diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.cpp
index 2e16b13aa..27a20a0f5 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.cpp
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ namespace MWClass
             data->mCreatureStats.setAiSetting (MWMechanics::CreatureStats::AI_Alarm, ref->mBase->mAiData.mAlarm);
 
             if (data->mCreatureStats.isDead())
-                data->mCreatureStats.setDeathAnimationFinished(true);
+                data->mCreatureStats.setDeathAnimationFinished(ptr.getClass().isPersistent(ptr));
 
             // spells
             for (std::vector<std::string>::const_iterator iter (ref->mBase->mSpells.mList.begin());
@@ -814,6 +814,9 @@ namespace MWClass
         if (ptr.getRefData().getCount() > 0 && !creatureStats.isDead())
             return;
 
+        if (!creatureStats.isDeathAnimationFinished())
+            return;
+
         const MWWorld::Store<ESM::GameSetting>& gmst = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore().get<ESM::GameSetting>();
         static const float fCorpseRespawnDelay = gmst.find("fCorpseRespawnDelay")->getFloat();
         static const float fCorpseClearDelay = gmst.find("fCorpseClearDelay")->getFloat();
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.cpp
index 8e8b5c3ad..172e4cc8f 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.cpp
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ namespace MWClass
                 data->mNpcStats.setNeedRecalcDynamicStats(true);
             }
             if (data->mNpcStats.isDead())
-                data->mNpcStats.setDeathAnimationFinished(true);
+                data->mNpcStats.setDeathAnimationFinished(ptr.getClass().isPersistent(ptr));
 
             // race powers
             const ESM::Race *race = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore().get<ESM::Race>().find(ref->mBase->mRace);
@@ -1351,6 +1351,9 @@ namespace MWClass
         if (ptr.getRefData().getCount() > 0 && !creatureStats.isDead())
             return;
 
+        if (!creatureStats.isDeathAnimationFinished())
+            return;
+
         const MWWorld::Store<ESM::GameSetting>& gmst = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore().get<ESM::GameSetting>();
         static const float fCorpseRespawnDelay = gmst.find("fCorpseRespawnDelay")->getFloat();
         static const float fCorpseClearDelay = gmst.find("fCorpseClearDelay")->getFloat();
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
index d0ffe742a..fd7abb571 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
@@ -2029,13 +2029,10 @@ void CharacterController::update(float duration)
     {
         // initial start of death animation for actors that started the game as dead
         // not done in constructor since we need to give scripts a chance to set the mSkipAnim flag
-        if (!mSkipAnim && mDeathState != CharState_None && mCurrentDeath.empty())
+        if (!mSkipAnim && mDeathState != CharState_None && mCurrentDeath.empty() && cls.isPersistent(mPtr))
         {
             // Fast-forward death animation to end for persisting corpses
-            if (cls.isPersistent(mPtr))
-                playDeath(1.f, mDeathState);
-            else
-                playDeath(0.f, mDeathState);
+            playDeath(1.f, mDeathState);
         }
         // We must always queue movement, even if there is none, to apply gravity.
         world->queueMovement(mPtr, osg::Vec3f(0.f, 0.f, 0.f));
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
index 1b6495c11..fc3c2e245 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
@@ -945,8 +945,13 @@ namespace MWWorld
     {
         const MWMechanics::CreatureStats& creatureStats = ptr.getClass().getCreatureStats(ptr);
         static const float fCorpseClearDelay = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore().get<ESM::GameSetting>().find("fCorpseClearDelay")->getFloat();
-        if (creatureStats.isDead() && !ptr.getClass().isPersistent(ptr) && creatureStats.getTimeOfDeath() + fCorpseClearDelay <= MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getTimeStamp())
+        if (creatureStats.isDead() &&
+            creatureStats.isDeathAnimationFinished() &&
+            !ptr.getClass().isPersistent(ptr) &&
+            creatureStats.getTimeOfDeath() + fCorpseClearDelay <= MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getTimeStamp())
+        {
             MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->deleteObject(ptr);
+        }
     }
 
     void CellStore::respawn()