diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/race.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/race.cpp
index ec83b47a7..bcb766f8f 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/race.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/race.cpp
@@ -313,7 +313,15 @@ namespace MWGui
         record.mHead = mAvailableHeads[mFaceIndex];
         record.mHair = mAvailableHairs[mHairIndex];
 
-        mPreview->setPrototype(record);
+        try
+        {
+            mPreview->setPrototype(record);
+        }
+        catch (std::exception& e)
+        {
+            std::cerr << "Error creating preview: " << e.what() << std::endl;
+        }
+
         mPreviewDirty = true;
     }
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.cpp
index d9c953133..92d0bcd55 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.cpp
@@ -115,8 +115,8 @@ namespace MWRender
 
     void CharacterPreview::rebuild()
     {
-        assert(mAnimation);
         delete mAnimation;
+        mAnimation = NULL;
         mAnimation = new NpcAnimation(mCharacter, mNode,
                                       0, true, true, (renderHeadOnly() ? NpcAnimation::VM_HeadOnly : NpcAnimation::VM_Normal));
 
@@ -187,6 +187,9 @@ namespace MWRender
 
     void InventoryPreview::update()
     {
+        if (!mAnimation)
+            return;
+
         mAnimation->updateParts();
 
         MWWorld::InventoryStore &inv = mCharacter.getClass().getInventoryStore(mCharacter);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.cpp
index 363a36376..d20e89324 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.cpp
@@ -676,7 +676,15 @@ bool NpcAnimation::addOrReplaceIndividualPart(ESM::PartReferenceType type, int g
     removeIndividualPart(type);
     mPartslots[type] = group;
     mPartPriorities[type] = priority;
-    mObjectParts[type] = insertBoundedPart(mesh, group, sPartList.at(type), enchantedGlow, glowColor);
+    try
+    {
+        mObjectParts[type] = insertBoundedPart(mesh, group, sPartList.at(type), enchantedGlow, glowColor);
+    }
+    catch (std::exception& e)
+    {
+        std::cerr << "Error adding NPC part: " << e.what() << std::endl;
+        return false;
+    }
 
     if (!mSoundsDisabled)
     {