diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellreflist.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellreflist.hpp
index 51e1d7df05..e996ba163c 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellreflist.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellreflist.hpp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
         /// all methods are known.
         void load(ESM::CellRef& ref, bool deleted, const MWWorld::ESMStore& esmStore);
 
-        void load(const ESM4::Reference& ref, bool deleted, const MWWorld::ESMStore& esmStore);
+        void load(const ESM4::Reference& ref, const MWWorld::ESMStore& esmStore);
 
         LiveRef& insert(const LiveRef& item)
         {
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
index c6a03244be..cc20ce0a5d 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
     }
 
     template <typename X>
-    void CellRefList<X>::load(const ESM4::Reference& ref, bool deleted, const MWWorld::ESMStore& esmStore)
+    void CellRefList<X>::load(const ESM4::Reference& ref, const MWWorld::ESMStore& esmStore)
     {
 
         if constexpr (!ESM::isESM4Rec(X::sRecordId))
@@ -387,8 +387,6 @@ namespace MWWorld
         if (const X* ptr = store.search(ref.mBaseObj))
         {
             LiveRef liveCellRef(ref, ptr);
-            if (deleted)
-                liveCellRef.mData.setDeletedByContentFile(true);
             mList.push_back(liveCellRef);
         }
         else
@@ -828,7 +826,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
     void CellStore::loadRefs(const ESM4::Cell& cell, std::map<ESM::RefNum, ESM::RefId>& refNumToID)
     {
-        visitCell4References(cell, mStore, mReaders, [&](const ESM4::Reference& ref) { loadRef(ref, false); });
+        visitCell4References(cell, mStore, mReaders, [&](const ESM4::Reference& ref) { loadRef(ref); });
     }
 
     void CellStore::loadRefs()
@@ -870,15 +868,14 @@ namespace MWWorld
         return Ptr();
     }
 
-    void CellStore::loadRef(const ESM4::Reference& ref, bool deleted)
+    void CellStore::loadRef(const ESM4::Reference& ref)
     {
         const MWWorld::ESMStore& store = mStore;
 
         ESM::RecNameInts foundType = static_cast<ESM::RecNameInts>(store.find(ref.mBaseObj));
 
-        Misc::tupleForEach(this->mCellStoreImp->mRefLists, [&ref, &deleted, &store, foundType](auto& x) {
-            recNameSwitcher(
-                x, foundType, [&ref, &deleted, &store](auto& storeIn) { storeIn.load(ref, deleted, store); });
+        Misc::tupleForEach(this->mCellStoreImp->mRefLists, [&ref, &store, foundType](auto& x) {
+            recNameSwitcher(x, foundType, [&ref, &store](auto& storeIn) { storeIn.load(ref, store); });
         });
     }
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.hpp
index 1bcf1b30ff..3ffa55a0a9 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.hpp
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
         void loadRefs();
 
-        void loadRef(const ESM4::Reference& ref, bool deleted);
+        void loadRef(const ESM4::Reference& ref);
         void loadRef(ESM::CellRef& ref, bool deleted, std::map<ESM::RefNum, ESM::RefId>& refNumToID);
         ///< Make case-adjustments to \a ref and insert it into the respective container.
         ///
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/refdata.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/refdata.cpp
index e0d0f63cf6..dc7c336809 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/refdata.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/refdata.cpp
@@ -85,13 +85,13 @@ namespace MWWorld
     {
     }
 
-    RefData::RefData(const ESM4::Reference& cellRef)
+    RefData::RefData(const ESM4::Reference& ref)
         : mBaseNode(nullptr)
-        , mDeletedByContentFile(false)
-        , mEnabled(true)
+        , mDeletedByContentFile(ref.mFlags & ESM4::Rec_Deleted)
+        , mEnabled(!(ref.mFlags & ESM4::Rec_Disabled))
         , mPhysicsPostponed(false)
-        , mCount(1)
-        , mPosition(cellRef.mPos)
+        , mCount(ref.mCount)
+        , mPosition(ref.mPos)
         , mCustomData(nullptr)
         , mChanged(false)
         , mFlags(0)