diff --git a/library/LuaApi.cpp b/library/LuaApi.cpp
index 996cae8f1..62f274902 100644
--- a/library/LuaApi.cpp
+++ b/library/LuaApi.cpp
@@ -1519,6 +1519,7 @@ static const LuaWrapper::FunctionReg dfhack_units_module[] = {
     WRAPM(Units, getNominalSkill),
     WRAPM(Units, getEffectiveSkill),
     WRAPM(Units, getExperience),
+    WRAPM(Units, isValidLabor),
     WRAPM(Units, computeMovementSpeed),
     WRAPM(Units, computeSlowdownFactor),
     WRAPM(Units, getProfessionName),
diff --git a/library/include/modules/Units.h b/library/include/modules/Units.h
index 655f13b5a..d706778b6 100644
--- a/library/include/modules/Units.h
+++ b/library/include/modules/Units.h
@@ -269,6 +269,8 @@ DFHACK_EXPORT int getNominalSkill(df::unit *unit, df::job_skill skill_id, bool u
 DFHACK_EXPORT int getEffectiveSkill(df::unit *unit, df::job_skill skill_id);
 DFHACK_EXPORT int getExperience(df::unit *unit, df::job_skill skill_id, bool total = false);
 
+DFHACK_EXPORT bool isValidLabor(df::unit *unit, df::unit_labor labor);
+
 DFHACK_EXPORT int computeMovementSpeed(df::unit *unit);
 DFHACK_EXPORT float computeSlowdownFactor(df::unit *unit);
 
diff --git a/library/modules/Units.cpp b/library/modules/Units.cpp
index 99c0ebca7..4bd2b49aa 100644
--- a/library/modules/Units.cpp
+++ b/library/modules/Units.cpp
@@ -1223,6 +1223,19 @@ int Units::getEffectiveSkill(df::unit *unit, df::job_skill skill_id)
     return rating;
 }
 
+bool Units::isValidLabor(df::unit *unit, df::unit_labor labor)
+{
+    CHECK_NULL_POINTER(unit);
+    if (!is_valid_enum_item(labor))
+        return false;
+    if (labor == df::unit_labor::NONE)
+        return false;
+    df::historical_entity *entity = df::historical_entity::find(unit->civ_id);
+    if (entity && entity->entity_raw && !entity->entity_raw->jobs.permitted_labor[labor])
+        return false;
+    return true;
+}
+
 inline void adjust_speed_rating(int &rating, bool is_adventure, int value, int dwarf100, int dwarf200, int adv50, int adv75, int adv100, int adv200)
 {
     if  (is_adventure)
diff --git a/plugins/autohauler.cpp b/plugins/autohauler.cpp
index 47c64c0aa..9814b678e 100644
--- a/plugins/autohauler.cpp
+++ b/plugins/autohauler.cpp
@@ -951,6 +951,8 @@ DFhackCExport command_result plugin_onupdate ( color_ostream &out )
         // For every dwarf...
         for(int dwarf = 0; dwarf < dwarfs.size(); dwarf++)
         {
+            if (!Units::isValidLabor(dwarfs[dwarf], labor))
+                continue;
 
             // Set hauling labors based on employment states
             if(dwarf_info[dwarf].state == IDLE) {
diff --git a/plugins/autolabor.cpp b/plugins/autolabor.cpp
index 0ab28ca65..21b979416 100644
--- a/plugins/autolabor.cpp
+++ b/plugins/autolabor.cpp
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ static void enable_plugin(color_ostream &out)
 
     setOptionEnabled(CF_ENABLED, true);
     enable_autolabor = true;
-    out << "Enabling the plugin." << endl;
+    out << "Enabling autolabor." << endl;
 
     cleanup_state();
     init_state();
@@ -975,7 +975,8 @@ static void assign_labor(unit_labor::unit_labor labor,
             if (!dwarfs[dwarf]->status.labors[labor])
                 dwarf_info[dwarf].assigned_jobs++;
 
-            dwarfs[dwarf]->status.labors[labor] = true;
+            if (Units::isValidLabor(dwarfs[dwarf], labor))
+                dwarfs[dwarf]->status.labors[labor] = true;
 
             if (labor_infos[labor].is_exclusive)
             {
diff --git a/plugins/manipulator.cpp b/plugins/manipulator.cpp
index d6d2cb222..c2f6759a5 100644
--- a/plugins/manipulator.cpp
+++ b/plugins/manipulator.cpp
@@ -95,14 +95,6 @@ struct SkillColumn
     df::job_skill skill; // displayed rating
     char label[3]; // column header
     bool special; // specified labor is mutually exclusive with all other special labors
-    bool isValidLabor (df::historical_entity *entity = NULL) const
-    {
-        if (labor == unit_labor::NONE)
-            return false;
-        if (entity && entity->entity_raw && !entity->entity_raw->jobs.permitted_labor[labor])
-            return false;
-        return true;
-    }
 };
 
 #define NUM_COLUMNS (sizeof(columns) / sizeof(SkillColumn))
@@ -1631,9 +1623,10 @@ void viewscreen_unitlaborsst::feed(set<df::interface_key> *events)
     }
 
     UnitInfo *cur = units[input_row];
-    if (events->count(interface_key::SELECT) && (cur->allowEdit) && columns[input_column].isValidLabor(ui->main.fortress_entity))
+    df::unit *unit = cur->unit;
+    df::unit_labor cur_labor = columns[input_column].labor;
+    if (events->count(interface_key::SELECT) && (cur->allowEdit) && Units::isValidLabor(unit, cur_labor))
     {
-        df::unit *unit = cur->unit;
         const SkillColumn &col = columns[input_column];
         bool newstatus = !unit->status.labors[col.labor];
         if (col.special)
@@ -1650,16 +1643,15 @@ void viewscreen_unitlaborsst::feed(set<df::interface_key> *events)
         }
         unit->status.labors[col.labor] = newstatus;
     }
-    if (events->count(interface_key::SELECT_ALL) && (cur->allowEdit) && columns[input_column].isValidLabor(ui->main.fortress_entity))
+    if (events->count(interface_key::SELECT_ALL) && (cur->allowEdit) && Units::isValidLabor(unit, cur_labor))
     {
-        df::unit *unit = cur->unit;
         const SkillColumn &col = columns[input_column];
         bool newstatus = !unit->status.labors[col.labor];
         for (int i = 0; i < NUM_COLUMNS; i++)
         {
             if (columns[i].group != col.group)
                 continue;
-            if (!columns[i].isValidLabor(ui->main.fortress_entity))
+            if (!Units::isValidLabor(unit, columns[i].labor))
                 continue;
             if (columns[i].special)
             {
@@ -2055,7 +2047,7 @@ void viewscreen_unitlaborsst::render()
 
         }
 
-        canToggle = (cur->allowEdit) && columns[sel_column].isValidLabor(ui->main.fortress_entity);
+        canToggle = (cur->allowEdit) && Units::isValidLabor(unit, columns[sel_column].labor);
     }
 
     int x = 2, y = dim.y - 4;