diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/groundcover.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/groundcover.cpp
index 11a155f9f..049118c90 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/groundcover.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/groundcover.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,17 @@
 
 namespace MWRender
 {
+    std::string getGroundcoverModel(int type, const std::string& id, const MWWorld::ESMStore& store)
+    {
+        switch (type)
+        {
+          case ESM::REC_STAT:
+            return store.get<ESM::Static>().searchStatic(id)->mModel;
+          default:
+            return std::string();
+        }
+    }
+
     void GroundcoverUpdater::setWindSpeed(float windSpeed)
     {
         mWindSpeed = windSpeed;
@@ -217,15 +228,17 @@ namespace MWRender
                     while(cell->getNextRef(esm[index], ref, deleted))
                     {
                         if (deleted) continue;
-                        Misc::StringUtils::lowerCaseInPlace(ref.mRefID);
-                        std::string model;
-                        if (!store.isGroundcover(ref.mRefID, model)) continue;
-                        if (model.empty()) continue;
+                        if (!ref.mRefNum.fromGroundcoverFile()) continue;
 
                         if (!calculator.isInstanceEnabled()) continue;
                         if (!isInChunkBorders(ref, minBound, maxBound)) continue;
 
+                        Misc::StringUtils::lowerCaseInPlace(ref.mRefID);
+                        int type = store.findStatic(ref.mRefID);
+                        std::string model = getGroundcoverModel(type, ref.mRefID, store);
+                        if (model.empty()) continue;
                         model = "meshes/" + model;
+
                         instances[model].emplace_back(ref, model);
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/objectpaging.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/objectpaging.cpp
index 478fde0f8..b85358c20 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/objectpaging.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/objectpaging.cpp
@@ -373,7 +373,6 @@ namespace MWRender
         std::map<ESM::RefNum, ESM::CellRef> refs;
         std::vector<ESM::ESMReader> esm;
         const MWWorld::ESMStore& store = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore();
-
         for (int cellX = startCell.x(); cellX < startCell.x() + size; ++cellX)
         {
             for (int cellY = startCell.y(); cellY < startCell.y() + size; ++cellY)
@@ -398,7 +397,7 @@ namespace MWRender
                             int type = store.findStatic(ref.mRefID);
                             if (!typeFilter(type,size>=2)) continue;
                             if (deleted) { refs.erase(ref.mRefNum); continue; }
-                            if (store.isGroundcover(ref.mRefID)) continue;
+                            if (ref.mRefNum.fromGroundcoverFile()) continue;
                             refs[ref.mRefNum] = ref;
                         }
                     }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellpreloader.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellpreloader.cpp
index 937491f62..421de4a7d 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellpreloader.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellpreloader.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "cellpreloader.hpp"
 
+#include <algorithm>
 #include <atomic>
 #include <limits>
 
@@ -36,12 +37,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
         virtual bool operator()(const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr)
         {
-            if (ptr.getTypeName()==typeid (ESM::Static).name())
-            {
-                const MWWorld::LiveCellRef<ESM::Static> *ref = ptr.get<ESM::Static>();
-                if (ref->mBase->mIsGroundcover)
-                    return true;
-            }
+            if (ptr.getCellRef().getRefNum().fromGroundcoverFile()) return true;
 
             ptr.getClass().getModelsToPreload(ptr, mOut);
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
index d8e2eb65f..7ca35a1df 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
@@ -169,18 +169,6 @@ namespace
 
 namespace MWWorld
 {
-    template <typename X>
-    bool CellRefList<X>::ignoreInstance (const X* ptr)
-    {
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    template <>
-    bool CellRefList<ESM::Static>::ignoreInstance (const ESM::Static* ptr)
-    {
-        return ptr->mIsGroundcover;
-    }
-
     template <typename X>
     void CellRefList<X>::load(ESM::CellRef &ref, bool deleted, const MWWorld::ESMStore &esmStore)
     {
@@ -188,8 +176,6 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
         if (const X *ptr = store.search (ref.mRefID))
         {
-            if (ignoreInstance(ptr)) return;
-
             typename std::list<LiveRef>::iterator iter =
                 std::find(mList.begin(), mList.end(), ref.mRefNum);
 
@@ -700,7 +686,11 @@ namespace MWWorld
             case ESM::REC_NPC_: mNpcs.load(ref, deleted, store); break;
             case ESM::REC_PROB: mProbes.load(ref, deleted, store); break;
             case ESM::REC_REPA: mRepairs.load(ref, deleted, store); break;
-            case ESM::REC_STAT: mStatics.load(ref, deleted, store); break;
+            case ESM::REC_STAT:
+            {
+                if (ref.mRefNum.fromGroundcoverFile()) return;
+                mStatics.load(ref, deleted, store); break;
+            }
             case ESM::REC_WEAP: mWeapons.load(ref, deleted, store); break;
             case ESM::REC_BODY: mBodyParts.load(ref, deleted, store); break;
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/contentloader.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/contentloader.hpp
index b559df083..b529ae9db 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/contentloader.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/contentloader.hpp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ struct ContentLoader
     {
     }
 
