diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/actors.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/actors.cpp
index 485d7448ba..bd7a9cef2c 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/actors.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/actors.cpp
@@ -165,11 +165,12 @@ namespace MWMechanics
 
     void Actors::addActor (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr)
     {
+        MWRender::Animation *anim = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getAnimation(ptr);
         if(!MWWorld::Class::get(ptr).getCreatureStats(ptr).isDead())
-            mActors.insert(std::make_pair(ptr, CharacterController(ptr, CharState_Idle)));
+            mActors.insert(std::make_pair(ptr, CharacterController(ptr, anim, CharState_Idle)));
         else
         {
-            mActors.insert(std::make_pair(ptr, CharacterController(ptr, CharState_Dead)));
+            mActors.insert(std::make_pair(ptr, CharacterController(ptr, anim, CharState_Dead)));
             MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->playAnimationGroup (ptr, "death1", 2);
         }
     }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp
index 206f6e737f..8a09861177 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp
@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@
 
 #include "../mwworld/ptr.hpp"
 
+namespace MWRender
+{
+    class Animation;
+}
+
 namespace MWMechanics
 {
 
@@ -14,12 +19,13 @@ enum CharacterState {
 class CharacterController
 {
     MWWorld::Ptr mPtr;
+    MWRender::Animation *mAnimation;
 
     CharacterState mState;
 
 public:
-    CharacterController(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr, CharacterState state)
-      : mPtr(ptr), mState(state)
+    CharacterController(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr, MWRender::Animation *anim, CharacterState state)
+      : mPtr(ptr), mAnimation(anim), mState(state)
     { }
 
     CharacterState getState() const