diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.cpp
index a4c0181d35..123eadfdec 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.cpp
@@ -533,7 +533,7 @@ namespace MWRender
         : CharacterPreview(
             parent, resourceSystem, MWMechanics::getPlayer(), 512, 512, osg::Vec3f(0, 125, 8), osg::Vec3f(0, 0, 8))
         , mBase(*mCharacter.get<ESM::NPC>()->mBase)
-        , mRef(&mBase)
+        , mRef(ESM::makeBlankCellRef(), &mBase)
         , mPitchRadians(osg::DegreesToRadians(6.f))
     {
         mCharacter = MWWorld::Ptr(&mRef, nullptr);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
index c22f873fe9..4cd189bb20 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ namespace
         }
 
         // new reference
-        MWWorld::LiveCellRef<T> ref(record);
+        MWWorld::LiveCellRef<T> ref(ESM::makeBlankCellRef(), record);
         ref.load(state);
         collection.mList.push_back(std::move(ref));
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.cpp
index 5e020ac886..5a7c5b5333 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.cpp
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ MWWorld::ContainerStoreIterator MWWorld::ContainerStore::getState(
     if (!record)
         return ContainerStoreIterator(this);
 
-    LiveCellRef<T> ref(record);
+    LiveCellRef<T> ref(ESM::makeBlankCellRef(), record);
     ref.load(state);
     collection.mList.push_back(std::move(ref));
     auto it = ContainerStoreIterator(this, --collection.mList.end());
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/livecellref.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/livecellref.hpp
index f3b48c0ff1..026d3edefd 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/livecellref.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/livecellref.hpp
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
         WorldModel* mWorldModel = nullptr;
 
-        LiveCellRefBase(unsigned int type, const ESM::CellRef& cref = ESM::CellRef());
+        LiveCellRefBase(unsigned int type, const ESM::CellRef& cref);
         LiveCellRefBase(unsigned int type, const ESM4::Reference& cref);
         LiveCellRefBase(unsigned int type, const ESM4::ActorCharacter& cref);
 
@@ -144,12 +144,6 @@ namespace MWWorld
         {
         }
 
-        LiveCellRef(const X* b = nullptr)
-            : LiveCellRefBase(X::sRecordId)
-            , mBase(b)
-        {
-        }
-
         // The object that this instance is based on.
         const X* mBase;
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/player.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/player.cpp
index f5d38e8686..b776f27f06 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/player.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/player.cpp
@@ -36,8 +36,20 @@
 
 namespace MWWorld
 {
+    namespace
+    {
+        ESM::CellRef makePlayerCellRef()
+        {
+            ESM::CellRef result;
+            result.blank();
+            result.mRefID = ESM::RefId::stringRefId("Player");
+            return result;
+        }
+    }
+
     Player::Player(const ESM::NPC* player)
-        : mCellStore(nullptr)
+        : mPlayer(makePlayerCellRef(), player)
+        , mCellStore(nullptr)
         , mLastKnownExteriorPosition(0, 0, 0)
         , mMarkedPosition(ESM::Position())
         , mMarkedCell(nullptr)
@@ -46,11 +58,6 @@ namespace MWWorld
         , mPaidCrimeId(-1)
         , mJumping(false)
     {
-        ESM::CellRef cellRef;
-        cellRef.blank();
-        cellRef.mRefID = ESM::RefId::stringRefId("Player");
-        mPlayer = LiveCellRef<ESM::NPC>(cellRef, player);
-
         ESM::Position playerPos = mPlayer.mData.getPosition();
         playerPos.pos[0] = playerPos.pos[1] = playerPos.pos[2] = 0;
         mPlayer.mData.setPosition(playerPos);
diff --git a/components/esm3/cellref.cpp b/components/esm3/cellref.cpp
index 97ccfb730a..927f517495 100644
--- a/components/esm3/cellref.cpp
+++ b/components/esm3/cellref.cpp
@@ -287,4 +287,10 @@ namespace ESM
         loadDataImpl<false>(esm, isDeleted, cellRef);
     }
 
+    CellRef makeBlankCellRef()
+    {
+        CellRef result;
+        result.blank();
+        return result;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/components/esm3/cellref.hpp b/components/esm3/cellref.hpp
index 8b23cc5c34..683bde200d 100644
--- a/components/esm3/cellref.hpp
+++ b/components/esm3/cellref.hpp
@@ -105,6 +105,8 @@ namespace ESM
     };
 
     void skipLoadCellRef(ESMReader& esm, bool wideRefNum = false);
+
+    CellRef makeBlankCellRef();
 }
 
 #endif