diff --git a/src/core/game/NationCreation.ts b/src/core/game/NationCreation.ts
index 527b981615..62068257ea 100644
--- a/src/core/game/NationCreation.ts
+++ b/src/core/game/NationCreation.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,9 @@ export function createNationsForGame(
 ): Nation[] {
   const toNation = (n: ManifestNation): Nation =>
     new Nation(
-      new Cell(n.coordinates[0], n.coordinates[1]),
+      n.coordinates !== undefined
+        ? new Cell(n.coordinates[0], n.coordinates[1])
+        : undefined,
       new PlayerInfo(n.name, PlayerType.Nation, null, random.nextID()),
     );
 
diff --git a/src/core/game/TerrainMapLoader.ts b/src/core/game/TerrainMapLoader.ts
index 5b9423a55a..69e8b98882 100644
--- a/src/core/game/TerrainMapLoader.ts
+++ b/src/core/game/TerrainMapLoader.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ export interface MapManifest {
 }
 
 export interface Nation {
-  coordinates: [number, number];
+  coordinates?: [number, number];
   flag?: string;
   name: string;
 }
@@ -69,10 +69,12 @@ export async function loadTerrainMap(
 
   if (mapSize === GameMapSize.Compact) {
     manifest.nations.forEach((nation) => {
-      nation.coordinates = [
-        Math.floor(nation.coordinates[0] / 2),
-        Math.floor(nation.coordinates[1] / 2),
-      ];
+      if (nation.coordinates !== undefined) {
+        nation.coordinates = [
+          Math.floor(nation.coordinates[0] / 2),
+          Math.floor(nation.coordinates[1] / 2),
+        ];
+      }
     });
     manifest.additionalNations?.forEach((nation) => {
       if (nation.coordinates !== undefined) {
diff --git a/tests/MapConsistency.test.ts b/tests/MapConsistency.test.ts
index ade0b7ee6c..ff1e71f960 100644
--- a/tests/MapConsistency.test.ts
+++ b/tests/MapConsistency.test.ts
@@ -294,39 +294,68 @@ describe("Map consistency", () => {
         const info = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(infoPath, "utf8"));
         const manifest = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(manifestPath, "utf8"));
 
-        type NationEntry = { name: string; coordinates: [number, number] };
-        const infoNations: NationEntry[] = (info.nations ?? []).map(
-          (n: NationEntry) => ({ name: n.name, coordinates: n.coordinates }),
-        );
-        const manifestNations: NationEntry[] = (manifest.nations ?? []).map(
-          (n: NationEntry) => ({ name: n.name, coordinates: n.coordinates }),
-        );
-
-        if (infoNations.length !== manifestNations.length) {
-          errors.push(
-            `${key}: nation count mismatch — info.json has ${infoNations.length}, manifest.json has ${manifestNations.length}`,
-          );
-          continue;
-        }
-
-        // Compare nations by index (order must match; names can be duplicated).
-        for (let i = 0; i < infoNations.length; i++) {
-          const inf = infoNations[i];
-          const man = manifestNations[i];
-          if (inf.name !== man.name) {
+        // ── Compare nations ──────────────────────────────────────────────
+        type NationEntry = {
+          name: string;
+          coordinates?: [number, number];
+        };
+
+        function compareNationArrays(
+          label: string,
+          infoArr: NationEntry[],
+          manifestArr: NationEntry[],
+        ): void {
+          if (infoArr.length !== manifestArr.length) {
             errors.push(
-              `${key}: nations[${i}] name mismatch — info.json "${inf.name}" vs manifest.json "${man.name}"`,
+              `${key}: ${label} count mismatch — info.json has ${infoArr.length}, manifest.json has ${manifestArr.length}`,
             );
-            continue;
+            return;
           }
-          const [ix, iy] = inf.coordinates;
-          const [mx, my] = man.coordinates;
-          if (ix !== mx || iy !== my) {
-            errors.push(
-              `${key}: nation "${inf.name}" (index ${i}) coordinates differ — info.json [${ix}, ${iy}] vs manifest.json [${mx}, ${my}]`,
-            );
+          for (let i = 0; i < infoArr.length; i++) {
+            const inf = infoArr[i];
+            const man = manifestArr[i];
+            if (inf.name !== man.name) {
+              errors.push(
+                `${key}: ${label}[${i}] name mismatch — info.json "${inf.name}" vs manifest.json "${man.name}"`,
+              );
+              continue;
+            }
+            const infHasCoords = inf.coordinates !== undefined;
+            const manHasCoords = man.coordinates !== undefined;
+            if (infHasCoords !== manHasCoords) {
+              errors.push(
+                `${key}: ${label} "${inf.name}" (index ${i}) coordinate presence differs — info.json ${infHasCoords ? "has" : "missing"} coordinates, manifest.json ${manHasCoords ? "has" : "missing"} coordinates`,
+              );
+              continue;
+            }
+            if (inf.coordinates && man.coordinates) {
+              const [ix, iy] = inf.coordinates;
+              const [mx, my] = man.coordinates;
+              if (ix !== mx || iy !== my) {
+                errors.push(
+                  `${key}: ${label} "${inf.name}" (index ${i}) coordinates differ — info.json [${ix}, ${iy}] vs manifest.json [${mx}, ${my}]`,
+                );
+              }
+            }
           }
         }
+
+        const toEntry = (n: NationEntry) => ({
+          name: n.name,
+          coordinates: n.coordinates,
+        });
+
+        compareNationArrays(
+          "nation",
+          (info.nations ?? []).map(toEntry),
+          (manifest.nations ?? []).map(toEntry),
+        );
+
+        compareNationArrays(
+          "additionalNation",
+          (info.additionalNations ?? []).map(toEntry),
+          (manifest.additionalNations ?? []).map(toEntry),
+        );
       } catch (err) {
         errors.push(`${key}: failed to parse JSON — ${(err as Error).message}`);
       }
diff --git a/tests/NationCreation.test.ts b/tests/NationCreation.test.ts
index ebac8eb2df..128a6543a0 100644
--- a/tests/NationCreation.test.ts
+++ b/tests/NationCreation.test.ts
@@ -243,6 +243,34 @@ describe("createNationsForGame: additionalNations pool", () => {
     expect(withoutCoords!.spawnCell).toBeUndefined();
   });
 
+  test("uses coordinates from manifest nations when provided, undefined when omitted", () => {
+    const manifest: ManifestNation[] = [
+      { name: "WithCoords", coordinates: [10, 20] },
+      { name: "WithoutCoords" },
+    ];
+    const random = new PseudoRandom(5);
+
+    const nations = createNationsForGame(
+      makeGameStart(2),
+      manifest,
+      [],
+      0,
+      random,
+    );
+
+    expect(nations).toHaveLength(2);
+    const withCoords = nations.find((n) => n.playerInfo.name === "WithCoords");
+    const withoutCoords = nations.find(
+      (n) => n.playerInfo.name === "WithoutCoords",
+    );
+
+    expect(withCoords).toBeDefined();
+    expect(withoutCoords).toBeDefined();
+    expect(withCoords!.spawnCell?.x).toBe(10);
+    expect(withCoords!.spawnCell?.y).toBe(20);
+    expect(withoutCoords!.spawnCell).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
   test("produces unique nation names overall", () => {
     const manifest = makeManifestNations(3);
     const extras = makeAdditionalNations(["Ex1", "Ex2", "Ex3"]);