diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cells.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cells.cpp
index 74df0f79d..acffe20f3 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cells.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cells.cpp
@@ -66,8 +66,11 @@ MWWorld::Ptr MWWorld::Cells::getPtrAndCache (const std::string& name, CellStore&
     return ptr;
 }
 
-void MWWorld::Cells::writeCell (ESM::ESMWriter& writer, const CellStore& cell) const
+void MWWorld::Cells::writeCell (ESM::ESMWriter& writer, CellStore& cell) const
 {
+    if (cell.getState()!=CellStore::State_Loaded)
+        cell.load (mStore, mReader);
+
     ESM::CellState cellState;
 
     cell.saveState (cellState);
@@ -79,17 +82,6 @@ void MWWorld::Cells::writeCell (ESM::ESMWriter& writer, const CellStore& cell) c
     writer.endRecord (ESM::REC_CSTA);
 }
 
-bool MWWorld::Cells::hasState (const CellStore& cellStore) const
-{
-    if (cellStore.getState()==CellStore::State_Loaded)
-        return true;
-
-    if (cellStore.getCell()->mData.mFlags & ESM::Cell::Interior)
-        return cellStore.getCell()->mData.mFlags & ESM::Cell::HasWater;
-    else
-        return false;
-}
-
 MWWorld::Cells::Cells (const MWWorld::ESMStore& store, std::vector<ESM::ESMReader>& reader)
 : mStore (store), mReader (reader),
   mIdCache (40, std::pair<std::string, CellStore *> ("", (CellStore*)0)), /// \todo make cache size configurable
@@ -274,12 +266,12 @@ int MWWorld::Cells::countSavedGameRecords() const
 
     for (std::map<std::string, CellStore>::const_iterator iter (mInteriors.begin());
         iter!=mInteriors.end(); ++iter)
-        if (hasState (iter->second))
+        if (iter->second.hasState())
             ++count;
 
     for (std::map<std::pair<int, int>, CellStore>::const_iterator iter (mExteriors.begin());
         iter!=mExteriors.end(); ++iter)
-        if (hasState (iter->second))
+        if (iter->second.hasState())
             ++count;
 
     return count;
@@ -287,14 +279,14 @@ int MWWorld::Cells::countSavedGameRecords() const
 
 void MWWorld::Cells::write (ESM::ESMWriter& writer) const
 {
-    for (std::map<std::pair<int, int>, CellStore>::const_iterator iter (mExteriors.begin());
+    for (std::map<std::pair<int, int>, CellStore>::iterator iter (mExteriors.begin());
         iter!=mExteriors.end(); ++iter)
-        if (hasState (iter->second))
+        if (iter->second.hasState())
             writeCell (writer, iter->second);
 
-    for (std::map<std::string, CellStore>::const_iterator iter (mInteriors.begin());
+    for (std::map<std::string, CellStore>::iterator iter (mInteriors.begin());
         iter!=mInteriors.end(); ++iter)
-        if (hasState (iter->second))
+        if (iter->second.hasState())
             writeCell (writer, iter->second);
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cells.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cells.hpp
index 0df55b586..5209aa51a 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cells.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cells.hpp
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ namespace MWWorld
     {
             const MWWorld::ESMStore& mStore;
             std::vector<ESM::ESMReader>& mReader;
-            std::map<std::string, CellStore> mInteriors;
-            std::map<std::pair<int, int>, CellStore> mExteriors;
+            mutable std::map<std::string, CellStore> mInteriors;
+            mutable std::map<std::pair<int, int>, CellStore> mExteriors;
             std::vector<std::pair<std::string, CellStore *> > mIdCache;
             std::size_t mIdCacheIndex;
 
@@ -36,10 +36,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
             Ptr getPtrAndCache (const std::string& name, CellStore& cellStore);
 
-            void writeCell (ESM::ESMWriter& writer, const CellStore& cell) const;
-
-            bool hasState (const CellStore& cellStore) const;
-            ///< Check if cell has state that needs to be included in a saved game file.
+            void writeCell (ESM::ESMWriter& writer, CellStore& cell) const;
 
         public:
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
index f84b35b58..3f1ef8ab2 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
     }
 
     CellStore::CellStore (const ESM::Cell *cell)
-      : mCell (cell), mState (State_Unloaded)
+      : mCell (cell), mState (State_Unloaded), mHasState (false)
     {
         mWaterLevel = cell->mWater;
     }
@@ -156,6 +156,11 @@ namespace MWWorld
         return mState;
     }
 
+    bool CellStore::hasState() const
+    {
+        return mHasState;
+    }
+
     bool CellStore::hasId (const std::string& id) const
     {
         if (mState==State_Unloaded)
@@ -170,6 +175,10 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
     Ptr CellStore::search (const std::string& id)
     {
+        bool oldState = mHasState;
+
+        mHasState = true;
+
         if (LiveCellRef<ESM::Activator> *ref = mActivators.find (id))
             return Ptr (ref, this);
 
@@ -230,11 +239,17 @@ namespace MWWorld
         if (LiveCellRef<ESM::Weapon> *ref = mWeapons.find (id))
             return Ptr (ref, this);
 
+        mHasState = oldState;
+
         return Ptr();
     }
 
     Ptr CellStore::searchViaHandle (const std::string& handle)
     {
+        bool oldState = mHasState;
+
+        mHasState = true;
+
         if (LiveCellRef<ESM::Activator> *ref = mActivators.searchViaHandle (handle))
             return Ptr (ref, this);
 
@@ -295,6 +310,8 @@ namespace MWWorld
         if (LiveCellRef<ESM::Weapon> *ref = mWeapons.searchViaHandle (handle))
             return Ptr (ref, this);
 
