diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwclass/ingredient.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwclass/ingredient.cpp
index 1be8d66b3..7ad8f1b47 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwclass/ingredient.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwclass/ingredient.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@
 #include "../mwworld/cellstore.hpp"
 #include "../mwworld/physicssystem.hpp"
 #include "../mwworld/actioneat.hpp"
+#include "../mwworld/player.hpp"
+
+#include "../mwmechanics/npcstats.hpp"
 
 #include "../mwgui/tooltips.hpp"
 
@@ -154,6 +157,10 @@ namespace MWClass
             text += MWGui::ToolTips::getMiscString(ref->mBase->mScript, "Script");
         }
 
+        MWWorld::Ptr player = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld ()->getPlayer ().getPlayer();
+        MWMechanics::NpcStats& npcStats = MWWorld::Class::get(player).getNpcStats (player);
+        int alchemySkill = npcStats.getSkill (ESM::Skill::Alchemy).getBase();
+
         MWGui::Widgets::SpellEffectList list;
         for (int i=0; i<4; ++i)
         {
@@ -163,6 +170,12 @@ namespace MWClass
             params.mEffectID = ref->mBase->mData.mEffectID[i];
             params.mAttribute = ref->mBase->mData.mAttributes[i];
             params.mSkill = ref->mBase->mData.mSkills[i];
+
+            params.mKnown = ( (i == 0 && alchemySkill >= 15)
+                 || (i == 1 && alchemySkill >= 30)
+                 || (i == 2 && alchemySkill >= 45)
+                 || (i == 3 && alchemySkill >= 60));
+
             list.push_back(params);
         }
         info.effects = list;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/widgets.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/widgets.cpp
index 82e112826..f932c1f03 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/widgets.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/widgets.cpp
@@ -390,8 +390,13 @@ void MWSpellEffect::setSpellEffect(const SpellEffectParams& params)
 
 void MWSpellEffect::updateWidgets()
 {
-    if (!mWindowManager)
+    if (!mEffectParams.mKnown)
+    {
+        mTextWidget->setCaption ("?");
+        mRequestedWidth = mTextWidget->getTextSize().width + 24;
+        mImageWidget->setImageTexture ("");
         return;
+    }
 
     const MWWorld::ESMStore &store =
         MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore();
@@ -400,7 +405,6 @@ void MWSpellEffect::updateWidgets()
         store.get<ESM::MagicEffect>().search(mEffectParams.mEffectID);
 
     assert(magicEffect);
-    assert(mWindowManager);
 
     std::string pt =  mWindowManager->getGameSettingString("spoint", "");
     std::string pts =  mWindowManager->getGameSettingString("spoints", "");
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/widgets.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/widgets.hpp
index 4ac5383f7..7cbb5e53a 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/widgets.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/widgets.hpp
@@ -37,12 +37,15 @@ namespace MWGui
                 , mEffectID(-1)
                 , mNoTarget(false)
                 , mIsConstant(false)
+                , mKnown(true)
             {
             }
 
             bool mNoTarget; // potion effects for example have no target (target is always the player)
             bool mIsConstant; // constant effect means that duration will not be displayed
 
+            bool mKnown; // is this effect known to the player? (If not, will display as a question mark instead)
+
             // value of -1 here means the effect is unknown to the player
             short mEffectID;