-    virtual void load(const boost::filesystem::path& filepath, int& index, bool isGroundcover)
+    virtual void load(const boost::filesystem::path& filepath, int& index)
     {
         Log(Debug::Info) << "Loading content file " << filepath.string();
         mListener.setLabel(MyGUI::TextIterator::toTagsString(filepath.string()));
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmloader.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmloader.cpp
index c96618215..46b806582 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmloader.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmloader.cpp
@@ -15,15 +15,15 @@ EsmLoader::EsmLoader(MWWorld::ESMStore& store, std::vector<ESM::ESMReader>& read
 {
 }
 
-void EsmLoader::load(const boost::filesystem::path& filepath, int& index, bool isGroundcover)
+void EsmLoader::load(const boost::filesystem::path& filepath, int& index)
 {
-    ContentLoader::load(filepath.filename(), index, isGroundcover);
+    ContentLoader::load(filepath.filename(), index);
 
     ESM::ESMReader lEsm;
     lEsm.setEncoder(mEncoder);
     lEsm.setIndex(index);
     lEsm.setGlobalReaderList(&mEsm);
-    lEsm.open(filepath.string(), isGroundcover);
+    lEsm.open(filepath.string());
     mEsm[index] = lEsm;
     mStore.load(mEsm[index], &mListener);
 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmloader.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmloader.hpp
index cc4c15a15..506105beb 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmloader.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmloader.hpp
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ struct EsmLoader : public ContentLoader
     EsmLoader(MWWorld::ESMStore& store, std::vector<ESM::ESMReader>& readers,
       ToUTF8::Utf8Encoder* encoder, Loading::Listener& listener);
 
-    void load(const boost::filesystem::path& filepath, int& index, bool isGroundcover) override;
+    void load(const boost::filesystem::path& filepath, int& index) override;
 
     private:
       std::vector<ESM::ESMReader>& mEsm;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmstore.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmstore.cpp
index 2731d7eb1..90bc80b48 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmstore.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmstore.cpp
@@ -190,15 +190,6 @@ void ESMStore::setUp(bool validateRecords)
     {
         validate();
         countRecords();
-
-        if (mGroundcovers.empty())
-        {
-            for (const ESM::Static& record : mStatics)
-            {
-                if (record.mIsGroundcover)
-                    mGroundcovers[record.mId] = record.mModel;
-            }
-        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmstore.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmstore.hpp
index 18bb95580..d69c56d8c 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmstore.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmstore.hpp
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@ namespace MWWorld
         // maps the id name to the record type.
         std::map<std::string, int> mIds;
         std::map<std::string, int> mStaticIds;
-        std::map<std::string, std::string> mGroundcovers;
 
         std::map<std::string, int> mRefCount;
 
@@ -122,22 +121,6 @@ namespace MWWorld
             return it->second;
         }
 
-        bool isGroundcover(const std::string &id, std::string &model) const
-        {
-            std::map<std::string, std::string>::const_iterator it = mGroundcovers.find(id);
-            if (it == mGroundcovers.end()) {
-                return false;
-            }
-            model = it->second;
-            return true;
-        }
-
-        bool isGroundcover(const std::string &id) const
-        {
-            std::map<std::string, std::string>::const_iterator it = mGroundcovers.find(id);
-            return (it != mGroundcovers.end());
-        }
-
         ESMStore()
           : mDynamicCount(0)
         {
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
index 93d1a799c..98af121a5 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
@@ -103,12 +103,12 @@ namespace MWWorld
             return mLoaders.insert(std::make_pair(extension, loader)).second;
         }
 
-        void load(const boost::filesystem::path& filepath, int& index, bool isGroundcover) override
+        void load(const boost::filesystem::path& filepath, int& index) override
         {
             LoadersContainer::iterator it(mLoaders.find(Misc::StringUtils::lowerCase(filepath.extension().string())));
             if (it != mLoaders.end())
             {
-                it->second->load(filepath, index, isGroundcover);
+                it->second->load(filepath, index);
             }
             else
             {
@@ -2951,7 +2951,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
             const Files::MultiDirCollection& col = fileCollections.getCollection(filename.extension().string());
             if (col.doesExist(file))
             {
-                contentLoader.load(col.getPath(file), idx, false);
+                contentLoader.load(col.getPath(file), idx);
             }
             else
             {
@@ -2961,13 +2961,15 @@ namespace MWWorld
             idx++;
         }
 
+        ESM::GroundcoverIndex = idx;
+
         for (const std::string &file : groundcover)
         {
             boost::filesystem::path filename(file);
             const Files::MultiDirCollection& col = fileCollections.getCollection(filename.extension().string());
             if (col.doesExist(file))
             {
-                contentLoader.load(col.getPath(file), idx, true);
+                contentLoader.load(col.getPath(file), idx);
             }
             else
             {
diff --git a/components/esm/cellref.cpp b/components/esm/cellref.cpp
index 4b9852d65..b4d6ac7a7 100644
--- a/components/esm/cellref.cpp
+++ b/components/esm/cellref.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@
 #include "esmreader.hpp"
 #include "esmwriter.hpp"
 
+namespace ESM
+{
+    int GroundcoverIndex = std::numeric_limits<int>::max();
+}
+
 void ESM::RefNum::load (ESMReader& esm, bool wide, const std::string& tag)
 {
     if (wide)
diff --git a/components/esm/cellref.hpp b/components/esm/cellref.hpp
index 5bb7fbc53..c2f7ff6de 100644
--- a/components/esm/cellref.hpp
+++ b/components/esm/cellref.hpp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ namespace ESM
     class ESMReader;
 
     const int UnbreakableLock = std::numeric_limits<int>::max();
+    extern int GroundcoverIndex;
 
     struct RefNum
     {
@@ -25,6 +26,10 @@ namespace ESM
         enum { RefNum_NoContentFile = -1 };
         inline bool hasContentFile() const { return mContentFile != RefNum_NoContentFile; }
         inline void unset() { mIndex = 0; mContentFile = RefNum_NoContentFile; }
+
+        // Note: this method should not be used for objects with invalid RefNum
+        // (for example, for objects from disabled plugins in savegames).
+        inline bool fromGroundcoverFile() const { return mContentFile >= GroundcoverIndex; }
     };
 
     /* Cell reference. This represents ONE object (of many) inside the
diff --git a/components/esm/esmreader.cpp b/components/esm/esmreader.cpp
index 63d2f4d4f..1b6eca734 100644
--- a/components/esm/esmreader.cpp
+++ b/components/esm/esmreader.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ ESMReader::ESMReader()
     , mGlobalReaderList(nullptr)
     , mEncoder(nullptr)
     , mFileSize(0)
-    , mIsGroundcoverFile(false)
 {
     clearCtx();
 }
@@ -81,10 +80,8 @@ void ESMReader::openRaw(const std::string& filename)
     openRaw(Files::openConstrainedFileStream(filename.c_str()), filename);
 }
 
-void ESMReader::open(Files::IStreamPtr _esm, const std::string &name, bool isGroundcover)
+void ESMReader::open(Files::IStreamPtr _esm, const std::string &name)
 {
-    mIsGroundcoverFile = isGroundcover;
-
     openRaw(_esm, name);
 
     if (getRecName() != "TES3")
@@ -95,9 +92,9 @@ void ESMReader::open(Files::IStreamPtr _esm, const std::string &name, bool isGro
     mHeader.load (*this);
 }
 
-void ESMReader::open(const std::string &file, bool isGroundcover)
+void ESMReader::open(const std::string &file)
 {
-    open (Files::openConstrainedFileStream (file.c_str ()), file, isGroundcover);
+    open (Files::openConstrainedFileStream (file.c_str ()), file);
 }
 
 int64_t ESMReader::getHNLong(const char *name)
diff --git a/components/esm/esmreader.hpp b/components/esm/esmreader.hpp
index 600cd497b..c660b0dda 100644
--- a/components/esm/esmreader.hpp
+++ b/components/esm/esmreader.hpp
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ public:
 
   int getVer() const { return mHeader.mData.version; }
   int getRecordCount() const { return mHeader.mData.records; }
-  bool isGroundcoverFile() const { return mIsGroundcoverFile; }
   float getFVer() const { return (mHeader.mData.version == VER_12) ? 1.2f : 1.3f; }
   const std::string getAuthor() const { return mHeader.mData.author; }
   const std::string getDesc() const { return mHeader.mData.desc; }
@@ -67,9 +66,9 @@ public:
 
   /// Load ES file from a new stream, parses the header. Closes the
   /// currently open file first, if any.
-  void open(Files::IStreamPtr _esm, const std::string &name, bool isGroundcover = false);
+  void open(Files::IStreamPtr _esm, const std::string &name);
 
-  void open(const std::string &file, bool isGroundcover = false);
+  void open(const std::string &file);
 
   void openRaw(const std::string &filename);
 
@@ -290,8 +289,6 @@ private:
   ToUTF8::Utf8Encoder* mEncoder;
 
   size_t mFileSize;
-
-  bool mIsGroundcoverFile;
 };
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/components/esm/loadstat.cpp b/components/esm/loadstat.cpp
index 85e366f1c..6c9de22bd 100644
--- a/components/esm/loadstat.cpp
+++ b/components/esm/loadstat.cpp
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@ namespace ESM
 
         if (!hasName)
             esm.fail("Missing NAME subrecord");
-
-        mIsGroundcover = esm.isGroundcoverFile();
     }
     void Static::save(ESMWriter &esm, bool isDeleted) const
     {
diff --git a/components/esm/loadstat.hpp b/components/esm/loadstat.hpp
index da94c4b8d..3d9144040 100644
--- a/components/esm/loadstat.hpp
+++ b/components/esm/loadstat.hpp
@@ -28,8 +28,6 @@ struct Static
 
     std::string mId, mModel;
 
-    bool mIsGroundcover = false;
-
     void load(ESMReader &esm, bool &isDeleted);
     void save(ESMWriter &esm, bool isDeleted = false) const;