diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.cpp
index 243d5c3516..2800b6f3c1 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.cpp
@@ -8,8 +8,29 @@
 #include <components/esm/loadcont.hpp>
 
 #include "manualref.hpp"
+#include "refdata.hpp"
 
-MWWorld::ContainerStore::ContainerStore() : mStateId (0) {}
+namespace
+{
+    template<typename T>
+    float getTotalWeight (const ESMS::CellRefList<T, MWWorld::RefData>& cellRefList)
+    {
+        float sum = 0;
+
+        for (typename ESMS::CellRefList<T, MWWorld::RefData>::List::const_iterator iter (
+            cellRefList.list.begin());
+            iter!=cellRefList.list.end();
+            ++iter)
+        {
+            if (iter->mData.getCount()>0)
+                sum += iter->mData.getCount()*iter->base->data.weight;
+        }
+
+        return sum;
+    }
+}
+
+MWWorld::ContainerStore::ContainerStore() : mStateId (0), mCachedWeight (0), mWeightUpToDate (false) {}
 
 MWWorld::ContainerStore::~ContainerStore() {}
 
@@ -87,6 +108,7 @@ void MWWorld::ContainerStore::clear()
 void MWWorld::ContainerStore::flagAsModified()
 {
     ++mStateId;
+    mWeightUpToDate = false;
 }
 
 int MWWorld::ContainerStore::getStateId() const
@@ -94,6 +116,31 @@ int MWWorld::ContainerStore::getStateId() const
     return mStateId;
 }
 
+float MWWorld::ContainerStore::getWeight() const
+{
+    if (!mWeightUpToDate)
+    {
+        mCachedWeight = 0;
+
+        mCachedWeight += getTotalWeight (potions);
+        mCachedWeight += getTotalWeight (appas);
+        mCachedWeight += getTotalWeight (armors);
+        mCachedWeight += getTotalWeight (books);
+        mCachedWeight += getTotalWeight (clothes);
+        mCachedWeight += getTotalWeight (ingreds);
+        mCachedWeight += getTotalWeight (lights);
+        mCachedWeight += getTotalWeight (lockpicks);
+        mCachedWeight += getTotalWeight (miscItems);
+        mCachedWeight += getTotalWeight (probes);
+        mCachedWeight += getTotalWeight (repairs);
+        mCachedWeight += getTotalWeight (weapons);
+
+        mWeightUpToDate = true;
+    }
+
+    return mCachedWeight;
+}
+
 int MWWorld::ContainerStore::getType (const Ptr& ptr)
 {
     if (ptr.isEmpty())
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.hpp
index 669b394ca8..da5424fe08 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.hpp
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ namespace MWWorld
             ESMS::CellRefList<ESM::Repair, RefData>            repairs;
             ESMS::CellRefList<ESM::Weapon, RefData>            weapons;
             int mStateId;
+            mutable float mCachedWeight;
+            mutable bool mWeightUpToDate;
 
         public:
 
@@ -87,6 +89,9 @@ namespace MWWorld
             /// are accessed in a way that may be used to modify the item.
             /// \note This method of change-tracking will ocasionally yield false positives.
 
+            float getWeight() const;
+            ///< Return total weight of the items contained in *this.
+
             static int getType (const Ptr& ptr);
             ///< This function throws an exception, if ptr does not point to an object, that can be
             /// put into a container.