diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwbase/mechanicsmanager.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwbase/mechanicsmanager.hpp
index 750fc2fff8..e1a83c747d 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwbase/mechanicsmanager.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwbase/mechanicsmanager.hpp
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ namespace MWBase
             virtual void setPlayerName (const std::string& name) = 0;
             ///< Set player name.
 
-            virtual void setPlayerRace (const std::string& id, bool male) = 0;
+            virtual void setPlayerRace (const std::string& id, bool male, const std::string &head, const std::string &hair) = 0;
             ///< Set player race.
 
             virtual void setPlayerBirthsign (const std::string& id) = 0;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/charactercreation.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/charactercreation.cpp
index a054f34ddd..4778460551 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/charactercreation.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/charactercreation.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include "review.hpp"
 #include "dialogue.hpp"
 #include "mode.hpp"
+#include "inventorywindow.hpp"
 
 #include "../mwbase/environment.hpp"
 #include "../mwbase/soundmanager.hpp"
@@ -459,9 +460,16 @@ void CharacterCreation::onRaceDialogBack()
 {
     if (mRaceDialog)
     {
-        mPlayerRaceId = mRaceDialog->getRaceId();
-        if (!mPlayerRaceId.empty())
-            MWBase::Environment::get().getMechanicsManager()->setPlayerRace(mPlayerRaceId, mRaceDialog->getGender() == RaceDialog::GM_Male);
+        const ESM::NPC &data = mRaceDialog->getResult();
+        mPlayerRaceId = data.mId;
+        if (!mPlayerRaceId.empty()) {
+            MWBase::Environment::get().getMechanicsManager()->setPlayerRace(
+                data.mId,
+                data.isMale(),
+                data.mHead,
+                data.mHair
+            );
+        }
         mWM->removeDialog(mRaceDialog);
         mRaceDialog = 0;
     }
@@ -474,10 +482,18 @@ void CharacterCreation::onRaceDialogDone(WindowBase* parWindow)
 {
     if (mRaceDialog)
     {
-        mPlayerRaceId = mRaceDialog->getRaceId();
-        mWM->setValue("race", mPlayerRaceId);
-        if (!mPlayerRaceId.empty())
-            MWBase::Environment::get().getMechanicsManager()->setPlayerRace(mPlayerRaceId, mRaceDialog->getGender() == RaceDialog::GM_Male);
+        const ESM::NPC &data = mRaceDialog->getResult();
+        mPlayerRaceId = data.mRace;
+        if (!mPlayerRaceId.empty()) {
+            MWBase::Environment::get().getMechanicsManager()->setPlayerRace(
+                data.mRace,
+                data.isMale(),
+                data.mHead,
+                data.mHair
+            );
+        }
+        mWM->getInventoryWindow()->rebuildAvatar();
+
         mWM->removeDialog(mRaceDialog);
         mRaceDialog = 0;
     }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/inventorywindow.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/inventorywindow.hpp
index 84b576a58c..6b45a99800 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/inventorywindow.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/inventorywindow.hpp
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ namespace MWGui
 
             MWWorld::Ptr getAvatarSelectedItem(int x, int y);
 
+            void rebuildAvatar() {
+                mPreview.rebuild();
+            }
+
         protected:
             MyGUI::Widget* mAvatar;
             MyGUI::ImageBox* mAvatarImage;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/race.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/race.cpp
index 943081e65e..ff7c01ade6 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/race.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/race.cpp
@@ -214,6 +214,29 @@ void RaceDialog::onSelectRace(MyGUI::ListBox* _sender, size_t _index)
         return;
 
     mCurrentRaceId = *raceId;
+
+    ESM::NPC record = mPreview->getPrototype();
+    record.mRace = mCurrentRaceId;
+    record.setIsMale(mGenderIndex == 0);
+
+    std::string prefix =
+        "b_n_" + mCurrentRaceId + ((record.isMale()) ? "_m_" : "_f_");
+
+    record.mHead = prefix + "head_01";
+    record.mHair = prefix + "hair_01";
+
+    const MWWorld::Store<ESM::BodyPart> &parts =
+        MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore().get<ESM::BodyPart>();
+
+    if (parts.search(record.mHair) == 0) {
+        record.mHair = prefix + "hair01";
+    }
+
+    mFaceIndex = 0;
+    mHairIndex = 0;
+
+    mPreview->setPrototype(record);
+
     updateSkills();
     updateSpellPowers();
 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/race.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/race.hpp
index 000b845231..ec73d1c3a4 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/race.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/race.hpp
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ namespace MWGui
             GM_Female
         };
 
+        const ESM::NPC &getResult() const { return mPreview->getPrototype(); }
         const std::string &getRaceId() const { return mCurrentRaceId; }
         Gender getGender() const { return mGenderIndex == 0 ? GM_Male : GM_Female; }
         // getFace()
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp
index 50868eeb35..aecde12527 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ namespace MWMechanics
         mUpdatePlayer = true;
     }
 
