diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/containeritemmodel.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/containeritemmodel.cpp
index af1b585cff..09b66672ba 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/containeritemmodel.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/containeritemmodel.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 #include "../mwworld/class.hpp"
 #include "../mwworld/containerstore.hpp"
+#include "../mwworld/manualref.hpp"
 
 #include "../mwbase/environment.hpp"
 #include "../mwbase/mechanicsmanager.hpp"
@@ -114,7 +115,8 @@ namespace MWGui
         MWWorld::ContainerStore& store = source.first.getClass().getContainerStore(source.first);
         if (item.mBase.getContainerStore() == &store)
             throw std::runtime_error("Item to copy needs to be from a different container!");
-        return *store.add(item.mBase.getCellRef().getRefId(), count, allowAutoEquip);
+        MWWorld::ManualRef newRef(*MWBase::Environment::get().getESMStore(), item.mBase, count);
+        return *store.add(newRef.getPtr(), count, allowAutoEquip);
     }
 
     void ContainerItemModel::removeItem(const ItemStack& item, size_t count)
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/inventoryitemmodel.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/inventoryitemmodel.cpp
index b52d49b7c2..7464290947 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/inventoryitemmodel.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/inventoryitemmodel.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include "../mwworld/class.hpp"
 #include "../mwworld/containerstore.hpp"
 #include "../mwworld/inventorystore.hpp"
+#include "../mwworld/manualref.hpp"
 
 #include "../mwbase/environment.hpp"
 #include "../mwbase/mechanicsmanager.hpp"
@@ -57,8 +58,9 @@ namespace MWGui
     {
         if (item.mBase.getContainerStore() == &mActor.getClass().getContainerStore(mActor))
             throw std::runtime_error("Item to copy needs to be from a different container!");
-        return *mActor.getClass().getContainerStore(mActor).add(
-            item.mBase.getCellRef().getRefId(), count, allowAutoEquip);
+
+        MWWorld::ManualRef newRef(*MWBase::Environment::get().getESMStore(), item.mBase, count);
+        return *mActor.getClass().getContainerStore(mActor).add(newRef.getPtr(), count, allowAutoEquip);
     }
 
