diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.cpp
index a636ce2887..a1d5824917 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.cpp
@@ -701,6 +701,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
     void World::update (float duration)
     {
+        getNorthVector(mWorldScene->getCurrentCell());
         mWorldScene->update (duration);
 
         mWeatherManager->update (duration);
@@ -754,4 +755,19 @@ namespace MWWorld
     {
         return mRendering->getFader();
     }
+
+    Ogre::Vector2 World::getNorthVector(Ptr::CellStore* cell)
+    {
+        ESMS::CellRefList<ESM::Static, MWWorld::RefData> statics = cell->statics;
+        ESMS::LiveCellRef<ESM::Static, MWWorld::RefData>* ref = statics.find("northmarker");
+        if (!ref)
+        {
+            std::cout << "No north marker found." << std::endl;
+            return Vector2(0, 1);
+        }
+        Ogre::SceneNode* node = ref->mData.getBaseNode();
+        Vector3 dir = -node->_getDerivedOrientation().zAxis();
+        Vector2 d = Vector2(dir.x, dir.z);
+        return d;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.hpp
index 71cca3545d..2607c38300 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.hpp
@@ -129,6 +129,9 @@ namespace MWWorld
             bool isCellExterior() const;
             bool isCellQuasiExterior() const;
 
+            Ogre::Vector2 getNorthVector(Ptr::CellStore* cell);
+            ///< get north vector (OGRE coordinates) for given interior cell
+
             Globals::Data& getGlobalVariable (const std::string& name);
 
             Globals::Data getGlobalVariable (const std::string& name) const;