diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwbase/mechanicsmanager.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwbase/mechanicsmanager.hpp
index d9068b285..398439ad8 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwbase/mechanicsmanager.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwbase/mechanicsmanager.hpp
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ namespace MWBase
             /// Has the player stolen this item from the given owner?
             virtual bool isItemStolenFrom(const std::string& itemid, const std::string& ownerid) = 0;
 
-            virtual bool isAllowedToUse (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, const MWWorld::ConstPtr& item, MWWorld::Ptr& victim) = 0;
+            virtual bool isAllowedToUse (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, const MWWorld::Ptr& target, MWWorld::Ptr& victim) = 0;
 
             /// Turn actor into werewolf or normal form.
             virtual void setWerewolf(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor, bool werewolf) = 0;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/tooltips.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/tooltips.cpp
index e6de9c42c..a9930db4f 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/tooltips.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/tooltips.cpp
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ namespace MWGui
         }
     }
 
-    void ToolTips::setFocusObject(const MWWorld::ConstPtr& focus)
+    void ToolTips::setFocusObject(const MWWorld::Ptr& focus)
     {
         mFocusObject = focus;
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/tooltips.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/tooltips.hpp
index bb2affc63..2793e6544 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/tooltips.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/tooltips.hpp
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ namespace MWGui
 
         void setDelay(float delay);
 
-        void setFocusObject(const MWWorld::ConstPtr& focus);
+        void setFocusObject(const MWWorld::Ptr& focus);
         void setFocusObjectScreenCoords(float min_x, float min_y, float max_x, float max_y);
         ///< set the screen-space position of the tooltip for focused object
 
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ namespace MWGui
     private:
         MyGUI::Widget* mDynamicToolTipBox;
 
-        MWWorld::ConstPtr mFocusObject;
+        MWWorld::Ptr mFocusObject;
 
         MyGUI::IntSize getToolTipViaPtr (int count, bool image=true);
         ///< @return requested tooltip size
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowmanagerimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowmanagerimp.cpp
index fbee52c82..e96743b91 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowmanagerimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowmanagerimp.cpp
@@ -1573,7 +1573,7 @@ namespace MWGui
 
         mMessageBoxManager->clear();
 
-        mToolTips->setFocusObject(MWWorld::ConstPtr());
+        mToolTips->setFocusObject(MWWorld::Ptr());
 
         mSelectedSpell.clear();
         mCustomMarkers.clear();
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp
index 574444a8f..950cf8a01 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp
@@ -840,17 +840,30 @@ namespace MWMechanics
         mAI = true;
     }
 
-    bool MechanicsManager::isAllowedToUse (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, const MWWorld::ConstPtr& item, MWWorld::Ptr& victim)
+    bool MechanicsManager::isAllowedToUse (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, const MWWorld::Ptr& target, MWWorld::Ptr& victim)
     {
-        const MWWorld::CellRef& cellref = item.getCellRef();
+        const MWWorld::CellRef& cellref = target.getCellRef();
         // there is no harm to use unlocked doors
-        if (item.getClass().isDoor() && cellref.getLockLevel() <= 0 && ptr.getCellRef().getTrap().empty())
+        if (target.getClass().isDoor() && cellref.getLockLevel() <= 0 && ptr.getCellRef().getTrap().empty())
             return true;
 
-        // TODO: implement a better check to check if item is owned bed
-        if (item.getClass().isActivator() && item.getClass().getScript(item).compare(0, 3, "Bed") != 0)
+        // TODO: implement a better check to check if target is owned bed
+        if (target.getClass().isActivator() && target.getClass().getScript(target).compare(0, 3, "Bed") != 0)
             return true;
 
+        if (target.getClass().isNpc())
+        {
+            if (target.getClass().getCreatureStats(target).isDead())
+                return true;
+
+            // check if a player tries to pickpocket a target NPC
+            if(ptr.getClass().getCreatureStats(ptr).getStance(MWMechanics::CreatureStats::Stance_Sneak)
+                || target.getClass().getCreatureStats(target).getKnockedDown())
+                return false;
+
+            return true;
+        }
+
         const std::string& owner = cellref.getOwner();
         bool isOwned = !owner.empty() && owner != "player";
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.hpp
index 1bf3a8d22..ee4cf28af 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.hpp
@@ -204,8 +204,8 @@ namespace MWMechanics
             /// Has the player stolen this item from the given owner?
             virtual bool isItemStolenFrom(const std::string& itemid, const std::string& ownerid);
 
-            /// @return is \a ptr allowed to take/use \a cellref or is it a crime?
-            virtual bool isAllowedToUse (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, const MWWorld::ConstPtr& item, MWWorld::Ptr& victim);
+            /// @return is \a ptr allowed to take/use \a target or is it a crime?
+            virtual bool isAllowedToUse (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, const MWWorld::Ptr& target, MWWorld::Ptr& victim);
 
             virtual void setWerewolf(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor, bool werewolf);
             virtual void applyWerewolfAcrobatics(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor);