diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/world/data.cpp b/apps/opencs/model/world/data.cpp
index 8b9d9f6df..442e73e51 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/world/data.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/world/data.cpp
@@ -539,7 +539,7 @@ bool CSMWorld::Data::continueLoading (CSMDoc::Stage::Messages& messages)
         {
             mCells.load (*mReader, mBase);
             std::string cellId = Misc::StringUtils::lowerCase (mCells.getId (mCells.getSize()-1));
-            mRefs.load (*mReader, mCells.getSize()-1, mBase, mRefLoadCache[cellId]);
+            mRefs.load (*mReader, mCells.getSize()-1, mBase, mRefLoadCache[cellId], messages);
             break;
         }
 
diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/world/refcollection.cpp b/apps/opencs/model/world/refcollection.cpp
index db6e294fa..3a60c4934 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/world/refcollection.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/world/refcollection.cpp
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #include "record.hpp"
 
 void CSMWorld::RefCollection::load (ESM::ESMReader& reader, int cellIndex, bool base,
-    std::map<ESM::CellRef::RefNum, std::string>& cache)
+    std::map<ESM::CellRef::RefNum, std::string>& cache, CSMDoc::Stage::Messages& messages)
 {
     Record<Cell> cell = mCells.getRecord (cellIndex);
 
@@ -27,14 +27,39 @@ void CSMWorld::RefCollection::load (ESM::ESMReader& reader, int cellIndex, bool
 
         /// \todo handle moved references
 
+        std::map<ESM::CellRef::RefNum, std::string>::iterator iter = cache.find (ref.mRefNum);
+
         if (deleted)
         {
-            /// \todo handle deleted references
+            if (iter==cache.end())
+            {
+                CSMWorld::UniversalId id (CSMWorld::UniversalId::Type_Cell,
+                    mCells.getId (cellIndex));
+
+                messages.push_back (std::make_pair (id,
+                    "Attempt to delete a non-existing reference"));
+
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            int index = getIndex (iter->second);
+
+            Record<CellRef> record = getRecord (index);
+
+            if (record.mState==RecordBase::State_BaseOnly)
+            {
+                removeRows (index, 1);
+                cache.erase (iter);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                record.mState = RecordBase::State_Deleted;
+                setRecord (index, record);
+            }
+
             continue;
         }
 
-        std::map<ESM::CellRef::RefNum, std::string>::iterator iter = cache.find (ref.mRefNum);
-
         if (iter==cache.end())
         {
             // new reference
diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/world/refcollection.hpp b/apps/opencs/model/world/refcollection.hpp
index 45aa5758b..d80ea2469 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/world/refcollection.hpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/world/refcollection.hpp
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 
 #include <map>
 
+#include "../doc/stage.hpp"
+
 #include "collection.hpp"
 #include "ref.hpp"
 #include "record.hpp"
@@ -25,7 +27,8 @@ namespace CSMWorld
             {}
 
             void load (ESM::ESMReader& reader, int cellIndex, bool base,
-                std::map<ESM::CellRef::RefNum, std::string>& cache);
+                std::map<ESM::CellRef::RefNum, std::string>& cache,
+                CSMDoc::Stage::Messages& messages);
             ///< Load a sequence of references.
 
             std::string getNewId();