diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/physicssystem.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/physicssystem.cpp
index 5359c4eb27..9e2e94143f 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/physicssystem.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/physicssystem.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
         return mEngine;
     }
 
-    std::pair<std::string, float> PhysicsSystem::getFacedHandle (MWWorld::World& world)
+    std::pair<float, std::string> PhysicsSystem::getFacedHandle (MWWorld::World& world, float queryDistance)
     {
         btVector3 dir(0, 1, 0);
         dir = dir.rotate(btVector3(1, 0, 0), mPlayerData.pitch);
@@ -56,11 +56,14 @@ namespace MWWorld
             mPlayerData.eyepos.z);
         origin += dir * 5;
 
-        btVector3 dest = origin + dir * 500;
-        return mEngine->rayTest(origin, dest);
+        btVector3 dest = origin + dir * queryDistance;
+        std::pair <std::string, float> result;
+        /*auto*/ result = mEngine->rayTest(origin, dest);
+        result.second *= queryDistance;
+        return std::make_pair (result.second, result.first);
     }
 
-    std::vector < std::pair <float, std::string> > PhysicsSystem::getFacedObjects ()
+    std::vector < std::pair <float, std::string> > PhysicsSystem::getFacedHandles (float queryDistance)
     {
         btVector3 dir(0, 1, 0);
         dir = dir.rotate(btVector3(1, 0, 0), mPlayerData.pitch);
@@ -73,22 +76,32 @@ namespace MWWorld
             mPlayerData.eyepos.z);
         origin += dir * 5;
 
-        btVector3 dest = origin + dir * 500;
-        return mEngine->rayTest2(origin, dest);
+        btVector3 dest = origin + dir * queryDistance;
+        std::vector < std::pair <float, std::string> > results;
+        /* auto */ results = mEngine->rayTest2(origin, dest);
+        std::vector < std::pair <float, std::string> >::iterator i;
+        for (/* auto */ i = results.begin (); i != results.end (); ++i)
+            i->first *= queryDistance;
+        return results;
     }
 
-    std::vector < std::pair <float, std::string> > PhysicsSystem::getFacedObjects (float mouseX, float mouseY)
+    std::vector < std::pair <float, std::string> > PhysicsSystem::getFacedHandles (float mouseX, float mouseY, float queryDistance)
     {
         Ray ray = mRender.getCamera()->getCameraToViewportRay(mouseX, mouseY);
         Ogre::Vector3 from = ray.getOrigin();
-        Ogre::Vector3 to = ray.getPoint(500); /// \todo make this distance (ray length) configurable
+        Ogre::Vector3 to = ray.getPoint(queryDistance);
 
         btVector3 _from, _to;
         // OGRE to MW coordinates
         _from = btVector3(from.x, -from.z, from.y);
         _to = btVector3(to.x, -to.z, to.y);
 
-        return mEngine->rayTest2(_from,_to);
+        std::vector < std::pair <float, std::string> > results;
+        /* auto */ results = mEngine->rayTest2(_from,_to);
+        std::vector < std::pair <float, std::string> >::iterator i;
+        for (/* auto */ i = results.begin (); i != results.end (); ++i)
+            i->first *= queryDistance;
+        return results;
     }
 
     void PhysicsSystem::setCurrentWater(bool hasWater, int waterHeight)
@@ -110,7 +123,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
         Ray centerRay = mRender.getCamera()->getCameraToViewportRay(
         mRender.getViewport()->getWidth()/2,
         mRender.getViewport()->getHeight()/2);
-        btVector3 result(centerRay.getPoint(500*extent).x,-centerRay.getPoint(500*extent).z,centerRay.getPoint(500*extent).y); /// \todo make this distance (ray length) configurable
+        btVector3 result(centerRay.getPoint(extent).x,-centerRay.getPoint(extent).z,centerRay.getPoint(extent).y);
         return result;
     }
 
@@ -118,7 +131,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
     {
         //get a ray pointing to the center of the viewport
         Ray centerRay = mRender.getCamera()->getCameraToViewportRay(mouseX, mouseY);
-        btVector3 result(centerRay.getPoint(500*extent).x,-centerRay.getPoint(500*extent).z,centerRay.getPoint(500*extent).y); /// \todo make this distance (ray length) configurable
+        btVector3 result(centerRay.getPoint(extent).x,-centerRay.getPoint(extent).z,centerRay.getPoint(extent).y);
         return result;
     }
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/physicssystem.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/physicssystem.hpp
index 8bd73fd6cb..81715c31e9 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/physicssystem.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/physicssystem.hpp
@@ -41,14 +41,13 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
             bool toggleCollisionMode();
             
-            std::pair<std::string, float> getFacedHandle (MWWorld::World& world);
+            std::pair<float, std::string> getFacedHandle (MWWorld::World& world, float queryDistance);
+            std::vector < std::pair <float, std::string> > getFacedHandles (float queryDistance);
+            std::vector < std::pair <float, std::string> > getFacedHandles (float mouseX, float mouseY, float queryDistance);
 
             btVector3 getRayPoint(float extent);
             btVector3 getRayPoint(float extent, float mouseX, float mouseY);
 
-            std::vector < std::pair <float, std::string> > getFacedObjects ();
-
-            std::vector < std::pair <float, std::string> > getFacedObjects (float mouseX, float mouseY);
 
             // cast ray, return true if it hit something
             bool castRay(const Ogre::Vector3& from, const Ogre::Vector3& to);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
index 26614f3e13..09c48bd137 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
@@ -577,13 +577,13 @@ namespace MWWorld
     {
         if (!mRendering->occlusionQuerySupported())
         {
-            std::pair<std::string, float> result = mPhysics->getFacedHandle (*this);
+            std::pair<float, std::string> result = mPhysics->getFacedHandle (*this, 500);
 
-            if (result.first.empty() ||
-                    result.second>getStore().get<ESM::GameSetting>().find ("iMaxActivateDist")->getInt())
+            if (result.second.empty() ||
+                    result.first>getStore().get<ESM::GameSetting>().find ("iMaxActivateDist")->getInt())
                 return "";
 
-            return result.first;
+            return result.second;
         }
         else
         {
@@ -979,11 +979,11 @@ namespace MWWorld
         {
             float x, y;
             MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->getMousePosition(x, y);
-            results = mPhysics->getFacedObjects(x, y);
+            results = mPhysics->getFacedHandles(x, y, 500);
         }
         else
         {
-            results = mPhysics->getFacedObjects();
+            results = mPhysics->getFacedHandles(500);
         }
 
         // ignore the player and other things we're not interested in