diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/manualref.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/manualref.hpp
index 0e21c55ac..99accbb97 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/manualref.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/manualref.hpp
@@ -19,54 +19,57 @@ namespace MWWorld
             ManualRef& operator= (const ManualRef&);
 
             template<typename T>
-            bool create (const MWWorld::Store<T>& list, const std::string& name)
+            void create (const MWWorld::Store<T>& list, const std::string& name)
             {
-                if (const T *instance = list.search (name))
-                {
-                    LiveCellRef<T> ref;
-                    ref.mBase = instance;
-                    ref.mRef.mRefNum.mIndex = 0;
-                    ref.mRef.mRefNum.mContentFile = -1;
+                const T* base = list.find(name);
 
-                    mRef = ref;
-                    mPtr = Ptr (&boost::any_cast<LiveCellRef<T>&> (mRef), 0);
+                LiveCellRef<T> ref;
+                ref.mBase = base;
+                ref.mRef.mRefNum.mIndex = 0;
+                ref.mRef.mRefNum.mContentFile = -1;
 
-                    return true;
-                }
-
-                return false;
+                mRef = ref;
+                mPtr = Ptr (&boost::any_cast<LiveCellRef<T>&> (mRef), 0);
             }
 
         public:
 
             ManualRef (const MWWorld::ESMStore& store, const std::string& name, const int count=1)
             {
-                // create
-                if (!create (store.get<ESM::Activator>(), name) &&
-                    !create (store.get<ESM::Potion>(), name) &&
-                    !create (store.get<ESM::Apparatus>(), name) &&
-                    !create (store.get<ESM::Armor>(), name) &&
-                    !create (store.get<ESM::Book>(), name) &&
-                    !create (store.get<ESM::Clothing>(), name) &&
-                    !create (store.get<ESM::Container>(), name) &&
-                    !create (store.get<ESM::Creature>(), name) &&
-                    !create (store.get<ESM::Door>(), name) &&
-                    !create (store.get<ESM::Ingredient>(), name) &&
-                    !create (store.get<ESM::CreatureLevList>(), name) &&
-                    !create (store.get<ESM::ItemLevList>(), name) &&
-                    !create (store.get<ESM::Light>(), name) &&
-                    !create (store.get<ESM::Lockpick>(), name) &&
-                    !create (store.get<ESM::Miscellaneous>(), name) &&
-                    !create (store.get<ESM::NPC>(), name) &&
-                    !create (store.get<ESM::Probe>(), name) &&
-                    !create (store.get<ESM::Repair>(), name) &&
-                    !create (store.get<ESM::Static>(), name) &&
-                    !create (store.get<ESM::Weapon>(), name))
-                    throw std::logic_error ("failed to create manual cell ref for " + name);
+                std::string lowerName = Misc::StringUtils::lowerCase (name);
+                switch (store.find (lowerName))
+                {
+                    case ESM::REC_ACTI: create (store.get<ESM::Activator>(), lowerName); break;
+                    case ESM::REC_ALCH: create (store.get<ESM::Potion>(), lowerName); break;
+                    case ESM::REC_APPA: create (store.get<ESM::Apparatus>(), lowerName); break;
+                    case ESM::REC_ARMO: create (store.get<ESM::Armor>(), lowerName); break;
+                    case ESM::REC_BOOK: create (store.get<ESM::Book>(), lowerName); break;
+                    case ESM::REC_CLOT: create (store.get<ESM::Clothing>(), lowerName); break;
+                    case ESM::REC_CONT: create (store.get<ESM::Container>(), lowerName); break;
+                    case ESM::REC_CREA: create (store.get<ESM::Creature>(), lowerName); break;
+                    case ESM::REC_DOOR: create (store.get<ESM::Door>(), lowerName); break;
+                    case ESM::REC_INGR: create (store.get<ESM::Ingredient>(), lowerName); break;
+                    case ESM::REC_LEVC: create (store.get<ESM::CreatureLevList>(), lowerName); break;
+                    case ESM::REC_LEVI: create (store.get<ESM::ItemLevList>(), lowerName); break;
+                    case ESM::REC_LIGH: create (store.get<ESM::Light>(), lowerName); break;
+                    case ESM::REC_LOCK: create (store.get<ESM::Lockpick>(), lowerName); break;
+                    case ESM::REC_MISC: create (store.get<ESM::Miscellaneous>(), lowerName); break;
+                    case ESM::REC_NPC_: create (store.get<ESM::NPC>(), lowerName); break;
+                    case ESM::REC_PROB: create (store.get<ESM::Probe>(), lowerName); break;
+                    case ESM::REC_REPA: create (store.get<ESM::Repair>(), lowerName); break;
+                    case ESM::REC_STAT: create (store.get<ESM::Static>(), lowerName); break;
+                    case ESM::REC_WEAP: create (store.get<ESM::Weapon>(), lowerName); break;
+
+                    case 0:
+                        throw std::logic_error ("failed to create manual cell ref for " + lowerName + " (unknown ID)");
+
+                    default:
+                        throw std::logic_error ("failed to create manual cell ref for " + lowerName + " (unknown type)");
+                }
 
                 // initialise
                 ESM::CellRef& cellRef = mPtr.getCellRef();
-                cellRef.mRefID = Misc::StringUtils::lowerCase (name);
+                cellRef.mRefID = lowerName;
                 cellRef.mRefNum.mIndex = 0;
                 cellRef.mRefNum.mContentFile = -1;
                 cellRef.mScale = 1;