diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/spellcreationdialog.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/spellcreationdialog.cpp
index 2124c2724..5da33c67a 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/spellcreationdialog.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/spellcreationdialog.cpp
@@ -89,15 +89,22 @@ namespace MWGui
 
     void EditEffectDialog::newEffect (const ESM::MagicEffect *effect)
     {
+        bool allowSelf = effect->mData.mFlags & ESM::MagicEffect::CastSelf;
+        bool allowTouch = (effect->mData.mFlags & ESM::MagicEffect::CastTouch) && !constantEffect;
+        bool allowTarget = (effect->mData.mFlags & ESM::MagicEffect::CastTarget) && !constantEffect;
+
+        if (!allowSelf && !allowTouch && !allowTarget)
+            return; // TODO: Show an error message popup?
+
         setMagicEffect(effect);
         mEditing = false;
 
         mDeleteButton->setVisible (false);
 
         mEffect.mRange = ESM::RT_Self;
-        if (!(mMagicEffect->mData.mFlags & ESM::MagicEffect::CastSelf))
+        if (!allowSelf)
             mEffect.mRange = ESM::RT_Touch;
-        if (!(mMagicEffect->mData.mFlags & ESM::MagicEffect::CastTouch))
+        if (!allowTouch)
             mEffect.mRange = ESM::RT_Target;
         mEffect.mMagnMin = 1;
         mEffect.mMagnMax = 1;
@@ -118,6 +125,8 @@ namespace MWGui
         mMagnitudeMinValue->setCaption("1");
         mMagnitudeMaxValue->setCaption("- 1");
         mAreaValue->setCaption("0");
+
+        setVisible(true);
     }
 
     void EditEffectDialog::editEffect (ESM::ENAMstruct effect)
@@ -190,6 +199,24 @@ namespace MWGui
     {
         mEffect.mRange = (mEffect.mRange+1)%3;
 
+        // cycle through range types until we find something that's allowed
+        // does not handle the case where nothing is allowed (this should be prevented before opening the Add Effect dialog)
+        bool allowSelf = mMagicEffect->mData.mFlags & ESM::MagicEffect::CastSelf;
+        bool allowTouch = (mMagicEffect->mData.mFlags & ESM::MagicEffect::CastTouch) && !constantEffect;
+        bool allowTarget = (mMagicEffect->mData.mFlags & ESM::MagicEffect::CastTarget) && !constantEffect;
+        if (mEffect.mRange == ESM::RT_Self && !allowSelf)
+            mEffect.mRange = (mEffect.mRange+1)%3;
+        if (mEffect.mRange == ESM::RT_Touch && !allowTouch)
+            mEffect.mRange = (mEffect.mRange+1)%3;
+        if (mEffect.mRange == ESM::RT_Target && !allowTarget)
+            mEffect.mRange = (mEffect.mRange+1)%3;
+
+        if(mEffect.mRange == ESM::RT_Self)
+        {
+            mAreaSlider->setScrollPosition(0);
+            onAreaChanged(mAreaSlider,0);
+        }
+
         if (mEffect.mRange == ESM::RT_Self)
             mRangeButton->setCaptionWithReplacing ("#{sRangeSelf}");
         else if (mEffect.mRange == ESM::RT_Target)
@@ -197,19 +224,6 @@ namespace MWGui
         else if (mEffect.mRange == ESM::RT_Touch)
             mRangeButton->setCaptionWithReplacing ("#{sRangeTouch}");
 
-        // cycle through range types until we find something that's allowed
-        if (mEffect.mRange == ESM::RT_Target && (!(mMagicEffect->mData.mFlags & ESM::MagicEffect::CastTarget) || constantEffect))
-            onRangeButtonClicked(sender);
-        if (mEffect.mRange == ESM::RT_Self && !(mMagicEffect->mData.mFlags & ESM::MagicEffect::CastSelf))
-            onRangeButtonClicked(sender);
-        if (mEffect.mRange == ESM::RT_Touch && (!(mMagicEffect->mData.mFlags & ESM::MagicEffect::CastTouch) || constantEffect))
-            onRangeButtonClicked(sender);
-
-        if(mEffect.mRange == ESM::RT_Self)
-        {
-            mAreaSlider->setScrollPosition(0);
-            onAreaChanged(mAreaSlider,0);
-        }
         updateBoxes();
         eventEffectModified(mEffect);
     }
@@ -542,7 +556,6 @@ namespace MWGui
 
         mAddEffectDialog.newEffect(effect);
         mAddEffectDialog.setAttribute (mSelectAttributeDialog->getAttributeId());
-        mAddEffectDialog.setVisible(true);
         MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager ()->removeDialog (mSelectAttributeDialog);
         mSelectAttributeDialog = 0;
     }
@@ -554,7 +567,6 @@ namespace MWGui
 
         mAddEffectDialog.newEffect(effect);
         mAddEffectDialog.setSkill (mSelectSkillDialog->getSkillId());
-        mAddEffectDialog.setVisible(true);
         MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager ()->removeDialog (mSelectSkillDialog);
         mSelectSkillDialog = 0;
     }
@@ -611,7 +623,6 @@ namespace MWGui
         else
         {
             mAddEffectDialog.newEffect(effect);
-            mAddEffectDialog.setVisible(true);
         }
     }