diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/charactercreation.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/charactercreation.cpp
index 586e8b766d..9032209aba 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/charactercreation.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/charactercreation.cpp
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ namespace MWGui
             mPlayerAttributes.emplace(attribute.mId, MWMechanics::AttributeValue());
 
         for (const auto& skill : store.get<ESM::Skill>())
-            mPlayerSkillValues.emplace(skill.second.mIndex, MWMechanics::SkillValue());
+            mPlayerSkillValues.emplace(skill.mIndex, MWMechanics::SkillValue());
     }
 
     void CharacterCreation::setValue(std::string_view id, const MWMechanics::AttributeValue& value)
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/review.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/review.cpp
index acea128f07..2a04cca6c8 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/review.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/review.cpp
@@ -236,10 +236,10 @@ namespace MWGui
         std::copy(minor.begin(), minor.end(), std::inserter(skillSet, skillSet.begin()));
         mMiscSkills.clear();
         const auto& store = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore().get<ESM::Skill>();
-        for (const auto& skill : store)
+        for (const ESM::Skill& skill : store)
         {
-            if (!skillSet.contains(skill.second.mIndex))
-                mMiscSkills.push_back(skill.second.mIndex);
+            if (!skillSet.contains(skill.mIndex))
+                mMiscSkills.push_back(skill.mIndex);
         }
 
         mUpdateSkillArea = true;
@@ -339,12 +339,13 @@ namespace MWGui
         addGroup(
             MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->getGameSettingString(titleId, titleDefault), coord1, coord2);
 
-        for (const int& skillId : skills)
+        for (const int& skillIndex : skills)
         {
-            const ESM::Skill* skill = MWBase::Environment::get().getESMStore()->get<ESM::Skill>().search(skillId);
-            if (!skill) // Skip unknown skill indexes
+            const ESM::Skill* skill = MWBase::Environment::get().getESMStore()->get<ESM::Skill>().search(
+                ESM::Skill::indexToRefId(skillIndex));
+            if (!skill) // Skip unknown skills
                 continue;
-            const MWMechanics::SkillValue& stat = mSkillValues.find(skillId)->second;
+            const MWMechanics::SkillValue& stat = mSkillValues.find(skill->mIndex)->second;
             int base = stat.getBase();
             int modified = stat.getModified();
 
@@ -358,10 +359,10 @@ namespace MWGui
 
             for (int i = 0; i < 2; ++i)
             {
-                ToolTips::createSkillToolTip(mSkillWidgets[mSkillWidgets.size() - 1 - i], skillId);
+                ToolTips::createSkillToolTip(mSkillWidgets[mSkillWidgets.size() - 1 - i], skill->mIndex);
             }
 
-            mSkillWidgetMap[skillId] = widget;
+            mSkillWidgetMap[skill->mIndex] = widget;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/spellmodel.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/spellmodel.cpp
index 473324e685..dafa009eef 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/spellmodel.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/spellmodel.cpp
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ namespace MWGui
             {
                 const ESM::MagicEffect* magicEffect = store.get<ESM::MagicEffect>().find(effectId);
                 const ESM::Attribute* attribute = store.get<ESM::Attribute>().search(effect.mAttribute);
-                const ESM::Skill* skill = store.get<ESM::Skill>().search(effect.mSkill);
+                const ESM::Skill* skill = store.get<ESM::Skill>().search(ESM::Skill::indexToRefId(effect.mSkill));
 
                 std::string fullEffectName = MWMechanics::getMagicEffectString(*magicEffect, attribute, skill);
                 std::string convert = Utf8Stream::lowerCaseUtf8(fullEffectName);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/statswindow.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/statswindow.cpp
index ee93c5720e..ec6fd49f15 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/statswindow.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/statswindow.cpp
@@ -327,8 +327,8 @@ namespace MWGui
         const auto& store = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore().get<ESM::Skill>();
         for (const auto& skill : store)
         {
-            if (!skillSet.contains(skill.second.mIndex))
-                mMiscSkills.push_back(skill.second.mIndex);
+            if (!skillSet.contains(skill.mIndex))
+                mMiscSkills.push_back(skill.mIndex);
         }
 
         updateSkillArea();
@@ -504,13 +504,12 @@ namespace MWGui
         addGroup(
             MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->getGameSettingString(titleId, titleDefault), coord1, coord2);
 
+        const MWWorld::ESMStore& esmStore = *MWBase::Environment::get().getESMStore();
         for (const int skillId : skills)
         {
-            if (skillId < 0 || skillId >= ESM::Skill::Length) // Skip unknown skill indexes
+            const ESM::Skill* skill = esmStore.get<ESM::Skill>().search(ESM::Skill::indexToRefId(skillId));
+            if (!skill) // Skip unknown skills
                 continue;
-            const MWWorld::ESMStore& esmStore = *MWBase::Environment::get().getESMStore();
-
-            const ESM::Skill* skill = esmStore.get<ESM::Skill>().find(skillId);
 
             const ESM::Attribute* attr = esmStore.get<ESM::Attribute>().find(skill->mData.mAttribute);
 
