diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwbase/world.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwbase/world.hpp
index e9a76c565..7376e6b51 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwbase/world.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwbase/world.hpp
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ namespace MWBase
             virtual bool getLOS(const MWWorld::ConstPtr& actor,const MWWorld::ConstPtr& targetActor) = 0;
             ///< get Line of Sight (morrowind stupid implementation)
 
-            virtual float getDistToNearestRayHit(const osg::Vec3f& from, const osg::Vec3f& dir, float maxDist) = 0;
+            virtual float getDistToNearestRayHit(const osg::Vec3f& from, const osg::Vec3f& dir, float maxDist, bool includeWater = false) = 0;
 
             virtual void enableActorCollision(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor, bool enable) = 0;
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aiwander.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aiwander.cpp
index e47105055..7e4d5ea7d 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aiwander.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aiwander.cpp
@@ -346,18 +346,50 @@ namespace MWMechanics
      */
     void AiWander::wanderNearStart(const MWWorld::Ptr &actor, AiWanderStorage &storage, int wanderDistance) {
         const ESM::Pathgrid::Point currentPosition = actor.getRefData().getPosition().pos;
+        const osg::Vec3f currentPositionVec3f = osg::Vec3f(currentPosition.mX, currentPosition.mY, currentPosition.mZ);
+
+        std::size_t attempts = 10; // If a unit can't wander out of water, don't want to hang here
+        osg::Vec3f destination;
+        ESM::Pathgrid::Point destinationPosition;
+        bool isWaterCreature = actor.getClass().isPureWaterCreature(actor);
+        do {
+            // Determine a random location within radius of original position
+            const float pi = 3.14159265359f;
+            const float wanderRadius = Misc::Rng::rollClosedProbability() * wanderDistance;
+            const float randomDirection = Misc::Rng::rollClosedProbability() * 2.0f * pi;
+            const float destinationX = mInitialActorPosition.x() + wanderRadius * std::cos(randomDirection);
+            const float destinationY = mInitialActorPosition.y() + wanderRadius * std::sin(randomDirection);
+            const float destinationZ = mInitialActorPosition.z();
+            destinationPosition = ESM::Pathgrid::Point(destinationX, destinationY, destinationZ);
+            destination = osg::Vec3f(destinationX, destinationY, destinationZ);
+
+            // Check if land creature will walk onto water or if water creature will swim onto land
+            if ((!isWaterCreature && !destinationIsAtWater(actor, destination)) ||
+                (isWaterCreature && destinationThroughGround(currentPositionVec3f, destination))) {
+                storage.mPathFinder.buildSyncedPath(currentPosition, destinationPosition, actor.getCell(), true);
+                storage.mPathFinder.addPointToPath(destinationPosition);
+                storage.setState(Wander_Walking, true);
+                return;
+            }
+        } while (attempts--);
+    }
 
-        // Determine a random location within radius of original position
-        const float pi = 3.14159265359f;
-        const float wanderRadius = Misc::Rng::rollClosedProbability() * wanderDistance;
-        const float randomDirection = Misc::Rng::rollClosedProbability() * 2.0f * pi;
-        const float destinationX = mInitialActorPosition.x() + wanderRadius * std::cos(randomDirection);
-        const float destinationY = mInitialActorPosition.y() + wanderRadius * std::sin(randomDirection);
-        ESM::Pathgrid::Point destinationPosition = ESM::Pathgrid::Point(destinationX, destinationY, mInitialActorPosition.z());
-
-        storage.mPathFinder.buildSyncedPath(currentPosition, destinationPosition, actor.getCell(), true);
-        storage.mPathFinder.addPointToPath(destinationPosition);
-        storage.setState(Wander_Walking, true);
+    /*
+     * Returns true if the position provided is above water.
+     */
+    bool AiWander::destinationIsAtWater(const MWWorld::Ptr &actor, const osg::Vec3f& destination) {
+        float heightToGroundOrWater = destination.z() - MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getDistToNearestRayHit(destination, osg::Vec3f(0,0,-1), 1000.0, true);
+        osg::Vec3f positionBelowSurface = destination;
+        positionBelowSurface[2] = positionBelowSurface[2] - heightToGroundOrWater - DESTINATION_TOLERANCE;
+        return MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->isUnderwater(actor.getCell(), positionBelowSurface);
+    }
+
+    /*
+     * Returns true if the start to end point travels through a collision point (land).
+     */
+    bool AiWander::destinationThroughGround(const osg::Vec3f& startPoint, const osg::Vec3f& destination) {
+        return MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->castRay(startPoint.x(), startPoint.y(), startPoint.z(),
+                                                              destination.x(), destination.y(), destination.z());
     }
 
     void AiWander::doPerFrameActionsForState(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor, float duration, AiWanderStorage& storage, ESM::Position& pos)
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aiwander.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aiwander.hpp
index af2349989..57d1253d2 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aiwander.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aiwander.hpp
@@ -95,6 +95,8 @@ namespace MWMechanics
             bool isPackageCompleted(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor, AiWanderStorage& storage);
             void returnToStartLocation(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor, AiWanderStorage& storage, ESM::Position& pos);
             void wanderNearStart(const MWWorld::Ptr &actor, AiWanderStorage &storage, int wanderDistance);
+            bool destinationIsAtWater(const MWWorld::Ptr &actor, const osg::Vec3f& destination);
+            bool destinationThroughGround(const osg::Vec3f& startPoint, const osg::Vec3f& destination);
 
             int mDistance; // how far the actor can wander from the spawn point
             int mDuration;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
index 8f3fcbd41..a72ee9021 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
@@ -2389,14 +2389,17 @@ namespace MWWorld
         return mPhysics->getLineOfSight(actor, targetActor);
     }
 
-    float World::getDistToNearestRayHit(const osg::Vec3f& from, const osg::Vec3f& dir, float maxDist)
+    float World::getDistToNearestRayHit(const osg::Vec3f& from, const osg::Vec3f& dir, float maxDist, bool includeWater)
     {
         osg::Vec3f to (dir);
         to.normalize();
         to = from + (to * maxDist);
 
-        MWPhysics::PhysicsSystem::RayResult result = mPhysics->castRay(from, to, MWWorld::Ptr(),
-            MWPhysics::CollisionType_World|MWPhysics::CollisionType_HeightMap|MWPhysics::CollisionType_Door);
+        int collisionTypes = MWPhysics::CollisionType_World | MWPhysics::CollisionType_HeightMap | MWPhysics::CollisionType_Door;
+        if (includeWater) {
+            collisionTypes |= MWPhysics::CollisionType_Water;
+        }
+        MWPhysics::PhysicsSystem::RayResult result = mPhysics->castRay(from, to, MWWorld::Ptr(), collisionTypes);
 
         if (!result.mHit)
             return maxDist;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.hpp
index c9a1d415d..7af632d23 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.hpp
@@ -527,7 +527,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
             virtual bool getLOS(const MWWorld::ConstPtr& actor,const MWWorld::ConstPtr& targetActor);
             ///< get Line of Sight (morrowind stupid implementation)
 
-            virtual float getDistToNearestRayHit(const osg::Vec3f& from, const osg::Vec3f& dir, float maxDist);
+            virtual float getDistToNearestRayHit(const osg::Vec3f& from, const osg::Vec3f& dir, float maxDist, bool includeWater = false);
 
             virtual void enableActorCollision(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor, bool enable);