-    void MechanicsManager::setPlayerRace (const std::string& race, bool male)
+    void MechanicsManager::setPlayerRace (const std::string& race, bool male, const std::string &head, const std::string &hair)
     {
         MWBase::World *world = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld();
 
@@ -326,11 +326,9 @@ namespace MWMechanics
             *world->getPlayer().getPlayer().get<ESM::NPC>()->mBase;
 
         player.mRace = race;
-
-        player.mFlags |= ESM::NPC::Female;
-        if (male) {
-            player.mFlags ^= ESM::NPC::Female;
-        }
+        player.mHead = head;
+        player.mHair = hair;
+        player.setIsMale(male);
 
         world->createRecord(player);
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.hpp
index 38536d3bd7..79a45821ad 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.hpp
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ namespace MWMechanics
             virtual void setPlayerName (const std::string& name);
             ///< Set player name.
 
-            virtual void setPlayerRace (const std::string& id, bool male);
+            virtual void setPlayerRace (const std::string& id, bool male, const std::string &head, const std::string &hair);
             ///< Set player race.
 
             virtual void setPlayerBirthsign (const std::string& id);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.cpp
index 017062baa2..0a11dc2814 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.cpp
@@ -48,8 +48,9 @@ namespace MWRender
 
         mNode->setVisible (false);
 
-        mCamera->setPosition(mPosition);
-        mCamera->lookAt(mLookAt);
+        Ogre::Vector3 scale = mNode->getScale();
+        mCamera->setPosition(mPosition * scale);
+        mCamera->lookAt(mLookAt * scale);
 
         mCamera->setNearClipDistance (0.01);
         mCamera->setFarClipDistance (1000);
@@ -80,6 +81,22 @@ namespace MWRender
         delete mAnimation;
     }
 
+    void CharacterPreview::rebuild()
+    {
+        assert(mAnimation);
+        delete mAnimation;
+
+        mAnimation = new NpcAnimation(mCharacter, mNode,
+            MWWorld::Class::get(mCharacter).getInventoryStore (mCharacter), RV_PlayerPreview);
+
+        mNode->setVisible (false);
+
+        Ogre::Vector3 scale = mNode->getScale();
+        mCamera->setPosition(mPosition * scale);
+        mCamera->lookAt(mLookAt * scale);
+
+        onSetup();
+    }
 
     // --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -128,8 +145,10 @@ namespace MWRender
     RaceSelectionPreview::RaceSelectionPreview()
         : CharacterPreview(MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getPlayer().getPlayer(),
             512, 512, "CharacterHeadPreview", Ogre::Vector3(0, 120, -35), Ogre::Vector3(0,125,0))
+        , mRef(&mBase)
     {
-
+        mBase = *mCharacter.get<ESM::NPC>()->mBase;
+        mCharacter = MWWorld::Ptr(&mRef, mCharacter.getCell());
     }
 
     void RaceSelectionPreview::update(float angle)
@@ -141,4 +160,11 @@ namespace MWRender
         mNode->setVisible (false);
     }
 
+    void RaceSelectionPreview::setPrototype(const ESM::NPC &proto)
+    {
+        mBase = proto;
+        mBase.mId = "player";
+        rebuild();
+        update(0);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.hpp
index 2a6b12b9ec..18362d1db6 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.hpp
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <OgreRenderTarget.h>
 #include <OgreMaterialManager.h>
 
+#include <components/esm/loadnpc.hpp>
 
 #include "externalrendering.hpp"
 
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ namespace MWRender
         virtual void setup (Ogre::SceneManager *sceneManager);
         virtual void onSetup();
 
+        virtual void rebuild();
 
     protected:
         Ogre::TexturePtr mTexture;
@@ -77,10 +79,19 @@ namespace MWRender
 
     class RaceSelectionPreview : public CharacterPreview
     {
+        ESM::NPC                        mBase;
+        MWWorld::LiveCellRef<ESM::NPC>  mRef;
+
     public:
         RaceSelectionPreview();
 
         void update(float angle);
+
+        const ESM::NPC &getPrototype() const {
+            return mBase;
+        }
+
+        void setPrototype(const ESM::NPC &proto);
     };
 
 }
diff --git a/components/esm/loadnpc.hpp b/components/esm/loadnpc.hpp
index d446ee08fb..46be29961d 100644
--- a/components/esm/loadnpc.hpp
+++ b/components/esm/loadnpc.hpp
@@ -121,6 +121,13 @@ struct NPC
     bool isMale() const {
         return (mFlags & Female) == 0;
     }
+
+    void setIsMale(bool value) {
+        mFlags |= Female;
+        if (value) {
+            mFlags ^= Female;
+        }
+    }
 };
 }
 #endif