@@ -640,13 +639,13 @@ namespace MWGui
                         bool firstSkill = true;
                         for (int id : faction->mData.mSkills)
                         {
-                            if (id != -1)
+                            const ESM::Skill* skill = store.get<ESM::Skill>().search(ESM::Skill::indexToRefId(id));
+                            if (skill)
                             {
                                 if (!firstSkill)
                                     text += ", ";
 
                                 firstSkill = false;
-                                const ESM::Skill* skill = store.get<ESM::Skill>().find(id);
                                 text += MyGUI::TextIterator::toTagsString(skill->mName);
                             }
                         }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/tooltips.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/tooltips.cpp
index 7ad3206055..6ca89add80 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/tooltips.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/tooltips.cpp
@@ -846,7 +846,7 @@ namespace MWGui
         const MWWorld::Store<ESM::Skill>& skills = MWBase::Environment::get().getESMStore()->get<ESM::Skill>();
 
         bool isFirst = true;
-        for (const auto& [_, skill] : skills)
+        for (const auto& skill : skills)
         {
             if (skill.mData.mSpecialization == specId)
             {
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/widgets.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/widgets.cpp
index 8523a85550..d63e1b290d 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/widgets.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/widgets.cpp
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ namespace MWGui::Widgets
     {
         if (mSkillNameWidget)
         {
-            const ESM::Skill* skill = MWBase::Environment::get().getESMStore()->get<ESM::Skill>().search(mSkillId);
+            const ESM::Skill* skill = MWBase::Environment::get().getESMStore()->get<ESM::Skill>().search(
+                ESM::Skill::indexToRefId(mSkillId));
             if (skill == nullptr)
                 mSkillNameWidget->setCaption({});
             else
@@ -374,7 +375,7 @@ namespace MWGui::Widgets
 
         const ESM::MagicEffect* magicEffect = store.get<ESM::MagicEffect>().search(mEffectParams.mEffectID);
         const ESM::Attribute* attribute = store.get<ESM::Attribute>().search(mEffectParams.mAttribute);
-        const ESM::Skill* skill = store.get<ESM::Skill>().search(mEffectParams.mSkill);
+        const ESM::Skill* skill = store.get<ESM::Skill>().search(ESM::Skill::indexToRefId(mEffectParams.mSkill));
 
         assert(magicEffect);
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/alchemy.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/alchemy.cpp
index acab0edefa..3d5823ddf2 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/alchemy.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/alchemy.cpp
@@ -576,7 +576,7 @@ std::vector<std::string> MWMechanics::Alchemy::effectsDescription(const MWWorld:
         if (effectID != -1)
         {
             const ESM::Attribute* attribute = store->get<ESM::Attribute>().search(data.mAttributes[i]);
-            const ESM::Skill* skill = store->get<ESM::Skill>().search(data.mAttributes[i]);
+            const ESM::Skill* skill = store->get<ESM::Skill>().search(ESM::Skill::indexToRefId(data.mSkills[i]));
             std::string effect = getMagicEffectString(*mgef.find(effectID), attribute, skill);
 
             effects.push_back(effect);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/magiceffects.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/magiceffects.cpp
index b9918a398e..e75a1184a4 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/magiceffects.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/magiceffects.cpp
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ namespace MWMechanics
     {
         const auto& store = MWBase::Environment::get().getESMStore();
         const ESM::MagicEffect* magicEffect = store->get<ESM::MagicEffect>().search(mId);
-        return getMagicEffectString(
-            *magicEffect, store->get<ESM::Attribute>().search(mArg), store->get<ESM::Skill>().search(mArg));
+        return getMagicEffectString(*magicEffect, store->get<ESM::Attribute>().search(mArg),
+            store->get<ESM::Skill>().search(ESM::Skill::indexToRefId(mArg)));
     }
 
     bool operator<(const EffectKey& left, const EffectKey& right)
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp
index 62d7f47873..487764cfbe 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp
@@ -214,14 +214,11 @@ namespace MWMechanics
                 }
             }
 
-            const MWWorld::Store<ESM::Skill>& skills = esmStore.get<ESM::Skill>();
-
-            MWWorld::Store<ESM::Skill>::iterator iter = skills.begin();
-            for (; iter != skills.end(); ++iter)
+            for (const ESM::Skill& skill : esmStore.get<ESM::Skill>())
             {
-                if (iter->second.mData.mSpecialization == class_->mData.mSpecialization)
+                if (skill.mData.mSpecialization == class_->mData.mSpecialization)
                 {
-                    int index = iter->first;
+                    int index = skill.mIndex;
 
                     if (index >= 0 && index < 27)
                     {
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/player.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/player.cpp
index 5e3029af1e..2d7617adfa 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/player.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/player.cpp
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
             npcStats.setAttribute(attribute.mId, value);
         }
 
