diff --git a/apps/openmw_test_suite/detournavigator/asyncnavmeshupdater.cpp b/apps/openmw_test_suite/detournavigator/asyncnavmeshupdater.cpp
index d245838858..b23446cea7 100644
--- a/apps/openmw_test_suite/detournavigator/asyncnavmeshupdater.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw_test_suite/detournavigator/asyncnavmeshupdater.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,23 @@ namespace
         recastMeshManager.addHeightfield(cellPosition, cellSize, HeightfieldPlane {0});
     }
 
+    void addObject(const btBoxShape& shape, TileCachedRecastMeshManager& recastMeshManager)
+    {
+        const ObjectId id(&shape);
+        osg::ref_ptr<Resource::BulletShape> bulletShape(new Resource::BulletShape);
+        bulletShape->mFileName = "test.nif";
+        bulletShape->mFileHash = "test_hash";
+        ObjectTransform objectTransform;
+        std::fill(std::begin(objectTransform.mPosition.pos), std::end(objectTransform.mPosition.pos), 0.1f);
+        std::fill(std::begin(objectTransform.mPosition.rot), std::end(objectTransform.mPosition.rot), 0.2f);
+        objectTransform.mScale = 3.14f;
+        const CollisionShape collisionShape(
+            osg::ref_ptr<Resource::BulletShapeInstance>(new Resource::BulletShapeInstance(bulletShape)),
+            shape, objectTransform
+        );
+        recastMeshManager.addObject(id, collisionShape, btTransform::getIdentity(), AreaType_ground);
+    }
+
     struct DetourNavigatorAsyncNavMeshUpdaterTest : Test
     {
         Settings mSettings = makeSettings();
@@ -34,6 +51,7 @@ namespace
         const osg::Vec3f mAgentHalfExtents {29, 29, 66};
         const TilePosition mPlayerTile {0, 0};
         const std::string mWorldspace = "sys::default";
+        const btBoxShape mBox {btVector3(100, 100, 20)};
         Loading::Listener mListener;
     };
 
@@ -111,6 +129,7 @@ namespace
     {
         mRecastMeshManager.setWorldspace(mWorldspace);
         addHeightFieldPlane(mRecastMeshManager);
+        addObject(mBox, mRecastMeshManager);
         auto db = std::make_unique<NavMeshDb>(":memory:");
         NavMeshDb* const dbPtr = db.get();
         AsyncNavMeshUpdater updater(mSettings, mRecastMeshManager, mOffMeshConnectionsManager, std::move(db));
@@ -130,10 +149,11 @@ namespace
         EXPECT_EQ(tile->mVersion, mSettings.mNavMeshVersion);
     }
 
-    TEST_F(DetourNavigatorAsyncNavMeshUpdaterTest, post_when_writing_to_db_disabled_should_not_write)
+    TEST_F(DetourNavigatorAsyncNavMeshUpdaterTest, post_when_writing_to_db_disabled_should_not_write_tiles)
     {
         mRecastMeshManager.setWorldspace(mWorldspace);
         addHeightFieldPlane(mRecastMeshManager);
+        addObject(mBox, mRecastMeshManager);
         auto db = std::make_unique<NavMeshDb>(":memory:");
         NavMeshDb* const dbPtr = db.get();
         mSettings.mWriteToNavMeshDb = false;
@@ -152,6 +172,27 @@ namespace
         ASSERT_FALSE(tile.has_value());
     }
 
+    TEST_F(DetourNavigatorAsyncNavMeshUpdaterTest, post_when_writing_to_db_disabled_should_not_write_shapes)
+    {
+        mRecastMeshManager.setWorldspace(mWorldspace);
+        addHeightFieldPlane(mRecastMeshManager);
+        addObject(mBox, mRecastMeshManager);
+        auto db = std::make_unique<NavMeshDb>(":memory:");
+        NavMeshDb* const dbPtr = db.get();
+        mSettings.mWriteToNavMeshDb = false;
+        AsyncNavMeshUpdater updater(mSettings, mRecastMeshManager, mOffMeshConnectionsManager, std::move(db));
+        const auto navMeshCacheItem = std::make_shared<GuardedNavMeshCacheItem>(makeEmptyNavMesh(mSettings), 1);
+        const TilePosition tilePosition {0, 0};
+        const std::map<TilePosition, ChangeType> changedTiles {{tilePosition, ChangeType::add}};
+        updater.post(mAgentHalfExtents, navMeshCacheItem, mPlayerTile, mWorldspace, changedTiles);
+        updater.wait(mListener, WaitConditionType::allJobsDone);
+        const auto recastMesh = mRecastMeshManager.getMesh(mWorldspace, tilePosition);
+        ASSERT_NE(recastMesh, nullptr);
+        const auto objects = makeDbRefGeometryObjects(recastMesh->getMeshSources(),
+            [&] (const MeshSource& v) { return resolveMeshSource(*dbPtr, v); });
+        EXPECT_FALSE(objects.has_value());
+    }
+
     TEST_F(DetourNavigatorAsyncNavMeshUpdaterTest, post_should_read_from_db_on_cache_miss)
     {
         mRecastMeshManager.setWorldspace(mWorldspace);
diff --git a/components/detournavigator/asyncnavmeshupdater.cpp b/components/detournavigator/asyncnavmeshupdater.cpp
index 47d984030f..657befd9d7 100644
--- a/components/detournavigator/asyncnavmeshupdater.cpp
+++ b/components/detournavigator/asyncnavmeshupdater.cpp
@@ -89,7 +89,8 @@ namespace DetourNavigator
         {
             if (db == nullptr)
                 return nullptr;
-            return std::make_unique<DbWorker>(updater, std::move(db), TileVersion(settings.mNavMeshVersion), settings.mRecast);
+            return std::make_unique<DbWorker>(updater, std::move(db), TileVersion(settings.mNavMeshVersion),
+                                              settings.mRecast, settings.mWriteToNavMeshDb);
         }
 
