diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmp/MechanicsHelper.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmp/MechanicsHelper.cpp
index 9c87e8c9b..9082fea3a 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmp/MechanicsHelper.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmp/MechanicsHelper.cpp
@@ -86,13 +86,10 @@ Attack *MechanicsHelper::getDedicatedAttack(const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr)
 
 MWWorld::Ptr MechanicsHelper::getPlayerPtr(const Target& target)
 {
-    if (target.refId.empty())
-    {
-        if (target.guid == mwmp::Main::get().getLocalPlayer()->guid)
-            return MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getPlayerPtr();
-        else if (PlayerList::getPlayer(target.guid) != nullptr)
-            return PlayerList::getPlayer(target.guid)->getPtr();
-    }
+    if (target.guid == mwmp::Main::get().getLocalPlayer()->guid)
+        return MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getPlayerPtr();
+    else if (PlayerList::getPlayer(target.guid) != nullptr)
+        return PlayerList::getPlayer(target.guid)->getPtr();
 
     return nullptr;
 }
@@ -101,18 +98,19 @@ void MechanicsHelper::assignAttackTarget(Attack* attack, const MWWorld::Ptr& tar
 {
     if (target == MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getPlayerPtr())
     {
+        attack->target.isPlayer = true;
         attack->target.guid = mwmp::Main::get().getLocalPlayer()->guid;
-        attack->target.refId.clear();
     }
     else if (mwmp::PlayerList::isDedicatedPlayer(target))
     {
+        attack->target.isPlayer = true;
         attack->target.guid = mwmp::PlayerList::getPlayer(target)->guid;
-        attack->target.refId.clear();
     }
     else
     {
         MWWorld::CellRef *targetRef = &target.getCellRef();
 
+        attack->target.isPlayer = false;
         attack->target.refId = targetRef->getRefId();
         attack->target.refNumIndex = targetRef->getRefNum().mIndex;
         attack->target.mpNum = targetRef->getMpNum();
@@ -128,6 +126,8 @@ void MechanicsHelper::resetAttack(Attack* attack)
     attack->applyProjectileEnchantment = false;
     attack->target.guid = RakNet::RakNetGUID();
     attack->target.refId.clear();
+    attack->target.refNumIndex = 0;
+    attack->target.mpNum = 0;
 }
 
 bool MechanicsHelper::getSpellSuccess(std::string spellId, const MWWorld::Ptr& caster)
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ void MechanicsHelper::processAttack(Attack attack, const MWWorld::Ptr& attacker)
 
     MWWorld::Ptr victim;
 
-    if (attack.target.refId.empty())
+    if (attack.target.isPlayer)
     {
         if (attack.target.guid == mwmp::Main::get().getLocalPlayer()->guid)
             victim = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getPlayerPtr();
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmp/WorldEvent.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmp/WorldEvent.cpp
index 5e5ad23b0..03afd6317 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmp/WorldEvent.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmp/WorldEvent.cpp
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ void WorldEvent::spawnObjects(MWWorld::CellStore* cellStore)
             {
                 MWWorld::Ptr masterPtr;
 
-                if (worldObject.master.refId.empty())
+                if (worldObject.master.isPlayer)
                     masterPtr = MechanicsHelper::getPlayerPtr(worldObject.master);
                 else
                     masterPtr = cellStore->searchExact(worldObject.master.refNumIndex, worldObject.master.mpNum);
@@ -828,18 +828,19 @@ void WorldEvent::addObjectSpawn(const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, const MWWorld::Ptr& mas
 
     if (master == MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getPlayerPtr())
     {
+        worldObject.master.isPlayer = true;
         worldObject.master.guid = mwmp::Main::get().getLocalPlayer()->guid;
-        worldObject.master.refId.clear();
     }
     else if (mwmp::PlayerList::isDedicatedPlayer(master))
     {
+        worldObject.master.isPlayer = true;
         worldObject.master.guid = mwmp::PlayerList::getPlayer(master)->guid;
-        worldObject.master.refId.clear();
     }
     else
     {
         MWWorld::CellRef *masterRef = &master.getCellRef();
 
