diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwdialogue/filter.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwdialogue/filter.cpp
index 78969ffd0..52c7bd4f3 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwdialogue/filter.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwdialogue/filter.cpp
@@ -73,6 +73,11 @@ bool MWDialogue::Filter::testActor (const ESM::DialInfo& info) const
         if (iter->second < info.mData.mRank)
             return false;
     }
+    else if (info.mData.mRank != -1)
+    {
+        // if there is a rank condition, but the NPC is not in a faction, always fail
+        return false;
+    }
 
     // Gender
     if (!isCreature)
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/referenceinterface.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/referenceinterface.cpp
index 66e036d92..86a85be18 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/referenceinterface.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/referenceinterface.cpp
@@ -18,17 +18,17 @@ namespace MWGui
 
     void ReferenceInterface::checkReferenceAvailable()
     {
-        if (mPtr.isEmpty())
-            return;
-
         MWWorld::Ptr::CellStore* playerCell = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getPlayer().getPlayer().getCell();
 
         // check if player has changed cell, or count of the reference has become 0
         if ((playerCell != mCurrentPlayerCell && mCurrentPlayerCell != NULL)
-            || mPtr.getRefData().getCount() == 0)
+             || (!mPtr.isEmpty() && mPtr.getRefData().getCount() == 0))
         {
-            mPtr = MWWorld::Ptr();
-            onReferenceUnavailable();
+            if (!mPtr.isEmpty())
+            {
+                mPtr = MWWorld::Ptr();
+                onReferenceUnavailable();
+            }
         }
 
         mCurrentPlayerCell = playerCell;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/store.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/store.hpp
index fb3f8c482..2bd61c2b0 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/store.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/store.hpp
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
             cell.mData.mX = x, cell.mData.mY = y;
 
             std::pair<int, int> key(x, y);
-            std::map<std::pair<int, int>, ESM::Cell>::const_iterator it = mExt.find(key);
+            DynamicExt::const_iterator it = mExt.find(key);
             if (it != mExt.end()) {
                 return &(it->second);
             }
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
             cell.mData.mX = x, cell.mData.mY = y;
 
             std::pair<int, int> key(x, y);
-            std::map<std::pair<int, int>, ESM::Cell>::const_iterator it = mExt.find(key);
+            DynamicExt::const_iterator it = mExt.find(key);
             if (it != mExt.end()) {
                 return &(it->second);
             }
@@ -534,7 +534,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
         void setUp() {
             //typedef std::vector<ESM::Cell>::iterator Iterator;
-            typedef std::map<std::pair<int, int>, ESM::Cell>::iterator ExtIterator;
+            typedef DynamicExt::iterator ExtIterator;
             typedef std::map<std::string, ESM::Cell>::iterator IntIterator;
 
             //std::sort(mInt.begin(), mInt.end(), RecordCmp());
diff --git a/readme.txt b/readme.txt
index d5a5dcc18..c033f9547 100644
--- a/readme.txt
+++ b/readme.txt
@@ -137,6 +137,8 @@ Bug #702: Some race mods don't work
 Bug #711: Crash during character creation
 Bug #715: Growing Tauryon
 Bug #725: Auto calculate stats
+Bug #728: Failure to open container and talk dialogue
+Bug #731: Crash with Mush-Mere's "background" topic
 Feature #55/657: Item Repairing
 Feature #62/87: Enchanting
 Feature #99: Pathfinding