diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmp/Cell.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmp/Cell.cpp
index 9fdef9915..ddb3a0dad 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmp/Cell.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmp/Cell.cpp
@@ -82,8 +82,10 @@ void Cell::updateLocal(bool forceUpdate)
         }
         else
         {
+            // Forcibly update this local actor if its data has never been sent before;
+            // otherwise, use the current forceUpdate value
             if (actor->getPtr().getRefData().isEnabled())
-                actor->update(forceUpdate);
+                actor->update(actor->hasSentData ? forceUpdate : true);
 
             ++it;
         }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmp/LocalActor.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmp/LocalActor.cpp
index 5fbc129a8..27c4f6088 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmp/LocalActor.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmp/LocalActor.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ using namespace std;
 
 LocalActor::LocalActor()
 {
+    hasSentData = false;
     posWasChanged = false;
     equipmentChanged = false;
 
@@ -61,6 +62,8 @@ void LocalActor::update(bool forceUpdate)
         updateSpeech();
         updateAttack();
     }
+
+    hasSentData = true;
 }
 
 void LocalActor::updateCell()
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmp/LocalActor.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmp/LocalActor.hpp
index 35ba5f407..2994d4ca5 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmp/LocalActor.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmp/LocalActor.hpp
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ namespace mwmp
         MWWorld::Ptr getPtr();
         void setPtr(const MWWorld::Ptr& newPtr);
 
+        bool hasSentData;
         bool wasDead;
 
     private: