diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellpreloader.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellpreloader.cpp
index d9875e0b7..b45d1de5b 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellpreloader.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellpreloader.cpp
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
                 try
                 {
                     std::string mesh  = *it;
-                    Misc::ResourceHelpers::correctActorModelPath(mesh, mSceneManager->getVFS());
+                    mesh = Misc::ResourceHelpers::correctActorModelPath(mesh, mSceneManager->getVFS());
 
                     //std::cout << "preloading " << mesh << std::endl;