diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwlua/luamanagerimp.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwlua/luamanagerimp.hpp
index 62d0de8f06..fee5260945 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwlua/luamanagerimp.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwlua/luamanagerimp.hpp
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ namespace MWLua
         void sendLocalEvent(
             const MWWorld::Ptr& target, const std::string& name, const std::optional<sol::table>& data = std::nullopt);
 
-        bool savingAllowed() const { return mAllowSaving; }
+        bool isSynchronizedUpdateRunning() const { return mAllowSaving; }
 
     private:
         void initConfiguration();
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwlua/menuscripts.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwlua/menuscripts.cpp
index 528e742c17..e71e2aeacb 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwlua/menuscripts.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwlua/menuscripts.cpp
@@ -74,8 +74,8 @@ namespace MWLua
         };
 
         api["saveGame"] = [context](std::string_view description, sol::optional<std::string_view> slotName) {
-            if (!context.mLuaManager->savingAllowed())
-                throw std::runtime_error("The game cannot be saved at the moment");
+            if (!context.mLuaManager->isSynchronizedUpdateRunning())
+                throw std::runtime_error("The game cannot be saved outside events");
             MWBase::StateManager* manager = MWBase::Environment::get().getStateManager();
             const MWState::Character* character = manager->getCurrentCharacter();
             const MWState::Slot* slot = nullptr;