diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.cpp
index 05026a98b..5cf534239 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.cpp
@@ -193,59 +193,68 @@ void MWWorld::ContainerStore::addInitialItem (const std::string& id, const std::
 {
     count = std::abs(count); /// \todo implement item restocking (indicated by negative count)
 
-    ManualRef ref (MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore(), id);
-
-    if (ref.getPtr().getTypeName()==typeid (ESM::ItemLevList).name())
+    try
     {
-        const ESM::ItemLevList* levItem = ref.getPtr().get<ESM::ItemLevList>()->mBase;
-        const std::vector<ESM::LeveledListBase::LevelItem>& items = levItem->mList;
+        ManualRef ref (MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore(), id);
 
-        MWWorld::Ptr player = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getPlayer().getPlayer();
-        int playerLevel = MWWorld::Class::get(player).getCreatureStats(player).getLevel();
-
-        failChance += levItem->mChanceNone;
-
-        if (topLevel && count > 1 && levItem->mFlags & ESM::ItemLevList::Each)
+        if (ref.getPtr().getTypeName()==typeid (ESM::ItemLevList).name())
         {
-            for (int i=0; i<count; ++i)
-                addInitialItem(id, owner, 1, failChance, false);
-            return;
-        }
+            const ESM::ItemLevList* levItem = ref.getPtr().get<ESM::ItemLevList>()->mBase;
+            const std::vector<ESM::LeveledListBase::LevelItem>& items = levItem->mList;
 
-        float random = static_cast<float> (std::rand()) / RAND_MAX;
-        if (random >= failChance/100.f)
-        {
-            std::vector<std::string> candidates;
-            int highestLevel = 0;
-            for (std::vector<ESM::LeveledListBase::LevelItem>::const_iterator it = items.begin(); it != items.end(); ++it)
+            MWWorld::Ptr player = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getPlayer().getPlayer();
+            int playerLevel = MWWorld::Class::get(player).getCreatureStats(player).getLevel();
+
+            failChance += levItem->mChanceNone;
+
+            if (topLevel && count > 1 && levItem->mFlags & ESM::ItemLevList::Each)
             {
-                if (it->mLevel > highestLevel)
-                    highestLevel = it->mLevel;
+                for (int i=0; i<count; ++i)
+                    addInitialItem(id, owner, 1, failChance, false);
+                return;
             }
 
-            std::pair<int, std::string> highest = std::make_pair(-1, "");
-            for (std::vector<ESM::LeveledListBase::LevelItem>::const_iterator it = items.begin(); it != items.end(); ++it)
+            float random = static_cast<float> (std::rand()) / RAND_MAX;
+            if (random >= failChance/100.f)
             {
-                if (playerLevel >= it->mLevel
-                        && (levItem->mFlags & ESM::ItemLevList::AllLevels || it->mLevel == highestLevel))
+                std::vector<std::string> candidates;
+                int highestLevel = 0;
+                for (std::vector<ESM::LeveledListBase::LevelItem>::const_iterator it = items.begin(); it != items.end(); ++it)
                 {
-                    candidates.push_back(it->mId);
-                    if (it->mLevel >= highest.first)
-                        highest = std::make_pair(it->mLevel, it->mId);
+                    if (it->mLevel > highestLevel)
+                        highestLevel = it->mLevel;
                 }
 
+                std::pair<int, std::string> highest = std::make_pair(-1, "");
+                for (std::vector<ESM::LeveledListBase::LevelItem>::const_iterator it = items.begin(); it != items.end(); ++it)
+                {
+                    if (playerLevel >= it->mLevel
+                            && (levItem->mFlags & ESM::ItemLevList::AllLevels || it->mLevel == highestLevel))
+                    {
+                        candidates.push_back(it->mId);
+                        if (it->mLevel >= highest.first)
+                            highest = std::make_pair(it->mLevel, it->mId);
+                    }
+
+                }
+                if (!candidates.size())
+                    return;
+                std::string item = candidates[std::rand()%candidates.size()];
+                addInitialItem(item, owner, count, failChance, false);
             }
-            if (!candidates.size())
-                return;
-            std::string item = candidates[std::rand()%candidates.size()];
-            addInitialItem(item, owner, count, failChance, false);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            ref.getPtr().getRefData().setCount (count);
+            ref.getPtr().getCellRef().mOwner = owner;
+            addImp (ref.getPtr());
         }
     }
-    else
+    catch (std::logic_error& e)
     {
-        ref.getPtr().getRefData().setCount (count);
-        ref.getPtr().getCellRef().mOwner = owner;
-        addImp (ref.getPtr());
+        // Vanilla doesn't fail on nonexistent items in levelled lists
+        std::cerr << "Warning: ignoring nonexistent item '" << id << "'" << std::endl;
+        return;
     }
 }