+        worldObject.master.isPlayer = false;
         worldObject.master.refId = masterRef->getRefId();
         worldObject.master.refNumIndex = masterRef->getRefNum().mIndex;
         worldObject.master.mpNum = masterRef->getMpNum();
diff --git a/components/openmw-mp/Base/BaseStructs.hpp b/components/openmw-mp/Base/BaseStructs.hpp
index 0b83766f0..03fa30082 100644
--- a/components/openmw-mp/Base/BaseStructs.hpp
+++ b/components/openmw-mp/Base/BaseStructs.hpp
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ namespace mwmp
     
     struct Target
     {
+        bool isPlayer;
+
         std::string refId;
         int refNumIndex;
         int mpNum;
diff --git a/components/openmw-mp/Packets/Actor/PacketActorAttack.cpp b/components/openmw-mp/Packets/Actor/PacketActorAttack.cpp
index 44e8d43b0..324f7fb84 100644
--- a/components/openmw-mp/Packets/Actor/PacketActorAttack.cpp
+++ b/components/openmw-mp/Packets/Actor/PacketActorAttack.cpp
@@ -11,9 +11,18 @@ PacketActorAttack::PacketActorAttack(RakNet::RakPeerInterface *peer) : ActorPack
 
 void PacketActorAttack::Actor(BaseActor &actor, bool send)
 {
-    RW(actor.attack.target.refNumIndex, send);
-    RW(actor.attack.target.mpNum, send);
-    RW(actor.attack.target.guid, send);
+    RW(actor.attack.target.isPlayer, send);
+
+    if (actor.attack.target.isPlayer)
+    {
+        RW(actor.attack.target.guid, send);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        RW(actor.attack.target.refId, send, 1);
+        RW(actor.attack.target.refNumIndex, send);
+        RW(actor.attack.target.mpNum, send);
+    }
 
     RW(actor.attack.spellId, send);
     RW(actor.attack.type, send);
diff --git a/components/openmw-mp/Packets/Player/PacketPlayerAttack.cpp b/components/openmw-mp/Packets/Player/PacketPlayerAttack.cpp
index 75a6f4323..71dbf9881 100644
--- a/components/openmw-mp/Packets/Player/PacketPlayerAttack.cpp
+++ b/components/openmw-mp/Packets/Player/PacketPlayerAttack.cpp
@@ -16,10 +16,18 @@ void PacketPlayerAttack::Packet(RakNet::BitStream *bs, bool send)
 {
     PlayerPacket::Packet(bs, send);
 
-    RW(player->attack.target.refId, send, 1);
-    RW(player->attack.target.refNumIndex, send);
-    RW(player->attack.target.mpNum, send);
-    RW(player->attack.target.guid, send);
+    RW(player->attack.target.isPlayer, send);
+
+    if (player->attack.target.isPlayer)
+    {
+        RW(player->attack.target.guid, send);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        RW(player->attack.target.refId, send, 1);
+        RW(player->attack.target.refNumIndex, send);
+        RW(player->attack.target.mpNum, send);
+    }
 
     RW(player->attack.spellId, send, 1);
     RW(player->attack.type, send);
diff --git a/components/openmw-mp/Packets/World/PacketObjectSpawn.cpp b/components/openmw-mp/Packets/World/PacketObjectSpawn.cpp
index 3716679d7..6d26990f3 100644
--- a/components/openmw-mp/Packets/World/PacketObjectSpawn.cpp
+++ b/components/openmw-mp/Packets/World/PacketObjectSpawn.cpp
@@ -18,8 +18,17 @@ void PacketObjectSpawn::Object(WorldObject &worldObject, bool send)
 
     if (worldObject.hasMaster)
     {
-        RW(worldObject.master.refNumIndex, send);
-        RW(worldObject.master.mpNum, send);
-        RW(worldObject.master.guid, send);
+        RW(worldObject.master.isPlayer, send);
+
+        if (worldObject.master.isPlayer)
+        {
+            RW(worldObject.master.guid, send);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            RW(worldObject.master.refId, send, 1);
+            RW(worldObject.master.refNumIndex, send);
+            RW(worldObject.master.mpNum, send);
+        }
     }
 }