diff --git a/apps/openmw/engine.cpp b/apps/openmw/engine.cpp
index 874fad267..bf1cca5e0 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/engine.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/engine.cpp
@@ -91,6 +91,9 @@ bool OMW::Engine::frameRenderingQueued (const Ogre::FrameEvent& evt)
 
         bool paused = MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->isGuiMode();
 
+        // update game state
+        MWBase::Environment::get().getStateManager()->update (frametime);
+
         if (MWBase::Environment::get().getStateManager()->getState()==
             MWBase::StateManager::State_Running)
         {
@@ -110,9 +113,6 @@ bool OMW::Engine::frameRenderingQueued (const Ogre::FrameEvent& evt)
             if (!paused)
                 MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->advanceTime(
                     frametime*MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getTimeScaleFactor()/3600);
-
-            // update game state
-            MWBase::Environment::get().getStateManager()->update (frametime);
         }
 
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
index 15bb137fc..d58dee9ad 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
@@ -1244,7 +1244,6 @@ bool CharacterController::kill()
         //player's death animation is over
         if( mPtr.getRefData().getHandle()=="player" && !isAnimPlaying(mCurrentDeath) )
         {
-            MWWorld::Class::get(mPtr).getCreatureStats(mPtr).setHealth(0);
             MWBase::Environment::get().getStateManager()->askLoadRecent();
         }
         return false;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.cpp
index fb2d10bbf..f68a01bf4 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.cpp
@@ -111,23 +111,6 @@ void MWState::StateManager::askLoadRecent()
             mAskLoadRecent = true;
         }
     }
-    else
-    {
-        int iButton = MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->readPressedButton();
-        if(iButton==0)
-        {
-            mAskLoadRecent = false;
-            //Load last saved game for current character
-            MWState::Character *curCharacter = getCurrentCharacter();
-            MWState::Slot lastSave = *curCharacter->begin();
-            loadGame(curCharacter, &lastSave);
-        }
-        else if(iButton==1)
-        {
-            mAskLoadRecent = false;
-            MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->pushGuiMode (MWGui::GM_MainMenu);
-        }
-    }
 }
 
 MWState::StateManager::State MWState::StateManager::getState() const
@@ -340,4 +323,23 @@ MWState::StateManager::CharacterIterator MWState::StateManager::characterEnd()
 void MWState::StateManager::update (float duration)
 {
     mTimePlayed += duration;
+
+    // Note: It would be nicer to trigger this from InputManager, i.e. the very beginning of the frame update.
+    if (mAskLoadRecent)
+    {
+        int iButton = MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->readPressedButton();
+        if(iButton==0)
+        {
+            mAskLoadRecent = false;
+            //Load last saved game for current character
+            MWState::Character *curCharacter = getCurrentCharacter();
+            MWState::Slot lastSave = *curCharacter->begin();
+            loadGame(curCharacter, &lastSave);
+        }
+        else if(iButton==1)
+        {
+            mAskLoadRecent = false;
+            MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->pushGuiMode (MWGui::GM_MainMenu);
+        }
+    }
 }