+        mHasState = oldState;
+
         return Ptr();
     }
 
@@ -306,6 +323,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
     void CellStore::setWaterLevel (float level)
     {
         mWaterLevel = level;
+        mHasState = true;
     }
 
     int CellStore::count() const
@@ -437,6 +455,10 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
     Ptr CellStore::searchInContainer (const std::string& id)
     {
+        bool oldState = mHasState;
+
+        mHasState = true;
+
         if (Ptr ptr = searchInContainerList (mContainers, id))
             return ptr;
 
@@ -446,6 +468,8 @@ namespace MWWorld
         if (Ptr ptr = searchInContainerList (mNpcs, id))
             return ptr;
 
+        mHasState = oldState;
+
         return Ptr();
     }
 
@@ -486,6 +510,8 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
     void CellStore::loadState (const ESM::CellState& state)
     {
+        mHasState = true;
+
         if (mCell->mData.mFlags & ESM::Cell::Interior && mCell->mData.mFlags & ESM::Cell::HasWater)
             mWaterLevel = state.mWaterLevel;
 
@@ -529,6 +555,8 @@ namespace MWWorld
     void CellStore::readReferences (ESM::ESMReader& reader,
         const std::map<int, int>& contentFileMap)
     {
+        mHasState = true;
+
         while (reader.isNextSub ("OBJE"))
         {
             unsigned int id = 0;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.hpp
index 6c18d1ce1..4b7c0011b 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.hpp
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
             const ESM::Cell *mCell;
             State mState;
+            bool mHasState;
             std::vector<std::string> mIds;
             float mWaterLevel;
 
@@ -63,6 +64,9 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
             State getState() const;
 
+            bool hasState() const;
+            ///< Does this cell have state that needs to be stored in a saved game file?
+
             bool hasId (const std::string& id) const;
             ///< May return true for deleted IDs when in preload state. Will return false, if cell is
             /// unloaded.
@@ -95,6 +99,8 @@ namespace MWWorld
             template<class Functor>
             bool forEach (Functor& functor)
             {
+                mHasState = true;
+
                 return
                     forEachImp (functor, mActivators) &&
                     forEachImp (functor, mPotions) &&
@@ -165,120 +171,140 @@ namespace MWWorld
     template<>
     inline CellRefList<ESM::Activator>& CellStore::get<ESM::Activator>()
     {
+        mHasState = true;
         return mActivators;
     }
 
     template<>
     inline CellRefList<ESM::Potion>& CellStore::get<ESM::Potion>()
     {
+        mHasState = true;
         return mPotions;
     }
 
     template<>
     inline CellRefList<ESM::Apparatus>& CellStore::get<ESM::Apparatus>()
     {
+        mHasState = true;
         return mAppas;
     }
 
     template<>
     inline CellRefList<ESM::Armor>& CellStore::get<ESM::Armor>()
     {
+        mHasState = true;
         return mArmors;
     }
 
     template<>
     inline CellRefList<ESM::Book>& CellStore::get<ESM::Book>()
     {
+        mHasState = true;
         return mBooks;
     }
 
     template<>
     inline CellRefList<ESM::Clothing>& CellStore::get<ESM::Clothing>()
     {
+        mHasState = true;
         return mClothes;
     }
 
     template<>
     inline CellRefList<ESM::Container>& CellStore::get<ESM::Container>()
     {
+        mHasState = true;
         return mContainers;
     }
 
     template<>
     inline CellRefList<ESM::Creature>& CellStore::get<ESM::Creature>()
     {
+        mHasState = true;
         return mCreatures;
     }
 
     template<>
     inline CellRefList<ESM::Door>& CellStore::get<ESM::Door>()
     {
+        mHasState = true;
         return mDoors;
     }
 
     template<>
     inline CellRefList<ESM::Ingredient>& CellStore::get<ESM::Ingredient>()
     {
+        mHasState = true;
         return mIngreds;
     }
 
     template<>
     inline CellRefList<ESM::CreatureLevList>& CellStore::get<ESM::CreatureLevList>()
     {
+        mHasState = true;
         return mCreatureLists;
     }
 
     template<>
     inline CellRefList<ESM::ItemLevList>& CellStore::get<ESM::ItemLevList>()
     {
+        mHasState = true;
         return mItemLists;
     }
 
     template<>
     inline CellRefList<ESM::Light>& CellStore::get<ESM::Light>()
     {
+        mHasState = true;
         return mLights;
     }
 
     template<>
     inline CellRefList<ESM::Lockpick>& CellStore::get<ESM::Lockpick>()
     {
+        mHasState = true;
         return mLockpicks;
     }
 
     template<>
     inline CellRefList<ESM::Miscellaneous>& CellStore::get<ESM::Miscellaneous>()
     {
+        mHasState = true;
         return mMiscItems;
     }
 
     template<>
     inline CellRefList<ESM::NPC>& CellStore::get<ESM::NPC>()
     {
+        mHasState = true;
         return mNpcs;
     }
 
     template<>
     inline CellRefList<ESM::Probe>& CellStore::get<ESM::Probe>()
     {
+        mHasState = true;
         return mProbes;
     }
 
     template<>
     inline CellRefList<ESM::Repair>& CellStore::get<ESM::Repair>()
     {
+        mHasState = true;
         return mRepairs;
     }
 
     template<>
     inline CellRefList<ESM::Static>& CellStore::get<ESM::Static>()
     {
+        mHasState = true;
         return mStatics;
     }
 
     template<>
     inline CellRefList<ESM::Weapon>& CellStore::get<ESM::Weapon>()
     {
+        mHasState = true;
         return mWeapons;
     }