-        for (const auto& [_, skill] : store->get<ESM::Skill>())
+        for (const auto& skill : store->get<ESM::Skill>())
         {
             // Acrobatics is set separately for some reason.
             if (skill.mIndex == ESM::Skill::Acrobatics)
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/store.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/store.cpp
index e19e099580..5b717c81fc 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/store.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/store.cpp
@@ -113,7 +113,6 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
     // Need to instantiate these before they're used
     template class IndexedStore<ESM::MagicEffect>;
-    template class IndexedStore<ESM::Skill>;
 
     template <class T, class Id>
     TypedDynamicStore<T, Id>::TypedDynamicStore()
@@ -915,8 +914,6 @@ namespace MWWorld
     // Skill
     //=========================================================================
 
-    Store<ESM::Skill>::Store() {}
-
     void Store<ESM::Skill>::setUp(const MWWorld::Store<ESM::GameSetting>& settings)
     {
         constexpr std::string_view skillValues[ESM::Skill::Length][3] = {
@@ -949,15 +946,13 @@ namespace MWWorld
             { "sSkillSpeechcraft", "icons\\k\\stealth_speechcraft.dds", "fWerewolfSpeechcraft" },
             { "sSkillHandtohand", "icons\\k\\stealth_handtohand.dds", "fWerewolfHandtohand" },
         };
-        for (int i = 0; i < ESM::Skill::Length; ++i)
+        for (ESM::Skill* skill : mShared)
         {
-            auto found = mStatic.find(i);
-            if (found != mStatic.end())
+            if (skill->mIndex >= 0)
             {
-                ESM::Skill& skill = found->second;
-                skill.mName = getGMSTString(settings, skillValues[i][0]);
-                skill.mIcon = skillValues[i][1];
-                skill.mWerewolfValue = getGMSTFloat(settings, skillValues[i][2]);
+                skill->mName = getGMSTString(settings, skillValues[skill->mIndex][0]);
+                skill->mIcon = skillValues[skill->mIndex][1];
+                skill->mWerewolfValue = getGMSTFloat(settings, skillValues[skill->mIndex][2]);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -1344,7 +1339,7 @@ template class MWWorld::TypedDynamicStore<ESM::Race>;
 template class MWWorld::TypedDynamicStore<ESM::Region>;
 template class MWWorld::TypedDynamicStore<ESM::Repair>;
 template class MWWorld::TypedDynamicStore<ESM::Script>;
-// template class MWWorld::Store<ESM::Skill>;
+template class MWWorld::TypedDynamicStore<ESM::Skill>;
 template class MWWorld::TypedDynamicStore<ESM::Sound>;
 template class MWWorld::TypedDynamicStore<ESM::SoundGenerator>;
 template class MWWorld::TypedDynamicStore<ESM::Spell>;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/store.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/store.hpp
index b6e9044184..97cc733147 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/store.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/store.hpp
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include <components/esm3/loadgmst.hpp>
 #include <components/esm3/loadland.hpp>
 #include <components/esm3/loadpgrd.hpp>
+#include <components/esm3/loadskil.hpp>
 #include <components/esm4/loadcell.hpp>
 #include <components/esm4/loadland.hpp>
 #include <components/esm4/loadrefr.hpp>
@@ -30,7 +31,6 @@ namespace ESM
     struct Attribute;
     struct LandTexture;
     struct MagicEffect;
-    struct Skill;
     struct WeaponType;
     class ESMReader;
     class ESMWriter;
@@ -476,10 +476,14 @@ namespace MWWorld
     };
 
     template <>
-    class Store<ESM::Skill> : public IndexedStore<ESM::Skill>
+    class Store<ESM::Skill> : public TypedDynamicStore<ESM::Skill>
     {
     public:
-        Store();
+        Store() = default;
+
+        using TypedDynamicStore<ESM::Skill>::find;
+        // TODO delete
+        const ESM::Skill* find(int index) const { return find(ESM::Skill::indexToRefId(index)); }
 
         void setUp(const MWWorld::Store<ESM::GameSetting>& settings);
     };
diff --git a/components/esm3/loadskil.cpp b/components/esm3/loadskil.cpp
index 9fbbbdae2b..24faa0c7f1 100644
--- a/components/esm3/loadskil.cpp
+++ b/components/esm3/loadskil.cpp
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ namespace ESM
         }
         if (!hasIndex)
             esm.fail("Missing INDX");
+        else if (mIndex < 0 || mIndex >= Length)
+            esm.fail("Invalid INDX");
         if (!hasData)
             esm.fail("Missing SKDT");
 
@@ -101,7 +103,7 @@ namespace ESM
 
     RefId Skill::indexToRefId(int index)
     {
-        if (index == -1)
+        if (index < 0 || index >= Length)
             return RefId();
         return RefId::index(sRecordId, static_cast<std::uint32_t>(index));
     }
diff --git a/components/esm3/loadskil.hpp b/components/esm3/loadskil.hpp
index a0dc56f1d4..f4ccd54f66 100644
--- a/components/esm3/loadskil.hpp
+++ b/components/esm3/loadskil.hpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ namespace ESM
         // Skill index. Skils don't have an id ("NAME") like most records,
         // they only have a numerical index that matches one of the
         // hard-coded skills in the game.
-        int mIndex;
+        int mIndex{ -1 };
 
         std::string mDescription;
         std::string mName;