diff --git a/stepmania/src/GameConstantsAndTypes.h b/stepmania/src/GameConstantsAndTypes.h
index 7adad56843..44e32d3472 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/GameConstantsAndTypes.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/GameConstantsAndTypes.h
@@ -202,6 +202,7 @@ enum RankingCategory
 
 #define DEFAULT_RANKING_NAME CString("")
 const CString RANKING_TO_FILL_IN_MARKER[NUM_PLAYERS] = {"#P1#","#P2#"};
+inline bool IsRankingToFillIn( CString sName ) { return !sName.empty() && sName[0]=='#'; }
 
 RankingCategory AverageMeterToRankingCategory( float fAverageMeter );
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/SongManager.cpp b/stepmania/src/SongManager.cpp
index ce3e1902b4..188ad96de9 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/SongManager.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/SongManager.cpp
@@ -662,6 +662,10 @@ void SongManager::SaveCategoryRankingsToFile( CString fn )
 			m_CategoryDatas[st][rc].vHighScores.resize(NUM_RANKING_LINES);
 			for( int l=0; l<NUM_RANKING_LINES; l++ )
 			{
+				// tricky:  wipe out "name to fill in" markers
+				if( IsRankingToFillIn(m_CategoryDatas[st][rc].vHighScores[l].sName) )
+					m_CategoryDatas[st][rc].vHighScores[l].sName = "";
+
 				FileWrite( f, m_CategoryDatas[st][rc].vHighScores[l].sName );
 				FileWrite( f, m_CategoryDatas[st][rc].vHighScores[l].iScore );
 			}
@@ -709,6 +713,10 @@ void SongManager::SaveCourseMemCardDataToFile( CString fn, int mc )
 			pCourse->m_MemCardDatas[st][mc].vHighScores.resize(NUM_RANKING_LINES);
 			for( int l=0; l<NUM_RANKING_LINES; l++ )
 			{
+				// tricky:  wipe out "name to fill in" markers
+				if( IsRankingToFillIn(pCourse->m_MemCardDatas[st][mc].vHighScores[l].sName) )
+					pCourse->m_MemCardDatas[st][mc].vHighScores[l].sName = "";
+
 				FileWrite( f, pCourse->m_MemCardDatas[st][mc].vHighScores[l].sName );
 				FileWrite( f, pCourse->m_MemCardDatas[st][mc].vHighScores[l].iScore );
 				FileWrite( f, pCourse->m_MemCardDatas[st][mc].vHighScores[l].fSurviveTime );
@@ -766,6 +774,10 @@ void SongManager::SaveStepsMemCardDataToFile( CString fn, int mc )
 			pNotes->m_MemCardDatas[mc].vHighScores.resize(NUM_RANKING_LINES);
 			for( int l=0; l<NUM_RANKING_LINES; l++ )
 			{
+				// tricky:  wipe out "name to fill in" markers
+				if( IsRankingToFillIn(pNotes->m_MemCardDatas[mc].vHighScores[l].sName) )
+					pNotes->m_MemCardDatas[mc].vHighScores[l].sName = "";
+
 				FileWrite( f, pNotes->m_MemCardDatas[mc].vHighScores[l].sName );
 				FileWrite( f, pNotes->m_MemCardDatas[mc].vHighScores[l].grade );
 				FileWrite( f, pNotes->m_MemCardDatas[mc].vHighScores[l].iScore );
diff --git a/stepmania/src/Steps.cpp b/stepmania/src/Steps.cpp
index b28a070ee9..09f38e442d 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Steps.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Steps.cpp
@@ -338,6 +338,11 @@ bool Steps::MemCardData::HighScore::operator>=( const Steps::MemCardData::HighSc
 void Steps::MemCardData::AddHighScore( Steps::MemCardData::HighScore hs, int &iIndexOut )
 {
 	int i;
+	for( i=0; i<(int)vHighScores.size(); i++ )
+	{
+		ASSERT( vHighScores[i].sName != RANKING_TO_FILL_IN_MARKER[0] );
+	}
+
 	for( i=0; i<(int)vHighScores.size(); i++ )
 	{
 		if( hs >= vHighScores[i] )	// tie goes to new score