diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwclass/container.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwclass/container.cpp
index 55d2689f8..1a5cd354d 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwclass/container.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwclass/container.cpp
@@ -89,6 +89,10 @@ namespace MWClass
             ptr.get<ESM::Container>();
         if (ref->mBase->mFlags & ESM::Container::Respawn)
         {
+            // Container was not touched, there is no need to modify its content.
+            if (ptr.getRefData().getCustomData() == nullptr)
+                return;
+
             MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->removeContainerScripts(ptr);
             ptr.getRefData().setCustomData(nullptr);
         }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp
index 8537060f6..2de39aee4 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp
@@ -1990,9 +1990,7 @@ namespace MWRender
             mObjectRoot->accept(visitor);
         }
 
-        if (ptr.getTypeName() == typeid(ESM::Container).name() &&
-            SceneUtil::hasUserDescription(mObjectRoot, Constants::HerbalismLabel) &&
-            ptr.getRefData().getCustomData() != nullptr)
+        if (ptr.getRefData().getCustomData() != nullptr && canBeHarvested())
         {
             const MWWorld::ContainerStore& store = ptr.getClass().getContainerStore(ptr);
             if (!store.hasVisibleItems())
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
index 1aac737c3..cd03137d7 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
@@ -3335,9 +3335,13 @@ namespace MWWorld
                 return true;
 
             // Consider references inside containers as well (except if we are looking for a Creature, they cannot be in containers)
-            if (mType != World::Detect_Creature &&
-                    (ptr.getClass().isActor() || ptr.getClass().getTypeName() == typeid(ESM::Container).name()))
+            bool isContainer = ptr.getClass().getTypeName() == typeid(ESM::Container).name();
+            if (mType != World::Detect_Creature && (ptr.getClass().isActor() || isContainer))
             {
+                // but ignore containers without resolved content
+                if (isContainer && ptr.getRefData().getCustomData() == nullptr)
+                    return true;
+
                 MWWorld::ContainerStore& store = ptr.getClass().getContainerStore(ptr);
                 {
                     for (MWWorld::ContainerStoreIterator it = store.begin(); it != store.end(); ++it)