diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a0b64d26f8..081cc91976 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@
     Bug #7413: Generated wilderness cells don't spawn fish
     Bug #7415: Unbreakable lock discrepancies
     Bug #7428: AutoCalc flag is not used to calculate enchantment costs
+    Bug #7450: Evading obstacles does not work for actors missing certain animations
     Bug #7459: Icons get stacked on the cursor when picking up multiple items simultaneously
     Feature #3537: Shader-based water ripples
     Feature #5492: Let rain and snow collide with statics
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/obstacle.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/obstacle.cpp
index ae06c05dc9..8f7829e634 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/obstacle.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/obstacle.cpp
@@ -15,17 +15,23 @@
 
 namespace MWMechanics
 {
-    // NOTE: determined empirically but probably need further tweaking
-    static const float DIST_SAME_SPOT = 0.5f;
-    static const float DURATION_SAME_SPOT = 1.5f;
-    static const float DURATION_TO_EVADE = 0.4f;
+    namespace
+    {
+        // NOTE: determined empirically but probably need further tweaking
+        constexpr float distanceSameSpot = 0.5f;
+        constexpr float durationSameSpot = 1.5f;
+        constexpr float durationToEvade = 1;
 
-    const float ObstacleCheck::evadeDirections[NUM_EVADE_DIRECTIONS][2] = {
-        { 1.0f, 0.0f }, // move to side
-        { 1.0f, -1.0f }, // move to side and backwards
-        { -1.0f, 0.0f }, // move to other side
-        { -1.0f, -1.0f } // move to side and backwards
-    };
+        constexpr float evadeDirections[][2] = {
+            { 1.0f, 1.0f }, // move to side and forward
+            { 1.0f, 0.0f }, // move to side
+            { 1.0f, -1.0f }, // move to side and backwards
+            { 0.0f, -1.0f }, // move backwards
+            { -1.0f, -1.0f }, // move to other side and backwards
+            { -1.0f, 0.0f }, // move to other side
+            { -1.0f, 1.0f }, // move to other side and forward
+        };
+    }
 
     bool proximityToDoor(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor, float minDist)
     {
@@ -94,9 +100,7 @@ namespace MWMechanics
     }
 
     ObstacleCheck::ObstacleCheck()
-        : mWalkState(WalkState::Initial)
-        , mStateDuration(0)
-        , mEvadeDirectionIndex(0)
+        : mEvadeDirectionIndex(std::size(evadeDirections) - 1)
     {
     }
 
@@ -150,7 +154,7 @@ namespace MWMechanics
                 mDestination = destination;
             }
 
-            const float distSameSpot = DIST_SAME_SPOT * actor.getClass().getCurrentSpeed(actor) * duration;
+            const float distSameSpot = distanceSameSpot * actor.getClass().getCurrentSpeed(actor) * duration;
             const float prevDistance = (destination - mPrev).length();
             const float currentDistance = (destination - position).length();
             const float movedDistance = prevDistance - currentDistance;
@@ -174,19 +178,20 @@ namespace MWMechanics
             }
 
             mStateDuration += duration;
-            if (mStateDuration < DURATION_SAME_SPOT)
+            if (mStateDuration < durationSameSpot)
             {
                 return;
             }
 
             mWalkState = WalkState::Evade;
             mStateDuration = 0;
-            chooseEvasionDirection();
+            if (++mEvadeDirectionIndex == std::size(evadeDirections))
+                mEvadeDirectionIndex = 0;
             return;
         }
 
         mStateDuration += duration;
-        if (mStateDuration >= DURATION_TO_EVADE)
+        if (mStateDuration >= durationToEvade)
         {
             // tried to evade, assume all is ok and start again
             mWalkState = WalkState::Norm;
@@ -200,15 +205,4 @@ namespace MWMechanics
         actorMovement.mPosition[0] = evadeDirections[mEvadeDirectionIndex][0];
         actorMovement.mPosition[1] = evadeDirections[mEvadeDirectionIndex][1];
     }
-
-    void ObstacleCheck::chooseEvasionDirection()
-    {
-        // change direction if attempt didn't work
-        ++mEvadeDirectionIndex;
-        if (mEvadeDirectionIndex == NUM_EVADE_DIRECTIONS)
-        {
-            mEvadeDirectionIndex = 0;
-        }
-    }
-
 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/obstacle.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/obstacle.hpp
index be9680f527..4ca36423ea 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/obstacle.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/obstacle.hpp
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@ namespace MWMechanics
 {
     struct Movement;
 
-    static constexpr int NUM_EVADE_DIRECTIONS = 4;
-
     /// tests actor's proximity to a closed door by default
     bool proximityToDoor(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor, float minDist);
 
@@ -41,29 +39,23 @@ namespace MWMechanics
         void update(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor, const osg::Vec3f& destination, float duration);
 
         // change direction to try to fix "stuck" actor
-        void takeEvasiveAction(MWMechanics::Movement& actorMovement) const;
+        void takeEvasiveAction(Movement& actorMovement) const;
 
     private:
-        osg::Vec3f mPrev;
-        osg::Vec3f mDestination;
-
-        // directions to try moving in when get stuck
-        static const float evadeDirections[NUM_EVADE_DIRECTIONS][2];
-
         enum class WalkState
         {
             Initial,
             Norm,
             CheckStuck,
-            Evade
+            Evade,
         };
-        WalkState mWalkState;
 
-        float mStateDuration;
-        int mEvadeDirectionIndex;
+        WalkState mWalkState = WalkState::Initial;
+        float mStateDuration = 0;
         float mInitialDistance = 0;
-
-        void chooseEvasionDirection();
+        std::size_t mEvadeDirectionIndex;
+        osg::Vec3f mPrev;
+        osg::Vec3f mDestination;
     };
 }