diff --git a/src/image.cpp b/src/image.cpp
index 06c1cae5d78..2e29a36ff2f 100644
--- a/src/image.cpp
+++ b/src/image.cpp
@@ -36,12 +36,87 @@
 
 #include <boost/functional/hash.hpp>
 
+#include <list>
 #include <set>
 
 static lg::log_domain log_display("display");
 #define ERR_DP LOG_STREAM(err, log_display)
 #define LOG_DP LOG_STREAM(info, log_display)
 
+/**
+ * Iterators from this dummy list are needed to ensure that iterator member
+ * of cache_item is always non-singular iterator thus avoiding
+ * "Copy-contruct from singular iterator" error when libstdc++ debug mode
+ * is enabled. Note copying a singular iterator is undefined behaviour by
+ * the C++ standard.
+ */
+static std::list<int> dummy_list;
+
+template<typename T>
+struct cache_item
+{
+	cache_item(): loaded(false), item(), position(dummy_list.end())
+	{
+	}
+
+	cache_item(const T &item): loaded(true), item(item), position(dummy_list.end())
+	{
+	}
+
+	bool loaded;
+	T item;
+	std::list<int>::iterator position;
+};
+
+namespace image {
+
+template<typename T>
+class cache_type
+{
+public:
+	cache_type(): cache_size_(0), cache_max_size_(2000), lru_list_(), content_()
+	{
+	}
+
+	cache_item<T> &get_element(int index);
+	void on_load(int index);
+
+	void flush()
+	{
+		content_.clear();
+		lru_list_.clear();
+		cache_size_ = 0;
+	}
+
+private:
+	int cache_size_;
+	int cache_max_size_;
+	std::list<int> lru_list_;
+	std::vector<cache_item<T> > content_;
+};
+
+template <typename T>
+bool locator::in_cache(cache_type<T> &cache) const
+{
+	return index_ == -1 ? false : cache.get_element(index_).loaded;
+}
+
+template <typename T>
+const T &locator::locate_in_cache(cache_type<T> &cache) const
+{
+	static T dummy;
+	return index_ == -1 ? dummy : cache.get_element(index_).item;
+}
+
+template <typename T>
+void locator::add_to_cache(cache_type<T> &cache, const T &data) const
+{
+	if (index_ != -1 ) cache.get_element(index_) = cache_item<T>(data);
+	cache.on_load(index_);
+}
+
+}
+
 namespace {
 
 image::locator::locator_finder_t locator_finder;
@@ -76,20 +151,11 @@ namespace image {
 
 std::list<int> dummy_list;
 
-template<typename T>
-void cache_type<T>::flush()
-{
-	typename std::vector<cache_item<T> >::iterator beg = content_.begin();
-	typename std::vector<cache_item<T> >::iterator end = content_.end();
-
-	for(; beg != end; ++beg) {
-		beg->loaded = false;
-		beg->item = T();
-	}
-}
 mini_terrain_cache_map mini_terrain_cache;
 mini_terrain_cache_map mini_fogged_terrain_cache;
 
+static int last_index_ = 0;
+
 void flush_cache()
 {
 	images_.flush();
@@ -105,10 +171,9 @@ void flush_cache()
 	reversed_images_.clear();
 	image_existence_map.clear();
 	precached_dirs.clear();
+	last_index_ = 0;
 }
 
-int locator::last_index_ = 0;
-
 void locator::init_index()
 {
 	std::map<value, int>& finder = locator_finder[hash_value(val_)];
@@ -1115,11 +1180,10 @@ bool precached_file_exists(const std::string& file)
 }
 
 template<typename T>
-cache_item<T>& cache_type<T>::get_element(int index){
+cache_item<T>& cache_type<T>::get_element(int index)
+{
 	assert (index != -1);
-	while(static_cast<size_t>(index) >= content_.size()) {
-		content_.push_back(cache_item<T>());
-	}
+	if (unsigned(index) >= content_.size()) content_.resize(index + 1);
 	cache_item<T>& elt = content_[index];
 	if(elt.loaded) {
 		assert(*elt.position == index);
diff --git a/src/image.hpp b/src/image.hpp
index 37722ada80d..31e490e74e2 100644
--- a/src/image.hpp
+++ b/src/image.hpp
@@ -20,12 +20,10 @@
 #include "terrain_translation.hpp"
 
 #include "SDL.h"
-#include "cassert"
 
 #include <map>
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
-#include <list>
 
 ///this module manages the cache of images. With an image name, you can get
 ///the surface corresponding to that image.
@@ -43,57 +41,9 @@ namespace image {
 #else
 	const int tile_size = 72;
 #endif
-	/**
-	 * Iterators from this dummy list are needed to ensure that iterator member
-	 * of cache_item is always non-singular iterator thus avoiding
-	 * "Copy-contruct from singular iterator" error when libstdc++ debug mode
-	 * is enabled. Note copying a singular iterator is undefined behaviour by
-	 * the C++ standard.
-	 */
-	extern std::list<int> dummy_list;
 
 	template<typename T>
-	struct cache_item {
-		cache_item() :
-			loaded(false),
-			item() ,
-			position(dummy_list.end())
-		{
-		}
-
-		cache_item(T item) :
-			loaded(true),
-			item(item),
-			position(dummy_list.end())
-		{
-		}
-
-		bool loaded;
-		T item;
-       	std::list<int>::iterator position;
-	};
-
-	template<typename T>
-	class cache_type
-	{
-	public:
-		cache_type() :
-			cache_size_(0),
-			cache_max_size_(2000),
-			lru_list_(),
-			content_()
-		{
-		}
-
-		cache_item<T>& get_element(int index);
-		void on_load(int index);
-		void flush();
-	private:
-		int cache_size_;
-		int cache_max_size_;
-       	std::list<int> lru_list_;
-       	std::vector<cache_item<T> > content_;
-	};
+	class cache_type;
 
 	//a generic image locator. Abstracts the location of an image.
 	class locator
@@ -178,17 +128,12 @@ namespace image {
 		surface load_from_disk() const;
 
 		template <typename T>
-		bool in_cache(cache_type<T>& cache) const
-			{ return index_ == -1 ? false : cache.get_element(index_).loaded; }
+		bool in_cache(cache_type<T> &cache) const;
 		template <typename T>
-		T locate_in_cache(cache_type<T>& cache) const
-			{ return index_ == -1 ? T() : cache.get_element(index_).item; }
+		const T &locate_in_cache(cache_type<T> &cache) const;
 		template <typename T>
-		void add_to_cache(cache_type<T>& cache, const T &data) const
-			{ if(index_ != -1 ) cache.get_element(index_) = cache_item<T>(data); cache.on_load(index_); }
+		void add_to_cache(cache_type<T> &cache, const T &data) const;
 
-	protected:
-		static int last_index_;
 	private:
 
 		surface load_image_file() const;
diff --git a/src/reports.cpp b/src/reports.cpp
index 773a60a7140..55f8dfc6c05 100644
--- a/src/reports.cpp
+++ b/src/reports.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 #include "reports.hpp"
 
+#include <cassert>
 
 namespace {
 	const std::string report_names[] = {