diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/companionwindow.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/companionwindow.hpp
index 23af6bc96..891106853 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/companionwindow.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/companionwindow.hpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ namespace MWGui
 
         void setPtr(const MWWorld::Ptr& npc);
         void onFrame (float dt);
+        void clear() { resetReference(); }
 
     private:
         ItemView* mItemView;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/console.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/console.hpp
index a68f1cb43..f243b8387 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/console.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/console.hpp
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ namespace MWGui
             void setFont(const std::string &fntName);
 
             void onResChange(int width, int height);
+            void clear() { resetReference(); }
 
             // Print a message to the console, in specified color.
             void print(const std::string &msg, const std::string& color = "#FFFFFF");
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/container.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/container.hpp
index 27b0e408b..a53d4f782 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/container.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/container.hpp
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ namespace MWGui
 
         void setPtr(const MWWorld::Ptr& container);
         virtual void onClose();
+        void clear() { resetReference(); }
 
         void onFrame(float dt) { checkReferenceAvailable(); }
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/dialogue.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/dialogue.hpp
index 4ac5bd9d0..224ecba66 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/dialogue.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/dialogue.hpp
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ namespace MWGui
 
         void goodbye();
         void onFrame(float dt);
+        void clear() { resetReference(); }
 
         // make sure to call these before setKeywords()
         void setServices(int services) { mServices = services; }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/enchantingdialog.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/enchantingdialog.hpp
index 335e5fda9..39614ebd1 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/enchantingdialog.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/enchantingdialog.hpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ namespace MWGui
         virtual void onOpen();
 
         void onFrame(float dt) { checkReferenceAvailable(); }
+        void clear() { resetReference(); }
 
         void setSoulGem (const MWWorld::Ptr& gem);
         void setItem (const MWWorld::Ptr& item);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/hud.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/hud.hpp
index 4ea9d7ac3..3dae2157f 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/hud.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/hud.hpp
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ namespace MWGui
         void setEnemy(const MWWorld::Ptr& enemy);
         void resetEnemy();
 
+        void clear() { resetEnemy(); }
+
     private:
         MyGUI::ProgressBar *mHealth, *mMagicka, *mStamina, *mEnemyHealth, *mDrowning;
         MyGUI::Widget* mHealthFrame;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/spellbuyingwindow.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/spellbuyingwindow.hpp
index 36f7499a0..649aab3f2 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/spellbuyingwindow.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/spellbuyingwindow.hpp
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ namespace MWGui
             void setPtr(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor, int startOffset);
 
             void onFrame(float dt) { checkReferenceAvailable(); }
+            void clear() { resetReference(); }
 
             void onResChange(int, int) { center(); }
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/spellcreationdialog.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/spellcreationdialog.hpp
index 7bacda385..855016666 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/spellcreationdialog.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/spellcreationdialog.hpp
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@ namespace MWGui
         SpellCreationDialog();
 
         virtual void onOpen();
+        void clear() { resetReference(); }
 
         void onFrame(float dt) { checkReferenceAvailable(); }
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/tradewindow.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/tradewindow.hpp
index 69fdc135b..00f38024d 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/tradewindow.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/tradewindow.hpp
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ namespace MWGui
             void setPtr(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor);
 
             void onFrame(float dt);
+            void clear() { resetReference(); }
 
             void borrowItem (int index, size_t count);
             void returnItem (int index, size_t count);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/trainingwindow.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/trainingwindow.hpp
index d4785194a..127c85f6a 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/trainingwindow.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/trainingwindow.hpp
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ namespace MWGui
 
         void onFrame(float dt);
 
+        void clear() { resetReference(); }
+
     protected:
         virtual void onReferenceUnavailable ();
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/waitdialog.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/waitdialog.cpp
index afcf23be3..cd1d29854 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/waitdialog.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/waitdialog.cpp
@@ -262,6 +262,11 @@ namespace MWGui
         }
     }
 
+    void WaitDialog::clear()
+    {
+        mProgressBar.setVisible(false);
+    }
+
     void WaitDialog::stopWaiting ()
     {
         MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->fadeScreenIn(0.2f);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/waitdialog.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/waitdialog.hpp
index 19c265204..6bd90473f 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/waitdialog.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/waitdialog.hpp
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ namespace MWGui
         virtual bool exit();
 
         void onFrame(float dt);
+        void clear();
 
         bool getSleeping() { return mTimeAdvancer.isRunning() && mSleeping; }
         void wakeUp();
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowbase.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowbase.hpp
index c9f9555b0..f183c97fe 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowbase.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowbase.hpp
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ namespace MWGui
 
         void center();
 
+        /// Clear any state specific to the running game
+        virtual void clear() {}
+
         /// Called when GUI viewport changes size
         virtual void onResChange(int width, int height) {}
     };
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowmanagerimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowmanagerimp.cpp
index 3e55060f8..b512d8fc8 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowmanagerimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowmanagerimp.cpp
@@ -514,10 +514,6 @@ namespace MWGui
 
     void WindowManager::setNewGame(bool newgame)
     {
-        // This method will always be called after loading a savegame or starting a new game
-        // Reset enemy, it could be a dangling pointer from a previous game
-        mHud->resetEnemy();
-
         if (newgame)
         {
             disallowAll();
@@ -1596,36 +1592,26 @@ namespace MWGui
 
     void WindowManager::clear()
     {
+        for (WindowBase* window : mWindows)
+            window->clear();
+
         if (mLocalMapRender)
             mLocalMapRender->clear();
 
-        mMap->clear();
-        mQuickKeysMenu->clear();
         mMessageBoxManager->clear();
 
-        mTrainingWindow->resetReference();
-        mDialogueWindow->resetReference();
-        mTradeWindow->resetReference();
-        mSpellBuyingWindow->resetReference();
-        mSpellCreationDialog->resetReference();
-        mEnchantingDialog->resetReference();
-        mContainerWindow->resetReference();
-        mCompanionWindow->resetReference();
-        mConsole->resetReference();
-
         mToolTips->setFocusObject(MWWorld::ConstPtr());
 
-        mInventoryWindow->clear();
-
         mSelectedSpell.clear();
-
         mCustomMarkers.clear();
 
         mForceHidden = GW_None;
 
         setWerewolfOverlay(false);
 
-        mGuiModes.clear();
+        while (!mGuiModes.empty())
+            popGuiMode();
+
         MWBase::Environment::get().getInputManager()->changeInputMode(false);
         updateVisible();
     }