diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/quickkeysmenu.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/quickkeysmenu.cpp
index a7c408f1f9..1f45b72eac 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/quickkeysmenu.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/quickkeysmenu.cpp
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ namespace MWGui
         {
             unassign(&mKey[i]);
         }
+
+        mTemp.clear();
     }
 
     inline void QuickKeysMenu::validate(int index)
@@ -397,11 +399,9 @@ namespace MWGui
                 if (*it == item)
                     break;
             }
-            if (it == store.end())
-                item = nullptr;
 
-            // check the quickkey item is available
-            if (item.isEmpty() || item.getCellRef().getCount() < 1)
+            // Is the quickkey item not in the inventory?
+            if (it == store.end())
             {
                 MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->messageBox("#{sQuickMenu5} " + key->name);
                 return;
@@ -626,6 +626,13 @@ namespace MWGui
         MWWorld::Ptr player = MWMechanics::getPlayer();
         MWWorld::InventoryStore& store = player.getClass().getInventoryStore(player);
 
+        auto assign = [this](auto type, MWWorld::Ptr item) {
+            if (type == ESM::QuickKeys::Type::Item)
+                assignItem(item);
+            else // if (quickKey.mType == ESM::QuickKeys::Type::MagicItem)
+                onAssignMagicItem(item);
+        };
+
         int i = 0;
         for (ESM::QuickKeys::QuickKey& quickKey : keys.mKeys)
         {
@@ -646,16 +653,25 @@ namespace MWGui
                 {
                     // Find the item by id
                     MWWorld::Ptr item = store.findReplacement(quickKey.mId);
-
                     if (item.isEmpty())
-                        unassign(mSelected);
-                    else
                     {
-                        if (quickKey.mType == ESM::QuickKeys::Type::Item)
-                            assignItem(item);
-                        else // if (quickKey.mType == ESM::QuickKeys::Type::MagicItem)
-                            onAssignMagicItem(item);
+                        unassign(mSelected);
+                        if (!quickKey.mId.empty())
+                        {
+                            // Fallback to a temporary object for UI display purposes
+                            if (MWBase::Environment::get().getESMStore()->find(quickKey.mId) != 0)
+                            {
+                                // Tie temporary item lifetime to this window
+                                mTemp.emplace_back(*MWBase::Environment::get().getESMStore(), quickKey.mId, 0);
+                                assign(quickKey.mType, mTemp.back().getPtr());
+                            }
+                            else
+                                Log(Debug::Warning) << "Failed to load quick key " << (i + 1)
+                                                    << ": could not find object " << quickKey.mId;
+                        }
                     }
+                    else
+                        assign(quickKey.mType, item);
 
                     break;
                 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/quickkeysmenu.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/quickkeysmenu.hpp
index 30cd893c84..db20f13ad8 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/quickkeysmenu.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/quickkeysmenu.hpp
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 
 #include "components/esm3/quickkeys.hpp"
 
+#include "../mwworld/manualref.hpp"
+
 #include "itemselection.hpp"
 #include "spellmodel.hpp"
 #include "windowbase.hpp"
@@ -57,6 +59,7 @@ namespace MWGui
         };
 
         std::vector<keyData> mKey;
+        std::vector<MWWorld::ManualRef> mTemp;
         keyData* mSelected;
         keyData* mActivated;
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/manualref.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/manualref.hpp
index 4611ed95bb..f7d85928d1 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/manualref.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/manualref.hpp
@@ -15,13 +15,16 @@ namespace MWWorld
         std::any mRef;
         Ptr mPtr;
 
-        ManualRef(const ManualRef&);
-        ManualRef& operator=(const ManualRef&);
-
     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);
 
+        ManualRef(const ManualRef&) = delete;
+        ManualRef& operator=(const ManualRef&) = delete;
+
+        ManualRef(ManualRef&&) noexcept = default;
+        ManualRef& operator=(ManualRef&&) noexcept = default;
+
         const Ptr& getPtr() const { return mPtr; }
     };
 }