diff --git a/core/src/com/unciv/logic/automation/ConstructionAutomation.kt b/core/src/com/unciv/logic/automation/ConstructionAutomation.kt
index d668e555ab..a33a7cf175 100644
--- a/core/src/com/unciv/logic/automation/ConstructionAutomation.kt
+++ b/core/src/com/unciv/logic/automation/ConstructionAutomation.kt
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import com.unciv.logic.city.CityConstructions
 import com.unciv.logic.city.PerpetualConstruction
 import com.unciv.logic.civilization.CityAction
 import com.unciv.logic.civilization.PlayerType
+import com.unciv.logic.map.BFS
 import com.unciv.models.ruleset.Building
 import com.unciv.models.ruleset.VictoryType
 import com.unciv.models.stats.Stat
@@ -29,13 +30,6 @@ class ConstructionAutomation(val cityConstructions: CityConstructions){
     val cities = civInfo.cities.size
     val allTechsAreResearched = civInfo.tech.getNumberOfTechsResearched() >= civInfo.gameInfo.ruleSet.technologies.size
 
-    val buildableWorkboatUnits = cityInfo.cityConstructions.getConstructableUnits()
-            .filter { it.uniques.contains("May create improvements on water resources") }
-    val canBuildWorkboat = buildableWorkboatUnits.any()
-            && !cityInfo.getTiles().any { it.civilianUnit?.hasUnique("May create improvements on water resources")==true }
-    val needWorkboat = canBuildWorkboat
-            && cityInfo.getTiles().any { it.isWater && it.hasViewableResource(civInfo) && it.improvement == null }
-
     val isAtWar = civInfo.isAtWar()
     val preferredVictoryType = civInfo.victoryType()
 
@@ -119,9 +113,25 @@ class ConstructionAutomation(val cityConstructions: CityConstructions){
     }
 
     private fun addWorkBoatChoice() {
-        if (needWorkboat) {
-            addChoice(relativeCostEffectiveness, buildableWorkboatUnits.minBy { it.cost }!!.name, 0.6f)
+        val buildableWorkboatUnits = cityInfo.cityConstructions.getConstructableUnits()
+                .filter { it.uniques.contains("May create improvements on water resources") }
+        val canBuildWorkboat = buildableWorkboatUnits.any()
+                && !cityInfo.getTiles().any { it.civilianUnit?.hasUnique("May create improvements on water resources") == true }
+        if (!canBuildWorkboat) return
+        val tilesThatNeedWorkboat = cityInfo.getTiles()
+                .filter { it.isWater && it.hasViewableResource(civInfo) && it.improvement == null }.toList()
+        if (tilesThatNeedWorkboat.isEmpty()) return
+
+        // If we can't reach the tile we need to improve within 10 turns, it's probably unreachable.
+        val bfs = BFS(cityInfo.getCenterTile()) { (it.isWater || it.isCityCenter()) && it.isFriendlyTerritory(civInfo) }
+        for (i in 1..10) {
+            bfs.nextStep()
+            if (tilesThatNeedWorkboat.any { bfs.hasReachedTile(it) })
+                break
         }
+        if (tilesThatNeedWorkboat.none { bfs.hasReachedTile(it) }) return
+
+        addChoice(relativeCostEffectiveness, buildableWorkboatUnits.minBy { it.cost }!!.name, 0.6f)
     }
 
     private fun addWorkerChoice() {
diff --git a/core/src/com/unciv/logic/map/BFS.kt b/core/src/com/unciv/logic/map/BFS.kt
index 39b8328087..e7f0132811 100644
--- a/core/src/com/unciv/logic/map/BFS.kt
+++ b/core/src/com/unciv/logic/map/BFS.kt
@@ -6,31 +6,33 @@ import java.util.ArrayDeque
 /**
  * Defines intermediate steps of a breadth-first search, for use in either get shortest path or get onnected tiles.
  */
-class BFS(val startingPoint: TileInfo, val predicate : (TileInfo) -> Boolean){
+class BFS(val startingPoint: TileInfo, val predicate : (TileInfo) -> Boolean) {
     var tilesToCheck = ArrayDeque<TileInfo>()
+
     /** each tile reached points to its parent tile, where we got to it from */
     val tilesReached = HashMap<TileInfo, TileInfo>()
 
-    init{
+    init {
         tilesToCheck.add(startingPoint)
         tilesReached[startingPoint] = startingPoint
     }
 
-    fun stepToEnd(){
-        while(tilesToCheck.isNotEmpty())
+    fun stepToEnd() {
+        while (tilesToCheck.isNotEmpty())
             nextStep()
     }
 
+
     fun stepUntilDestination(destination: TileInfo): BFS {
-        while(!tilesReached.containsKey(destination) && tilesToCheck.isNotEmpty())
+        while (!tilesReached.containsKey(destination) && tilesToCheck.isNotEmpty())
             nextStep()
         return this
     }
 
-    fun nextStep(){
+    fun nextStep() {
         val current = tilesToCheck.remove()
-        for(neighbor in current.neighbors){
-            if(predicate(neighbor) && !tilesReached.containsKey(neighbor)){
+        for (neighbor in current.neighbors) {
+            if (predicate(neighbor) && !tilesReached.containsKey(neighbor)) {
                 tilesReached[neighbor] = current
                 tilesToCheck.add(neighbor)
             }
@@ -41,7 +43,7 @@ class BFS(val startingPoint: TileInfo, val predicate : (TileInfo) -> Boolean){
         val path = ArrayList<TileInfo>()
         path.add(destination)
         var currentNode = destination
-        while(currentNode != startingPoint) {
+        while (currentNode != startingPoint) {
             val parent = tilesReached[currentNode]
             if (parent == null) return ArrayList()// destination is not in our path
             currentNode = parent