diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aipackage.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aipackage.cpp
index 8336ca971..37f5f5bf7 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aipackage.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aipackage.cpp
@@ -22,27 +22,6 @@
 
 #include <osg/Quat>
 
-namespace MWMechanics
-{
-    static float distance(const osg::Vec2f& lhs, const osg::Vec2f& rhs)
-    {
-        return (lhs - rhs).length2();
-    }
-
-    static float distanceIgnoreZ(const osg::Vec3f& lhs, const osg::Vec3f& rhs)
-    {
-        return distance(osg::Vec2f(lhs.x(), lhs.y()), osg::Vec2f(rhs.x(), rhs.y()));
-    }
-
-    static float distance(const osg::Vec3f& lhs, const osg::Vec3f& rhs, const MWWorld::Ptr& actor)
-    {
-        const auto world = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld();
-        if (world->isSwimming(actor) || world->isFlying(actor))
-            return distance(lhs, rhs);
-        return distanceIgnoreZ(lhs, rhs);
-    }
-}
-
 MWMechanics::AiPackage::~AiPackage() {}
 
 MWMechanics::AiPackage::AiPackage() :
@@ -352,7 +331,7 @@ bool MWMechanics::AiPackage::checkWayIsClearForActor(const osg::Vec3f& startPoin
 bool MWMechanics::AiPackage::doesPathNeedRecalc(const osg::Vec3f& newDest, const MWWorld::Ptr& actor) const
 {
     return mPathFinder.getPath().empty()
-        || distance(mPathFinder.getPath().back(), newDest, actor) > 10
+        || getPathDistance(actor, mPathFinder.getPath().back(), newDest) > 10
         || mPathFinder.getPathCell() != actor.getCell();
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/combat.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/combat.cpp
index 9258c6b2d..27dc0b473 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/combat.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/combat.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include "spellcasting.hpp"
 #include "difficultyscaling.hpp"
 #include "actorutil.hpp"
+#include "pathfinding.hpp"
 
 namespace
 {
@@ -467,13 +468,8 @@ namespace MWMechanics
     {
         osg::Vec3f pos1 (actor1.getRefData().getPosition().asVec3());
         osg::Vec3f pos2 (actor2.getRefData().getPosition().asVec3());
-        if (canActorMoveByZAxis(actor2))
-        {
-            pos1.z() = 0.f;
-            pos2.z() = 0.f;
-        }
 
-        float d = (pos1 - pos2).length();
+        float d = getAggroDistance(actor2, pos1, pos2);
 
         static const int iFightDistanceBase = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore().get<ESM::GameSetting>().find(
                     "iFightDistanceBase")->mValue.getInteger();
@@ -489,4 +485,11 @@ namespace MWMechanics
         return (magicEffects.get(ESM::MagicEffect::Invisibility).getMagnitude() > 0)
             || (magicEffects.get(ESM::MagicEffect::Chameleon).getMagnitude() > 75);
     }
+
+    float getAggroDistance(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor, const osg::Vec3f& lhs, const osg::Vec3f& rhs)
+    {
+        if (canActorMoveByZAxis(actor))
+            return distanceIgnoreZ(lhs, rhs);
+        return distance(lhs, rhs);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/combat.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/combat.hpp
index fd2717b19..3d4a1bd77 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/combat.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/combat.hpp
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ void applyFatigueLoss(const MWWorld::Ptr& attacker, const MWWorld::Ptr& weapon,
 float getFightDistanceBias(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor1, const MWWorld::Ptr& actor2);
 
 bool isTargetMagicallyHidden(const MWWorld::Ptr& target);
+
+float getAggroDistance(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor, const osg::Vec3f& lhs, const osg::Vec3f& rhs);
+
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/pathfinding.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/pathfinding.cpp
index 900f97a67..97c29680c 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/pathfinding.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/pathfinding.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 #include "pathgrid.hpp"
 #include "coordinateconverter.hpp"
+#include "actorutil.hpp"
 
 namespace
 {
@@ -84,6 +85,13 @@ namespace
 
 namespace MWMechanics
 {
+    float getPathDistance(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor, const osg::Vec3f& lhs, const osg::Vec3f& rhs)
+    {
+        if (canActorMoveByZAxis(actor))
+            return distance(lhs, rhs);
+        return distanceIgnoreZ(lhs, rhs);
+    }
+
     bool checkWayIsClear(const osg::Vec3f& from, const osg::Vec3f& to, float offsetXY)
     {
         osg::Vec3f dir = to - from;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/pathfinding.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/pathfinding.hpp
index f762b6f18..b413810f4 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/pathfinding.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/pathfinding.hpp
@@ -13,17 +13,29 @@ namespace MWWorld
 {
     class CellStore;
     class ConstPtr;
+    class Ptr;
 }
 
 namespace MWMechanics
 {
     class PathgridGraph;
 
-    inline float distance(const osg::Vec3f& lhs, const osg::Vec3f& rhs)
+    template <class T>
+    inline float distance(const T& lhs, const T& rhs)
     {
+        static_assert(std::is_same<T, osg::Vec2f>::value
+                      || std::is_same<T, osg::Vec3f>::value,
+                      "T is not a position");
         return (lhs - rhs).length();
     }
 
+    inline float distanceIgnoreZ(const osg::Vec3f& lhs, const osg::Vec3f& rhs)
+    {
+        return distance(osg::Vec2f(lhs.x(), lhs.y()), osg::Vec2f(rhs.x(), rhs.y()));
+    }
+
+    float getPathDistance(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor, const osg::Vec3f& lhs, const osg::Vec3f& rhs);
+
     inline float getZAngleToDir(const osg::Vec3f& dir)
     {
         return std::atan2(dir.x(), dir.y());