     void InventoryItemModel::removeItem(const ItemStack& item, size_t count)
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/manualref.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/manualref.cpp
index c6c0444754..81ab4b5419 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/manualref.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/manualref.cpp
@@ -19,87 +19,91 @@ namespace
         refValue = MWWorld::LiveCellRef<T>(cellRef, base);
         ptrValue = MWWorld::Ptr(&std::any_cast<MWWorld::LiveCellRef<T>&>(refValue), nullptr);
     }
+
+    template <typename T>
+    void create(
+        const MWWorld::Store<T>& list, const MWWorld::Ptr& templatePtr, std::any& refValue, MWWorld::Ptr& ptrValue)
+    {
+        refValue = *static_cast<MWWorld::LiveCellRef<T>*>(templatePtr.getBase());
+        ptrValue = MWWorld::Ptr(&std::any_cast<MWWorld::LiveCellRef<T>&>(refValue), nullptr);
+    }
+
+    template <typename F>
+    void visitRefStore(const MWWorld::ESMStore& store, ESM::RefId name, F func)
+    {
+        switch (store.find(name))
+        {
+            case ESM::REC_ACTI:
+                return func(store.get<ESM::Activator>());
+            case ESM::REC_ALCH:
+                return func(store.get<ESM::Potion>());
+            case ESM::REC_APPA:
+                return func(store.get<ESM::Apparatus>());
+            case ESM::REC_ARMO:
+                return func(store.get<ESM::Armor>());
+            case ESM::REC_BOOK:
+                return func(store.get<ESM::Book>());
+            case ESM::REC_CLOT:
+                return func(store.get<ESM::Clothing>());
+            case ESM::REC_CONT:
+                return func(store.get<ESM::Container>());
+            case ESM::REC_CREA:
+                return func(store.get<ESM::Creature>());
+            case ESM::REC_DOOR:
+                return func(store.get<ESM::Door>());
+            case ESM::REC_INGR:
+                return func(store.get<ESM::Ingredient>());
+            case ESM::REC_LEVC:
+                return func(store.get<ESM::CreatureLevList>());
+            case ESM::REC_LEVI:
+                return func(store.get<ESM::ItemLevList>());
+            case ESM::REC_LIGH:
+                return func(store.get<ESM::Light>());
+            case ESM::REC_LOCK:
+                return func(store.get<ESM::Lockpick>());
+            case ESM::REC_MISC:
+                return func(store.get<ESM::Miscellaneous>());
+            case ESM::REC_NPC_:
+                return func(store.get<ESM::NPC>());
+            case ESM::REC_PROB:
+                return func(store.get<ESM::Probe>());
+            case ESM::REC_REPA:
+                return func(store.get<ESM::Repair>());
+            case ESM::REC_STAT:
+                return func(store.get<ESM::Static>());
+            case ESM::REC_WEAP:
+                return func(store.get<ESM::Weapon>());
+            case ESM::REC_BODY:
+                return func(store.get<ESM::BodyPart>());
+            case ESM::REC_STAT4:
+                return func(store.get<ESM4::Static>());
+            case ESM::REC_TERM4:
+                return func(store.get<ESM4::Terminal>());
+            case 0:
+                throw std::logic_error(
+                    "failed to create manual cell ref for " + name.toDebugString() + " (unknown ID)");
+
+            default:
+                throw std::logic_error(
+                    "failed to create manual cell ref for " + name.toDebugString() + " (unknown type)");
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 MWWorld::ManualRef::ManualRef(const MWWorld::ESMStore& store, const ESM::RefId& name, const int count)
 {
-    switch (store.find(name))
-    {
-        case ESM::REC_ACTI:
-            create(store.get<ESM::Activator>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_ALCH:
-            create(store.get<ESM::Potion>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_APPA:
-            create(store.get<ESM::Apparatus>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_ARMO:
-            create(store.get<ESM::Armor>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_BOOK:
-            create(store.get<ESM::Book>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_CLOT:
-            create(store.get<ESM::Clothing>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_CONT:
-            create(store.get<ESM::Container>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_CREA:
-            create(store.get<ESM::Creature>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_DOOR:
-            create(store.get<ESM::Door>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_INGR:
-            create(store.get<ESM::Ingredient>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_LEVC:
-            create(store.get<ESM::CreatureLevList>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_LEVI:
-            create(store.get<ESM::ItemLevList>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_LIGH:
-            create(store.get<ESM::Light>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_LOCK:
-            create(store.get<ESM::Lockpick>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_MISC:
-            create(store.get<ESM::Miscellaneous>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_NPC_:
-            create(store.get<ESM::NPC>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_PROB:
-            create(store.get<ESM::Probe>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_REPA:
-            create(store.get<ESM::Repair>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_STAT:
-            create(store.get<ESM::Static>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_WEAP:
-            create(store.get<ESM::Weapon>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_BODY:
-            create(store.get<ESM::BodyPart>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_STAT4:
-            create(store.get<ESM4::Static>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case ESM::REC_TERM4:
-            create(store.get<ESM4::Terminal>(), name, mRef, mPtr);
-            break;
-        case 0:
-            throw std::logic_error("failed to create manual cell ref for " + name.toDebugString() + " (unknown ID)");
-
-        default:
-            throw std::logic_error("failed to create manual cell ref for " + name.toDebugString() + " (unknown type)");
-    }
+    auto cb = [&](const auto& store) { create(store, name, mRef, mPtr); };
+    visitRefStore(store, name, cb);
 
     mPtr.getCellRef().setCount(count);
 }
+
+MWWorld::ManualRef::ManualRef(const ESMStore& store, const Ptr& template_, const int count)
+{
+    auto cb = [&](const auto& store) { create(store, template_, mRef, mPtr); };
+    visitRefStore(store, template_.getCellRef().getRefId(), cb);
+
+    mPtr.getCellRef().setCount(count);
+    mPtr.getCellRef().unsetRefNum();
+    mPtr.getRefData().setLuaScripts(nullptr);
+}
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/manualref.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/manualref.hpp
index 8356fd0a03..4611ed95bb 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/manualref.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/manualref.hpp
@@ -7,9 +7,11 @@
 
 namespace MWWorld
 {
-    /// \brief Manually constructed live cell ref
+    /// \brief Manually constructed live cell ref. The resulting Ptr shares its lifetime with this ManualRef and must
+    /// not be used past its end.
     class ManualRef
     {
+        // Stores the ref (LiveCellRef<T>) by value.
         std::any mRef;
         Ptr mPtr;
 
@@ -18,6 +20,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
     public:
         ManualRef(const MWWorld::ESMStore& store, const ESM::RefId& name, const int count = 1);
+        ManualRef(const MWWorld::ESMStore& store, const MWWorld::Ptr& template_, const int count = 1);
 
         const Ptr& getPtr() const { return mPtr; }
     };