diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwscript/locals.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwscript/locals.cpp
index 094fe085a2..177536fe9e 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwscript/locals.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwscript/locals.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@ namespace MWScript
         mFloats.resize (script.mData.mNumFloats, 0);
     }
 
+    bool Locals::isEmpty() const
+    {
+        return (mShorts.empty() && mLongs.empty() && mFloats.empty());
+    }
+
     int Locals::getIntVar(const std::string &script, const std::string &var)
     {
         Compiler::Locals locals = MWBase::Environment::get().getScriptManager()->getLocals(script);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwscript/locals.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwscript/locals.hpp
index d17d1be2dc..1e8c6e12a4 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwscript/locals.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwscript/locals.hpp
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ namespace MWScript
             std::vector<Interpreter::Type_Integer> mLongs;
             std::vector<Interpreter::Type_Float> mFloats;
 
+            /// Are there any locals?
+            bool isEmpty() const;
+
             void configure (const ESM::Script& script);
             bool setVarByInt(const std::string& script, const std::string& var, int val);
             int getIntVar (const std::string& script, const std::string& var); ///< if var does not exist, returns 0
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/refdata.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/refdata.cpp
index 3b7521e8dd..f4bc64b708 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/refdata.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/refdata.cpp
@@ -152,7 +152,8 @@ namespace MWWorld
         {
             mLocals.configure (script);
             mHasLocals = true;
-            mChanged = true;
+            if (!mLocals.isEmpty())
+                mChanged = true;
         }
     }