diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwbase/statemanager.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwbase/statemanager.hpp
index f1f130824..f376d72c1 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwbase/statemanager.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwbase/statemanager.hpp
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ namespace MWBase
             ///
             /// \note \a slot must belong to \a character.
 
-            virtual MWState::Character *getCurrentCharacter() = 0;
+            virtual MWState::Character *getCurrentCharacter (bool create = true) = 0;
+            ///< \param create Create a new character, if there is no current character.
 
             virtual CharacterIterator characterBegin() = 0;
             ///< Any call to SaveGame and getCurrentCharacter can invalidate the returned
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/savegamedialog.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/savegamedialog.cpp
index 38574e2fd..2ce0f0fbf 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/savegamedialog.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/savegamedialog.cpp
@@ -91,9 +91,10 @@ namespace MWGui
         if (mgr->characterBegin() == mgr->characterEnd())
             return;
 
-        mCurrentCharacter = mgr->getCurrentCharacter();
+        mCurrentCharacter = mgr->getCurrentCharacter (false);
 
         mCharacterSelection->removeAllItems();
+
         for (MWBase::StateManager::CharacterIterator it = mgr->characterBegin(); it != mgr->characterEnd(); ++it)
         {
             if (it->begin()!=it->end())
@@ -104,7 +105,7 @@ namespace MWGui
 
                 mCharacterSelection->addItem (title.str());
 
-                if (mgr->getCurrentCharacter() == &*it)
+                if (mCurrentCharacter == &*it)
                     mCharacterSelection->setIndexSelected(mCharacterSelection->getItemCount()-1);
             }
         }
@@ -123,7 +124,7 @@ namespace MWGui
 
         if (!load)
         {
-            mCurrentCharacter = MWBase::Environment::get().getStateManager()->getCurrentCharacter();
+            mCurrentCharacter = MWBase::Environment::get().getStateManager()->getCurrentCharacter (false);
         }
 
         center();
@@ -139,10 +140,14 @@ namespace MWGui
         // Get the selected slot, if any
         unsigned int i=0;
         const MWState::Slot* slot = NULL;
-        for (MWState::Character::SlotIterator it = mCurrentCharacter->begin(); it != mCurrentCharacter->end(); ++it,++i)
+
+        if (mCurrentCharacter)
         {
-            if (i == mSaveList->getIndexSelected())
-                slot = &*it;
+            for (MWState::Character::SlotIterator it = mCurrentCharacter->begin(); it != mCurrentCharacter->end(); ++it,++i)
+            {
+                if (i == mSaveList->getIndexSelected())
+                    slot = &*it;
+            }
         }
 
         if (mSaving)
@@ -151,7 +156,8 @@ namespace MWGui
         }
         else
         {
-            MWBase::Environment::get().getStateManager()->loadGame (mCurrentCharacter, slot);
+            if (mCurrentCharacter && slot)
+                MWBase::Environment::get().getStateManager()->loadGame (mCurrentCharacter, slot);
         }
 
         setVisible(false);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwstate/charactermanager.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwstate/charactermanager.cpp
index 2b9c49fcc..cb64da2c2 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwstate/charactermanager.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwstate/charactermanager.cpp
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@ MWState::CharacterManager::CharacterManager (const boost::filesystem::path& save
     }
 }
 
-MWState::Character *MWState::CharacterManager::getCurrentCharacter()
+MWState::Character *MWState::CharacterManager::getCurrentCharacter (bool create)
 {
-    if (!mCurrent)
+    if (!mCurrent && create)
         createCharacter();
 
     return mCurrent;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwstate/charactermanager.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwstate/charactermanager.hpp
index 9995393aa..a02927d58 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwstate/charactermanager.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwstate/charactermanager.hpp
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ namespace MWState
 
             CharacterManager (const boost::filesystem::path& saves);
 
-            Character *getCurrentCharacter();
-            ///< A character is implicitly created, if there is none.
+            Character *getCurrentCharacter (bool create = true);
+            ///< \param create Create a new character, if there is no current character.
 
             void createCharacter();
             ///< Create new character within saved game management
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.cpp
index 9d8cf2a81..9a7e3d158 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.cpp
@@ -138,9 +138,9 @@ void MWState::StateManager::loadGame (const Character *character, const Slot *sl
     mState = State_Running;
 }
 
-MWState::Character *MWState::StateManager::getCurrentCharacter()
+MWState::Character *MWState::StateManager::getCurrentCharacter (bool create)
 {
-    return mCharacterManager.getCurrentCharacter();
+    return mCharacterManager.getCurrentCharacter (create);
 }
 
 MWState::StateManager::CharacterIterator MWState::StateManager::characterBegin()
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.hpp
index abf7e123b..8bf1fab20 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.hpp
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ namespace MWState
             ///
             /// \note \a slot must belong to \a character.
 
-            virtual Character *getCurrentCharacter();
+            virtual Character *getCurrentCharacter (bool create = true);
+            ///< \param create Create a new character, if there is no current character.
 
             virtual CharacterIterator characterBegin();
             ///< Any call to SaveGame and getCurrentCharacter can invalidate the returned