diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwbase/statemanager.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwbase/statemanager.hpp
index e9d10a796e..7101be25d8 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwbase/statemanager.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwbase/statemanager.hpp
@@ -63,8 +63,6 @@ namespace MWBase
             /// \note \a slot must belong to \a character.
 
             virtual MWState::Character *getCurrentCharacter() = 0;
-            ///< \attention Do not call this function to check if there is a current character.
-            /// Instead, assume there is a character if getState() == Running.
 
             virtual CharacterIterator characterBegin() = 0;
             ///< Any call to SaveGame and getCurrentCharacter can invalidate the returned
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/savegamedialog.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/savegamedialog.cpp
index 648dd46838..2ea83cfa36 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/savegamedialog.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/savegamedialog.cpp
@@ -89,23 +89,22 @@ namespace MWGui
         if (mgr->characterBegin() == mgr->characterEnd())
             return;
 
-        // If we are running, there must be a current character
-        if (mgr->getState() == MWBase::StateManager::State_Running)
-        {
-            mCurrentCharacter = mgr->getCurrentCharacter();
-        }
+        mCurrentCharacter = mgr->getCurrentCharacter();
 
         mCharacterSelection->removeAllItems();
         for (MWBase::StateManager::CharacterIterator it = mgr->characterBegin(); it != mgr->characterEnd(); ++it)
         {
-            std::stringstream title;
-            title << it->getSignature().mPlayerName;
-            title << " (Level " << it->getSignature().mPlayerLevel << " " << it->getSignature().mPlayerClass << ")";
+            if (it->begin()!=it->end())
+            {
+                std::stringstream title;
+                title << it->getSignature().mPlayerName;
+                title << " (Level " << it->getSignature().mPlayerLevel << " " << it->getSignature().mPlayerClass << ")";
 
-            mCharacterSelection->addItem (title.str());
+                mCharacterSelection->addItem (title.str());
 
-            if (mCurrentCharacter == &*it)
-                mCharacterSelection->setIndexSelected(mCharacterSelection->getItemCount()-1);
+                if (mgr->getCurrentCharacter() == &*it)
+                    mCharacterSelection->setIndexSelected(mCharacterSelection->getItemCount()-1);
+            }
         }
 
         fillSaveList();
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.hpp
index 08b0776c19..a380c9fee6 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.hpp
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@ namespace MWState
             /// \note \a slot must belong to \a character.
 
             virtual Character *getCurrentCharacter();
-            ///< \attention Do not call this function to check if there is a current character. Use
-            /// characterBegin()!=characterEnd() instead.
 
             virtual CharacterIterator characterBegin();
             ///< Any call to SaveGame and getCurrentCharacter can invalidate the returned