diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.cpp
index cdef5ce8b..439f6fa2d 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.cpp
@@ -365,16 +365,10 @@ void NpcAnimation::updateParts()
 
 std::vector<Ogre::Entity*> NpcAnimation::insertBoundedPart(const std::string &mesh, const std::string &bonename)
 {
-    NifOgre::MeshPairList meshes = NIFLoader::load(mesh);
-    std::vector<Ogre::Entity*> parts;
-    for(size_t i = 0;i < meshes.size();i++)
-    {
-        parts.push_back(mRend.getScene()->createEntity(meshes[i].first->getName()));
-        Ogre::Entity *part = parts.back();
-
-        part->setVisibilityFlags(RV_Actors);
-        mEntityList.mSkelBase->attachObjectToBone(bonename, part);
-    }
+    NifOgre::EntityList entities = NIFLoader::createEntities(mInsert, mesh);
+    std::vector<Ogre::Entity*> &parts = entities.mEntities;
+    for(size_t i = 0;i < parts.size();i++)
+        parts[i]->setVisibilityFlags(RV_Actors);
     return parts;
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/sky.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/sky.cpp
index 8f49e03df..682a96419 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/sky.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/sky.cpp
@@ -509,16 +509,14 @@ void SkyManager::create()
 
     /// \todo sky_night_02.nif (available in Bloodmoon)
     mAtmosphereNight = mRootNode->createChildSceneNode();
-    NifOgre::MeshPairList meshes = NifOgre::NIFLoader::load("meshes\\sky_night_01.nif");
-    for(size_t i = 0;i < meshes.size();i++)
+    NifOgre::EntityList entities = NifOgre::NIFLoader::createEntities(mAtmosphereNight, "meshes\\sky_night_01.nif");
+    for(size_t i = 0;i < entities.mEntities.size();i++)
     {
-        Entity* night1_ent = mSceneMgr->createEntity(meshes[i].first->getName());
+        Entity* night1_ent = entities.mEntities[i];
         night1_ent->setRenderQueueGroup(RQG_SkiesEarly+1);
         night1_ent->setVisibilityFlags(RV_Sky);
         night1_ent->setCastShadows(false);
 
-        mAtmosphereNight->attachObject(night1_ent);
-
         for (unsigned int i=0; i<night1_ent->getNumSubEntities(); ++i)
         {
             MaterialPtr mp = night1_ent->getSubEntity(i)->getMaterial();
@@ -589,17 +587,16 @@ void SkyManager::create()
     fshader->getDefaultParameters()->setNamedAutoConstant("emissive", GpuProgramParameters::ACT_SURFACE_EMISSIVE_COLOUR);
 
     mAtmosphereDay = mRootNode->createChildSceneNode();
-    meshes = NifOgre::NIFLoader::load("meshes\\sky_atmosphere.nif");
-    for(size_t i = 0;i < meshes.size();i++)
+    entities = NifOgre::NIFLoader::createEntities(mAtmosphereDay, "meshes\\sky_atmosphere.nif");
+    for(size_t i = 0;i < entities.mEntities.size();i++)
     {
-        Entity* atmosphere_ent = mSceneMgr->createEntity(meshes[i].first->getName());
+        Entity* atmosphere_ent = entities.mEntities[i];
         atmosphere_ent->setCastShadows(false);
 
         ModVertexAlpha(atmosphere_ent, 0);
 
         atmosphere_ent->setRenderQueueGroup(RQG_SkiesEarly);
         atmosphere_ent->setVisibilityFlags(RV_Sky);
-        mAtmosphereDay->attachObject(atmosphere_ent);
 
         mAtmosphereMaterial = atmosphere_ent->getSubEntity(0)->getMaterial();
         mAtmosphereMaterial = mAtmosphereMaterial->clone("Atmosphere");
@@ -677,13 +674,12 @@ void SkyManager::create()
     mCloudFragmentShader->getDefaultParameters()->setNamedAutoConstant("emissive", GpuProgramParameters::ACT_SURFACE_EMISSIVE_COLOUR);
 
     SceneNode* clouds_node = mRootNode->createChildSceneNode();
-    meshes = NifOgre::NIFLoader::load("meshes\\sky_clouds_01.nif");
-    for(size_t i = 0;i < meshes.size();i++)
+    entities = NifOgre::NIFLoader::createEntities(clouds_node, "meshes\\sky_clouds_01.nif");
+    for(size_t i = 0;i < entities.mEntities.size();i++)
     {
-        Entity* clouds_ent = mSceneMgr->createEntity(meshes[i].first->getName());
+        Entity* clouds_ent = entities.mEntities[i];
         clouds_ent->setVisibilityFlags(RV_Sky);
         clouds_ent->setRenderQueueGroup(RQG_SkiesEarly+5);
-        clouds_node->attachObject(clouds_ent);
 
         mCloudMaterial = clouds_ent->getSubEntity(0)->getMaterial();
         mCloudMaterial = mCloudMaterial->clone("Clouds");
diff --git a/components/nifogre/ogre_nif_loader.hpp b/components/nifogre/ogre_nif_loader.hpp
index bd6f99b2f..f21069b75 100644
--- a/components/nifogre/ogre_nif_loader.hpp
+++ b/components/nifogre/ogre_nif_loader.hpp
@@ -85,11 +85,11 @@ typedef std::vector< std::pair<Ogre::MeshPtr,std::string> > MeshPairList;
  */
 class NIFLoader
 {
-public:
     static MeshPairList load(const std::string &name,
                              Ogre::SkeletonPtr *skel=NULL,
                              const std::string &group="General");
 
+public:
     static EntityList createEntities(Ogre::SceneNode *parent,
                                      const std::string &name,
                                      const std::string &group="General");