diff --git a/core/src/com/unciv/ui/newgamescreen/NewGameScreen.kt b/core/src/com/unciv/ui/newgamescreen/NewGameScreen.kt
index f0a26028..6b9f245e 100644
--- a/core/src/com/unciv/ui/newgamescreen/NewGameScreen.kt
+++ b/core/src/com/unciv/ui/newgamescreen/NewGameScreen.kt
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ class NewGameScreen: PickerScreen(){
         scrollPane.setScrollingDisabled(true,true)
 
         val playerPickerTable = PlayerPickerTable(this, newGameParameters)
-        val newGameScreenOptionsTable = NewGameScreenOptionsTable(this) { playerPickerTable.update() }
+        val newGameScreenOptionsTable = NewGameScreenOptionsTable(this) { desiredCiv: String -> playerPickerTable.update(desiredCiv) }
         topTable.add(ScrollPane(newGameScreenOptionsTable).apply{setOverscroll(false,false)}).height(topTable.parent.height)
         topTable.add(playerPickerTable).height(topTable.parent.height)
         topTable.pack()
diff --git a/core/src/com/unciv/ui/newgamescreen/NewGameScreenOptionsTable.kt b/core/src/com/unciv/ui/newgamescreen/NewGameScreenOptionsTable.kt
index 19420c32..29d98f08 100644
--- a/core/src/com/unciv/ui/newgamescreen/NewGameScreenOptionsTable.kt
+++ b/core/src/com/unciv/ui/newgamescreen/NewGameScreenOptionsTable.kt
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import com.unciv.ui.utils.CameraStageBaseScreen
 import com.unciv.ui.utils.ImageGetter
 import com.unciv.ui.utils.toLabel
 
-class NewGameScreenOptionsTable(val newGameScreen: NewGameScreen, val updatePlayerPickerTable:()->Unit)
+class NewGameScreenOptionsTable(val newGameScreen: NewGameScreen, val updatePlayerPickerTable:(desiredCiv:String)->Unit)
     : Table(CameraStageBaseScreen.skin) {
     val newGameParameters = newGameScreen.newGameParameters
     val mapParameters = newGameScreen.mapParameters
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ class NewGameScreenOptionsTable(val newGameScreen: NewGameScreen, val updatePlay
         isOnlineMultiplayerCheckbox.addListener(object : ChangeListener() {
             override fun changed(event: ChangeEvent?, actor: Actor?) {
                 newGameParameters.isOnlineMultiplayer = isOnlineMultiplayerCheckbox.isChecked
-                updatePlayerPickerTable()
+                updatePlayerPickerTable("")
             }
         })
         add(isOnlineMultiplayerCheckbox).colspan(2).row()
@@ -233,16 +233,24 @@ class NewGameScreenOptionsTable(val newGameScreen: NewGameScreen, val updatePlay
             ImageGetter.setTextureRegionDrawables()
         }
 
-        add("{Mods}:".tr()).colspan(2).row()
+        add("{Mods}:".tr().toLabel(fontSize = 24)).padTop(16f).colspan(2).row()
         val modCheckboxTable = Table().apply { defaults().pad(5f) }
         for(mod in modRulesets){
             val checkBox = CheckBox(mod.name,CameraStageBaseScreen.skin)
+            if (mod.name in newGameParameters.mods) checkBox.isChecked = true
             checkBox.addListener(object : ChangeListener() {
                 override fun changed(event: ChangeEvent?, actor: Actor?) {
                     if(checkBox.isChecked) newGameParameters.mods.add(mod.name)
                     else newGameParameters.mods.remove(mod.name)
                     reloadMods()
-                    updatePlayerPickerTable()
+                    var desiredCiv = ""
+                    if (checkBox.isChecked){
+                        val modNations = RulesetCache[mod.name]?.nations
+                        if (modNations != null && modNations.size > 0) {
+                            desiredCiv = modNations.keys.first()
+                        }
+                    }
+                    updatePlayerPickerTable(desiredCiv)
                 }
             })
             modCheckboxTable.add(checkBox).row()
diff --git a/core/src/com/unciv/ui/newgamescreen/PlayerPickerTable.kt b/core/src/com/unciv/ui/newgamescreen/PlayerPickerTable.kt
index a39dcc88..87c93b0b 100644
--- a/core/src/com/unciv/ui/newgamescreen/PlayerPickerTable.kt
+++ b/core/src/com/unciv/ui/newgamescreen/PlayerPickerTable.kt
@@ -28,12 +28,14 @@ class PlayerPickerTable(val newGameScreen: NewGameScreen, val newGameParameters:
         update()
     }
 
-    fun update() {
+    fun update(desiredCiv: String = "") {
         playerListTable.clear()
         val gameBasics = newGameScreen.ruleset // the mod picking changes this ruleset
+
+        reassignRemovedModReferences()
+        if (desiredCiv.isNotEmpty()) assignDesiredCiv(desiredCiv)
+
         for (player in newGameParameters.players) {
-            if(!newGameScreen.ruleset.nations.containsKey(player.chosenCiv)) // this was in a mod we disabled
-                player.chosenCiv="Random"
             playerListTable.add(getPlayerTable(player, gameBasics)).pad(10f).row()
         }
         if(newGameParameters.players.count() < gameBasics.nations.values.count { it.isMajorCiv() }) {
@@ -43,6 +45,20 @@ class PlayerPickerTable(val newGameScreen: NewGameScreen, val newGameParameters:
         newGameScreen.setNewGameButtonEnabled(newGameParameters.players.size>1)
     }
 
+    private fun reassignRemovedModReferences() {
+        for (player in newGameParameters.players) {
+            if (!newGameScreen.ruleset.nations.containsKey(player.chosenCiv))
+                player.chosenCiv = "Random"
+        }
+    }
+
+    private fun assignDesiredCiv(desiredCiv: String) {
+        // No auto-select if desiredCiv already used
+        if (newGameParameters.players.any {it.chosenCiv == desiredCiv}) return
+        // Do auto-select, silently no-op if no suitable slot (human with 'random' choice)
+        newGameParameters.players.firstOrNull { it.chosenCiv == "Random" && it.playerType==PlayerType.Human }?.chosenCiv = desiredCiv
+    }
+
     fun getPlayerTable(player: Player, ruleset: Ruleset): Table {
         val playerTable = Table()
         playerTable.pad(5f)