diff --git a/binaries/data/mods/public/art/variants/structures/defensive_building.xml b/binaries/data/mods/public/art/variants/structures/defensive_building.xml
index e99fa8498b..a2f009136c 100644
--- a/binaries/data/mods/public/art/variants/structures/defensive_building.xml
+++ b/binaries/data/mods/public/art/variants/structures/defensive_building.xml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
-<variant name="Base Defensive Building">
+<variant>
   <animations>
     <!-- Note this doesn't do anything because buildings don't have dae animations
     The real sound is forced by BuildingAI while it should use the C++ code. -->
diff --git a/source/graphics/ObjectBase.cpp b/source/graphics/ObjectBase.cpp
index 837bb82a21..31a1b6dadd 100644
--- a/source/graphics/ObjectBase.cpp
+++ b/source/graphics/ObjectBase.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (C) 2019 Wildfire Games.
+/* Copyright (C) 2021 Wildfire Games.
  * This file is part of 0 A.D.
  *
  * 0 A.D. is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ void CObjectBase::LoadVariant(const CXeromyces& XeroFile, const XMBElement& vari
 		return;
 	}
 
+	// Load variants first, so that they can be overriden if necessary.
 	XERO_ITER_ATTR(variant, attr)
 	{
 		if (attr.Name == at_file)
@@ -97,7 +98,11 @@ void CObjectBase::LoadVariant(const CXeromyces& XeroFile, const XMBElement& vari
 				LOGERROR("Could not open path %s", attr.Value);
 			// Continue loading extra definitions in this variant to allow nested files
 		}
-		else if (attr.Name == at_name)
+	}
+
+	XERO_ITER_ATTR(variant, attr)
+	{
+		if (attr.Name == at_name)
 			currentVariant.m_VariantName = attr.Value.LowerCase();
 		else if (attr.Name == at_frequency)
 			currentVariant.m_Frequency = attr.Value.ToInt();