diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/doc/savingstages.cpp b/apps/opencs/model/doc/savingstages.cpp
index 6a03301806..82a965ae40 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/doc/savingstages.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/doc/savingstages.cpp
@@ -321,9 +321,9 @@ void CSMDoc::WriteCellCollectionStage::perform (int stage, Messages& messages)
                 {
                     CSMWorld::CellRef refRecord = ref.get();
 
-                    // Correct content file number to be relative to plugin
-                    refRecord.mRefNum.mContentFile = mDocument.getData().getPluginContentFile(
-                        refRecord.mRefNum.mContentFile);
+                    // Check for uninitialized content file
+                    if (!refRecord.mRefNum.hasContentFile())
+                        refRecord.mRefNum.mContentFile = 0;
 
                     // recalculate the ref's cell location
                     std::ostringstream stream;
diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/world/data.cpp b/apps/opencs/model/world/data.cpp
index 8347cd5bc3..1cc4a2cbf4 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/world/data.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/world/data.cpp
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ int CSMWorld::Data::count (RecordBase::State state, const CollectionBase& collec
 CSMWorld::Data::Data (ToUTF8::FromType encoding, const ResourcesManager& resourcesManager, const Fallback::Map* fallback, const boost::filesystem::path& resDir)
 : mEncoder (encoding), mPathgrids (mCells), mRefs (mCells),
   mResourcesManager (resourcesManager), mFallbackMap(fallback),
-  mReader (0), mDialogue (0), mReaderIndex(0), mResourceSystem(new Resource::ResourceSystem(resourcesManager.getVFS()))
+  mReader (0), mDialogue (0), mReaderIndex(1), mResourceSystem(new Resource::ResourceSystem(resourcesManager.getVFS()))
 {
     mResourceSystem->getSceneManager()->setShaderPath((resDir / "shaders").string());
 
@@ -899,7 +899,7 @@ int CSMWorld::Data::startLoading (const boost::filesystem::path& path, bool base
 
     mReader = new ESM::ESMReader;
     mReader->setEncoder (&mEncoder);
-    mReader->setIndex(mReaderIndex++);
+    mReader->setIndex((project || !base) ? 0 : mReaderIndex++);
     mReader->open (path.string());
 
     mContentFileNames.insert(std::make_pair(path.filename().string(), mReader->getIndex()));
@@ -924,27 +924,12 @@ int CSMWorld::Data::startLoading (const boost::filesystem::path& path, bool base
         if (nameResult != mContentFileNames.end())
         {
             ESM::Header::MasterData& hackedMasterData = const_cast<ESM::Header::MasterData&>(*masterData);
+
+
             hackedMasterData.index = nameResult->second;
         }
     }
 
-    // Needed for saving
-    if (!mBase)
-    {
-        mReverseContentFiles.insert(std::make_pair(mReader->getIndex(), 0));
-    }
-    if (mProject)
-    {
-        mReverseContentFiles.insert(std::make_pair(mReader->getIndex(), 0));
-
-        // A new project has no header, so extrapolate the content files from the reader index
-        // The base/project index of 0 will not be overwritten
-        for (int i = 0; i < mReader->getIndex(); ++i)
-        {
-            mReverseContentFiles.insert(std::make_pair(i, i+1));
-        }
-    }
-
     return mReader->getRecordCount();
 }
 
@@ -1202,16 +1187,6 @@ int CSMWorld::Data::count (RecordBase::State state) const
         count (state, mPathgrids);
 }
 
-int CSMWorld::Data::getPluginContentFile(int currentContentFile)
-{
-    std::map<int, int>::iterator searchResult = mReverseContentFiles.find(currentContentFile);
-
-    if (searchResult != mReverseContentFiles.end())
-        return searchResult->second;
-    else
-        return 0; // Assume faulty plugin with original content
-}
-
 std::vector<std::string> CSMWorld::Data::getIds (bool listDeleted) const
 {
     std::vector<std::string> ids;
diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/world/data.hpp b/apps/opencs/model/world/data.hpp
index 8fc68b9f7e..dc00a33d2e 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/world/data.hpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/world/data.hpp
@@ -124,8 +124,6 @@ namespace CSMWorld
             std::vector<boost::shared_ptr<ESM::ESMReader> > mReaders;
 
             std::map<std::string, int> mContentFileNames;
-            // current index, plugin index
-            std::map<int, int> mReverseContentFiles;
 
             // not implemented
             Data (const Data&);
@@ -302,9 +300,6 @@ namespace CSMWorld
             int count (RecordBase::State state) const;
             ///< Return number of top-level records with the given \a state.
 
-            /// Returns the content file number relative to the plugin being edited, 0 by default
-            int getPluginContentFile(int currentContentFile);
-
         signals:
 
             void idListChanged();