diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwstate/charactermanager.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwstate/charactermanager.cpp
index 22192c355..f2d031576 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwstate/charactermanager.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwstate/charactermanager.cpp
@@ -101,15 +101,16 @@ std::list<MWState::Character>::iterator MWState::CharacterManager::findCharacter
 
 void MWState::CharacterManager::setCurrentCharacter (const Character *character)
 {
-    std::list<Character>::iterator it = findCharacter(character);
+    if (!character)
+        mCurrent = NULL;
+    else
+    {
+        std::list<Character>::iterator it = findCharacter(character);
 
-    mCurrent = &*it;
+        mCurrent = &*it;
+    }
 }
 
-void MWState::CharacterManager::clearCurrentCharacter()
-{
-    mCurrent = 0;
-}
 
 std::list<MWState::Character>::const_iterator MWState::CharacterManager::begin() const
 {
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwstate/charactermanager.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwstate/charactermanager.hpp
index c44c10b5a..64f71af99 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwstate/charactermanager.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwstate/charactermanager.hpp
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@ namespace MWState
 
             void setCurrentCharacter (const Character *character);
 
-            void clearCurrentCharacter();
-
             std::list<Character>::const_iterator begin() const;
 
             std::list<Character>::const_iterator end() const;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.cpp
index 1bf97cb7e..1759cdf54 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ void MWState::StateManager::cleanup (bool force)
         MWBase::Environment::get().getMechanicsManager()->clear();
 
         mState = State_NoGame;
-        mCharacterManager.clearCurrentCharacter();
+        mCharacterManager.setCurrentCharacter(NULL);
         mTimePlayed = 0;
 
         MWMechanics::CreatureStats::cleanup();
@@ -333,19 +333,8 @@ void MWState::StateManager::loadGame(const std::string& filepath)
         }
     }
 
-    // have to peek into the save file to get the player name
-    ESM::ESMReader reader;
-    reader.open (filepath);
-    if (reader.getRecName()!=ESM::REC_SAVE)
-        return; // invalid save file -> ignore
-    reader.getRecHeader();
-    ESM::SavedGame profile;
-    profile.load (reader);
-    reader.close();
-
-    MWState::Character* character = mCharacterManager.getCurrentCharacter(true, profile.mPlayerName);
+    MWState::Character* character = getCurrentCharacter(false);
     loadGame(character, filepath);
-    mTimePlayed = profile.mTimePlayed;
 }
 
 void MWState::StateManager::loadGame (const Character *character, const std::string& filepath)
@@ -470,7 +459,8 @@ void MWState::StateManager::loadGame (const Character *character, const std::str
 
         mState = State_Running;
 
-        Settings::Manager::setString ("character", "Saves",
+        if (character)
+            Settings::Manager::setString ("character", "Saves",
                                       character->getPath().filename().string());
 
         MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->setNewGame(false);