ~PLANET_SHIELDED);
-		GeneratePlanetSide ();
-	}
+	pPlanetDesc = pSolarSysState->pOrbitalDesc;
+	GeneratePlanetSurface (pPlanetDesc, SurfDefFrame);
+	SetPlanetMusic (pPlanetDesc->data_index & ~PLANET_SHIELDED);
+	GeneratePlanetSide ();
 
 	LockMutex (GraphicsLock);
 	DrawOrbitalDisplay (WaitMode ? DRAW_ORBITAL_UPDATE : DRAW_ORBITAL_FULL);
@@ -249,7 +237,6 @@ LoadPlanet (FRAME SurfDefFrame)
 	if (WaitMode)
 	{
 		assert (pSolarSysState->MenuState.Initialized == 2);
-
 		ZoomInPlanetSphere ();
 	}
 
@@ -407,7 +394,9 @@ DoPlanetOrbit (MENU_STATE *pMS)
 
 			if (!AutoPilotSet)
 			{	// Redraw the orbital display
-				LoadPlanet (NULL);
+				LockMutex (GraphicsLock);
+				DrawOrbitalDisplay (DRAW_ORBITAL_FULL);
+				UnlockMutex (GraphicsLock);
 				break;
 			}
 			// Fall through !!!