diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/actors.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/actors.cpp
index 27b7ad14e9..2466b8a864 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/actors.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/actors.cpp
@@ -211,8 +211,7 @@ namespace MWMechanics
             float totalDuration = mDuration;
             mDuration = 0;
 
-            PtrControllerMap::iterator iter(mActors.begin());
-            while(iter != mActors.end())
+            for(PtrControllerMap::iterator iter(mActors.begin());iter != mActors.end();iter++)
             {
                 if(!MWWorld::Class::get(iter->first).getCreatureStats(iter->first).isDead())
                 {
@@ -224,10 +223,7 @@ namespace MWMechanics
                         updateNpc(iter->first, totalDuration, paused);
 
                     if(!MWWorld::Class::get(iter->first).getCreatureStats(iter->first).isDead())
-                    {
-                        iter++;
                         continue;
-                    }
                 }
 
                 // workaround: always keep player alive for now
@@ -244,18 +240,14 @@ namespace MWMechanics
                     }
 
                     MWWorld::Class::get(iter->first).getCreatureStats(iter->first).resurrect();
-                    ++iter;
                     continue;
                 }
 
                 if(iter->second.getState() == CharState_Dead)
-                {
-                    iter++;
                     continue;
-                }
 
+                iter->second.setMovementVector(Ogre::Vector3::ZERO);
                 iter->second.setState(CharState_Dead, false);
-                iter->second.setDirection(Ogre::Vector3::ZERO);
 
                 ++mDeathCount[MWWorld::Class::get(iter->first).getId(iter->first)];
 
@@ -272,26 +264,8 @@ namespace MWMechanics
                 if(iter->second.getState() == CharState_Dead)
                     continue;
 
-                Ogre::Vector3 dir = MWWorld::Class::get(iter->first).getMovementVector(iter->first);
-                CharacterState newstate = CharState_Idle;
-
-                if(dir.length() >= 0.1f)
-                {
-                    if(std::abs(dir.x/2.0f) > std::abs(dir.y))
-                    {
-                        if(dir.x > 0.0f)
-                            newstate = CharState_WalkRight;
-                        else if(dir.x < 0.0f)
-                            newstate = CharState_WalkLeft;
-                    }
-                    else if(dir.y < 0.0f)
-                        newstate = CharState_WalkBack;
-                    else
-                        newstate = CharState_WalkForward;
-                }
-
-                iter->second.setState(newstate, true);
-                iter->second.setDirection(dir);
+                Ogre::Vector3 movement = MWWorld::Class::get(iter->first).getMovementVector(iter->first);
+                iter->second.setMovementVector(movement);
             }
 
             std::vector<std::pair<std::string, Ogre::Vector3> > movement;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
index 6e78adfa4f..677ffcf239 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
@@ -127,14 +127,31 @@ void CharacterController::markerEvent(float time, const std::string &evt)
 }
 
 
-void CharacterController::setDirection(const Ogre::Vector3 &dir)
+void CharacterController::setMovementVector(const Ogre::Vector3 &vec)
 {
-    // HACK: The direction length we get is too large.
-    float mult = dir.length() / 32.0f;
-    mult = std::max(1.0f, mult);
+    // HACK: The length we get is too large.
+    float speed = std::max(1.0f, vec.length() / 32.0f);
+
+    if(vec.length() >= 0.1f)
+    {
+        if(std::abs(vec.x/2.0f) > std::abs(vec.y))
+        {
+            if(vec.x > 0.0f)
+                setState(CharState_WalkRight, true);
+            else if(vec.x < 0.0f)
+                setState(CharState_WalkLeft, true);
+        }
+        else if(vec.y < 0.0f)
+            setState(CharState_WalkBack, true);
+        else
+            setState(CharState_WalkForward, true);
+    }
+    else
+        setState(CharState_Idle, true);
+
     if(mAnimation)
-        mAnimation->setSpeedMult(mult);
-    mDirection = dir.normalisedCopy();
+        mAnimation->setSpeedMult(speed);
+    mDirection = vec.normalisedCopy();
 }
 
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp
index 53349c841e..e5c7a4b8c0 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ public:
     void playGroup(const std::string &groupname, int mode, int count);
     void skipAnim();
 
-    void setDirection(const Ogre::Vector3 &dir);
+    void setMovementVector(const Ogre::Vector3 &vec);
 
     void setState(CharacterState state, bool loop);
     CharacterState getState() const