diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwbase/world.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwbase/world.hpp
index 2795012ff..b42d8eea2 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwbase/world.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwbase/world.hpp
@@ -551,7 +551,7 @@ namespace MWBase
             /// Resets all actors in the current active cells to their original location within that cell.
             virtual void resetActors() = 0;
 
-            virtual bool isWalkingOnWater (const MWWorld::ConstPtr& actor) = 0;
+            virtual bool isWalkingOnWater (const MWWorld::ConstPtr& actor) const = 0;
 
             /// Return a vector aiming the actor's weapon towards a target.
             /// @note The length of the vector is the distance between actor and target.
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/spellwindow.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/spellwindow.cpp
index 8422bb33f..7c12a8fc2 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/spellwindow.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/spellwindow.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include "../mwworld/inventorystore.hpp"
 #include "../mwworld/class.hpp"
 #include "../mwworld/esmstore.hpp"
+#include "../mwworld/player.hpp"
 
 #include "../mwmechanics/spellcasting.hpp"
 #include "../mwmechanics/spells.hpp"
@@ -122,8 +123,15 @@ namespace MWGui
         const ESM::Spell* spell =
             MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore().get<ESM::Spell>().find(spellId);
 
-        if (spell->mData.mFlags & ESM::Spell::F_Always
-            || spell->mData.mType == ESM::Spell::ST_Power)
+        MWWorld::Ptr player = MWMechanics::getPlayer();
+        std::string raceId = player.get<ESM::NPC>()->mBase->mRace;
+        const std::string& signId =
+            MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getPlayer().getBirthSign();
+        const ESM::Race* race = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore().get<ESM::Race>().find(raceId);
+        const ESM::BirthSign* birthsign = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore().get<ESM::BirthSign>().find(signId);
+
+        // can't delete racial spells, birthsign spells or powers 
+        if (race->mPowers.exists(spell->mId) || birthsign->mPowers.exists(spell->mId) || spell->mData.mType == ESM::Spell::ST_Power)
         {
             MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->messageBox("#{sDeleteSpellError}");
         }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/ripplesimulation.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/ripplesimulation.cpp
index 56302077e..00082f033 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/ripplesimulation.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/ripplesimulation.cpp
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ RippleSimulation::~RippleSimulation()
 
 void RippleSimulation::update(float dt)
 {
+    const MWBase::World* world = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld();
     for (std::vector<Emitter>::iterator it=mEmitters.begin(); it !=mEmitters.end(); ++it)
     {
         if (it->mPtr == MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld ()->getPlayerPtr())
@@ -128,10 +129,8 @@ void RippleSimulation::update(float dt)
 
         osg::Vec3f currentPos (it->mPtr.getRefData().getPosition().asVec3());
 
-        if ( (currentPos - it->mLastEmitPosition).length() > 10
-             // Only emit when close to the water surface, not above it and not too deep in the water
-            && MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld ()->isUnderwater (it->mPtr.getCell(), it->mPtr.getRefData().getPosition().asVec3())
-             && !MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->isSubmerged(it->mPtr))
+        bool shouldEmit = ( world->isUnderwater (it->mPtr.getCell(), it->mPtr.getRefData().getPosition().asVec3()) && !world->isSubmerged(it->mPtr) ) || world->isWalkingOnWater(it->mPtr);
+        if ( shouldEmit && (currentPos - it->mLastEmitPosition).length() > 10 )
         {
             it->mLastEmitPosition = currentPos;
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
index a3a5ba913..608844f19 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
@@ -3380,7 +3380,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
         }
     }
 
-    bool World::isWalkingOnWater(const ConstPtr &actor)
+    bool World::isWalkingOnWater(const ConstPtr &actor) const
     {
         const MWPhysics::Actor* physicActor = mPhysics->getActor(actor);
         if (physicActor && physicActor->isWalkingOnWater())
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.hpp
index 32434e773..63662306b 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.hpp
@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
             /// Resets all actors in the current active cells to their original location within that cell.
             virtual void resetActors();
 
-            virtual bool isWalkingOnWater (const MWWorld::ConstPtr& actor);
+            virtual bool isWalkingOnWater (const MWWorld::ConstPtr& actor) const;
 
             /// Return a vector aiming the actor's weapon towards a target.
             /// @note The length of the vector is the distance between actor and target.