         void updateJobs(std::deque<JobIt>& jobs, TilePosition playerTile, int maxTiles)
@@ -704,11 +705,12 @@ namespace DetourNavigator
     }
 
     DbWorker::DbWorker(AsyncNavMeshUpdater& updater, std::unique_ptr<NavMeshDb>&& db,
-        TileVersion version, const RecastSettings& recastSettings)
+        TileVersion version, const RecastSettings& recastSettings, bool writeToDb)
         : mUpdater(updater)
         , mRecastSettings(recastSettings)
         , mDb(std::move(db))
         , mVersion(version)
+        , mWriteToDb(writeToDb)
         , mNextTileId(mDb->getMaxTileId() + 1)
         , mNextShapeId(mDb->getMaxShapeId() + 1)
         , mThread([this] { run(); })
@@ -799,12 +801,23 @@ namespace DetourNavigator
         if (job->mInput.empty())
         {
             Log(Debug::Debug) << "Serializing input for job " << job->mId;
-            const ShapeId shapeId = mNextShapeId;
-            const std::vector<DbRefGeometryObject> objects = makeDbRefGeometryObjects(job->mRecastMesh->getMeshSources(),
-                [&] (const MeshSource& v) { return resolveMeshSource(*mDb, v, mNextShapeId); });
-            if (shapeId != mNextShapeId)
-                ++mWrites;
-            job->mInput = serialize(mRecastSettings, *job->mRecastMesh, objects);
+            if (mWriteToDb)
+            {
+                const ShapeId shapeId = mNextShapeId;
+                const auto objects = makeDbRefGeometryObjects(job->mRecastMesh->getMeshSources(),
+                    [&] (const MeshSource& v) { return resolveMeshSource(*mDb, v, mNextShapeId); });
+                if (shapeId != mNextShapeId)
+                    ++mWrites;
+                job->mInput = serialize(mRecastSettings, *job->mRecastMesh, objects);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                const auto objects = makeDbRefGeometryObjects(job->mRecastMesh->getMeshSources(),
+                    [&] (const MeshSource& v) { return resolveMeshSource(*mDb, v); });
+                if (!objects.has_value())
+                    return;
+                job->mInput = serialize(mRecastSettings, *job->mRecastMesh, *objects);
+            }
         }
 
         job->mCachedTileData = mDb->getTileData(job->mWorldspace, job->mChangedTile, job->mInput);
diff --git a/components/detournavigator/asyncnavmeshupdater.hpp b/components/detournavigator/asyncnavmeshupdater.hpp
index 541d86fe9c..31778f8c26 100644
--- a/components/detournavigator/asyncnavmeshupdater.hpp
+++ b/components/detournavigator/asyncnavmeshupdater.hpp
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ namespace DetourNavigator
         };
 
         DbWorker(AsyncNavMeshUpdater& updater, std::unique_ptr<NavMeshDb>&& db,
-            TileVersion version, const RecastSettings& recastSettings);
+            TileVersion version, const RecastSettings& recastSettings, bool writeToDb);
 
         ~DbWorker();
 
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ namespace DetourNavigator
         const RecastSettings& mRecastSettings;
         const std::unique_ptr<NavMeshDb> mDb;
         const TileVersion mVersion;
+        const bool mWriteToDb;
         TileId mNextTileId;
         ShapeId mNextShapeId;
         DbJobQueue mQueue;
diff --git a/components/detournavigator/dbrefgeometryobject.hpp b/components/detournavigator/dbrefgeometryobject.hpp
index 2be44ca175..acf2a58b19 100644
--- a/components/detournavigator/dbrefgeometryobject.hpp
+++ b/components/detournavigator/dbrefgeometryobject.hpp
@@ -4,10 +4,14 @@
 #include "objecttransform.hpp"
 #include "recastmesh.hpp"
 
