diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/creaturestats.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/creaturestats.cpp
index 50b1a89b3..13396e3fa 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/creaturestats.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/creaturestats.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ namespace MWMechanics
           mKnockdown(false), mKnockdownOneFrame(false), mKnockdownOverOneFrame(false),
           mHitRecovery(false), mBlock(false), mMovementFlags(0),
           mFallHeight(0), mRecalcMagicka(false), mLastRestock(0,0), mGoldPool(0), mActorId(-1),
-          mDeathAnimation(0), mLevel (0)
+          mDeathAnimation(0), mTimeOfDeath(), mLevel (0)
     {
         for (int i=0; i<4; ++i)
             mAiSettings[i] = 0;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
index e4bfde04a..13f74e22b 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
@@ -893,7 +893,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
     {
         const MWMechanics::CreatureStats& creatureStats = ptr.getClass().getCreatureStats(ptr);
         static const float fCorpseClearDelay = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore().get<ESM::GameSetting>().find("fCorpseClearDelay")->getFloat();
-        if (!ptr.getClass().isPersistent(ptr) && creatureStats.getTimeOfDeath() + fCorpseClearDelay <= MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getTimeStamp())
+        if (creatureStats.isDead() && !ptr.getClass().isPersistent(ptr) && creatureStats.getTimeOfDeath() + fCorpseClearDelay <= MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getTimeStamp())
             MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->deleteObject(ptr);
     }
 
diff --git a/components/esm/creaturestats.cpp b/components/esm/creaturestats.cpp
index 2200297e2..9b60382e9 100644
--- a/components/esm/creaturestats.cpp
+++ b/components/esm/creaturestats.cpp
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ void ESM::CreatureStats::load (ESMReader &esm)
     mDeathAnimation = 0;
     esm.getHNOT (mDeathAnimation, "DANM");
 
+    mTimeOfDeath.mDay = 0;
+    mTimeOfDeath.mHour = 0;
     esm.getHNOT (mTimeOfDeath, "DTIM");
 
     mSpells.load(esm);