diff --git simtool.cc simtool.cc
index c109518cc..3aefc36d8 100644
--- simtool.cc
+++ simtool.cc
@@ -535,10 +535,17 @@ DBG_MESSAGE("tool_remover()",  "removing roadsign at (%s)", pos.get_str());
 		if(  weg==NULL  &&  rs->get_desc()->get_wtyp()==tram_wt  ) {
 			weg = gr->get_weg(track_wt);
 		}
+
 		rs->cleanup(player);
 		delete rs;
-		assert( weg );
-		weg->count_sign();
+
+		// no need to update way if there is none
+		// may happen when public player builds a signal on a company track,
+		// the company goes bankrupt and the public player tries to remove the signal
+		if (weg) {
+			weg->count_sign();
+		}
+
 		return true;
 	}
 
@@ -2194,7 +2201,7 @@ const char *tool_plant_tree_t::work( player_t *player, koord3d pos )
 				return NULL;
 			}
 		}
-	
+
 		return "";
 	}
 	return NULL;
@@ -2954,7 +2961,7 @@ const char *tool_build_tunnel_t::check_pos( player_t *player, koord3d pos)
 				if(  sl == slope_t::flat  ||  !slope_t::is_way( sl ) ) {
 					// cannot start a tunnel here, wrong slope
 					return "";
-				} 
+				}
 
 				if(  env_t::pak_height_conversion_factor != slope_t::max_diff(sl)  ) {
 					win_set_static_tooltip( translator::translate("The gradient does not fit a tunnel") );
diff --git simutrans/history.txt simutrans/history.txt
index f6716dc72..4c3f0f013 100644
--- simutrans/history.txt
+++ simutrans/history.txt
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 	CHG: maintenance of powerline tunnel/underground transformer maintenance is now maintenance of powerline + that of tunnel
 	ADD: reservation overlay now also shows single way directions and signal states (inspired from ranran)
 	CHG: absolute departure time can be also more than once per month (repeats the time in equal intervals)
+	FIX: Crash when removing signal without a track underneath
 
 
 Release of 122.0 (r9274 on 10-Oct-2020):