+#include <components/misc/typetraits.hpp>
+
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <cstdint>
 #include <tuple>
 #include <vector>
+#include <optional>
+#include <type_traits>
 
 namespace DetourNavigator
 {
@@ -28,16 +32,27 @@ namespace DetourNavigator
     };
 
     template <class ResolveMeshSource>
-    inline std::vector<DbRefGeometryObject> makeDbRefGeometryObjects(const std::vector<MeshSource>& meshSources,
-        ResolveMeshSource&& resolveMeshSource)
+    inline auto makeDbRefGeometryObjects(const std::vector<MeshSource>& meshSources, ResolveMeshSource&& resolveMeshSource)
+        -> std::conditional_t<
+            Misc::isOptional<std::decay_t<decltype(resolveMeshSource(meshSources.front()))>>,
+            std::optional<std::vector<DbRefGeometryObject>>,
+            std::vector<DbRefGeometryObject>
+        >
     {
         std::vector<DbRefGeometryObject> result;
         result.reserve(meshSources.size());
-        std::transform(meshSources.begin(), meshSources.end(), std::back_inserter(result),
-            [&] (const MeshSource& meshSource)
+        for (const MeshSource& meshSource : meshSources)
+        {
+            const auto shapeId = resolveMeshSource(meshSource);
+            if constexpr (Misc::isOptional<std::decay_t<decltype(shapeId)>>)
             {
-                return DbRefGeometryObject {resolveMeshSource(meshSource), meshSource.mObjectTransform};
-            });
+                if (!shapeId.has_value())
+                    return std::nullopt;
+                result.push_back(DbRefGeometryObject {*shapeId, meshSource.mObjectTransform});
+            }
+            else
+                result.push_back(DbRefGeometryObject {shapeId, meshSource.mObjectTransform});
+        }
         std::sort(result.begin(), result.end());
         return result;
     }
diff --git a/components/detournavigator/navmeshdbutils.cpp b/components/detournavigator/navmeshdbutils.cpp
index dce6ef3a72..86f81bfc51 100644
--- a/components/detournavigator/navmeshdbutils.cpp
+++ b/components/detournavigator/navmeshdbutils.cpp
@@ -5,12 +5,21 @@
 #include <components/debug/debuglog.hpp>
 
 #include <cassert>
+#include <optional>
 
 namespace DetourNavigator
 {
     namespace
     {
-        ShapeId getShapeId(NavMeshDb& db, const std::string& name, ShapeType type, const std::string& hash, ShapeId& nextShapeId)
+        std::optional<ShapeId> findShapeId(NavMeshDb& db, const std::string& name, ShapeType type,
+            const std::string& hash)
+        {
+            const Sqlite3::ConstBlob hashData {hash.data(), static_cast<int>(hash.size())};
+            return db.findShapeId(name, type, hashData);
+        }
+
+        ShapeId getShapeId(NavMeshDb& db, const std::string& name, ShapeType type,
+            const std::string& hash, ShapeId& nextShapeId)
         {
             const Sqlite3::ConstBlob hashData {hash.data(), static_cast<int>(hash.size())};
             if (const auto existingShapeId = db.findShapeId(name, type, hashData))
@@ -37,4 +46,18 @@ namespace DetourNavigator
                 return ShapeId(0);
         }
     }
+
+    std::optional<ShapeId> resolveMeshSource(NavMeshDb& db, const MeshSource& source)
+    {
+        switch (source.mAreaType)
+        {
+            case AreaType_null:
+                return findShapeId(db, source.mShape->mFileName, ShapeType::Avoid, source.mShape->mFileHash);
+            case AreaType_ground:
+                return findShapeId(db, source.mShape->mFileName, ShapeType::Collision, source.mShape->mFileHash);
+            default:
+                Log(Debug::Warning) << "Trying to resolve recast mesh source with unsupported area type: " << source.mAreaType;
+                return std::nullopt;
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/components/detournavigator/navmeshdbutils.hpp b/components/detournavigator/navmeshdbutils.hpp
index 02b3bdbb00..aafde3307c 100644
--- a/components/detournavigator/navmeshdbutils.hpp
+++ b/components/detournavigator/navmeshdbutils.hpp
@@ -3,11 +3,15 @@
 
 #include "navmeshdb.hpp"
 
+#include <optional>
+
 namespace DetourNavigator
 {
     struct MeshSource;
 
     ShapeId resolveMeshSource(NavMeshDb& db, const MeshSource& source, ShapeId& nextShapeId);
+
+    std::optional<ShapeId> resolveMeshSource(NavMeshDb& db, const MeshSource& source);
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/components/misc/typetraits.hpp b/components/misc/typetraits.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4c6a7e731b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/misc/typetraits.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#ifndef OPENMW_COMPONENTS_MISC_TYPETRAITS_H
+#define OPENMW_COMPONENTS_MISC_TYPETRAITS_H
+
+#include <optional>
+#include <type_traits>
+
+namespace Misc
+{
+    template <class T>
+    struct IsOptional : std::false_type {};
+
+    template <class T>
+    struct IsOptional<std::optional<T>> : std::true_type {};
+
+    template <class T>
+    inline constexpr bool isOptional = IsOptional<T>::value;
+}
+
+#endif