diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwclass/esm4npc.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwclass/esm4npc.cpp
index 8bca91a519..c5857c489a 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwclass/esm4npc.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwclass/esm4npc.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 #include <components/esm4/loadotft.hpp>
 #include <components/esm4/loadrace.hpp>
 
+#include <components/misc/resourcehelpers.hpp>
+
 #include "../mwworld/customdata.hpp"
 #include "../mwworld/esmstore.hpp"
 
@@ -146,12 +148,13 @@ namespace MWClass
         if (!ptr.getRefData().getCustomData())
             return "";
         const ESM4NpcCustomData& data = ptr.getRefData().getCustomData()->asESM4NpcCustomData();
+        const VFS::Manager* vfs = MWBase::Environment::get().getResourceSystem()->getVFS();
         if (data.mTraits->mIsTES4)
-            return "meshes\\" + data.mTraits->mModel;
+            return Misc::ResourceHelpers::correctMeshPath(data.mTraits->mModel, vfs);
         if (data.mIsFemale)
-            return "meshes\\" + data.mRace->mModelFemale;
+            return Misc::ResourceHelpers::correctMeshPath(data.mRace->mModelFemale, vfs);
         else
-            return "meshes\\" + data.mRace->mModelMale;
+            return Misc::ResourceHelpers::correctMeshPath(data.mRace->mModelMale, vfs);
     }
 
     std::string_view ESM4Npc::getName(const MWWorld::ConstPtr& ptr) const
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/esm4npcanimation.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/esm4npcanimation.cpp
index 0a4d3c9b64..a7e311b388 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/esm4npcanimation.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/esm4npcanimation.cpp
@@ -22,9 +22,7 @@ namespace MWRender
         const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, osg::ref_ptr<osg::Group> parentNode, Resource::ResourceSystem* resourceSystem)
         : Animation(ptr, std::move(parentNode), resourceSystem)
     {
-        std::string smodel
-            = Misc::ResourceHelpers::correctMeshPath(mPtr.getClass().getModel(mPtr), mResourceSystem->getVFS());
-        setObjectRoot(smodel, true, true, false);
+        setObjectRoot(mPtr.getClass().getModel(mPtr), true, true, false);
         updateParts();
     }
 
@@ -71,7 +69,7 @@ namespace MWRender
 
         for (const ESM4::Race::BodyPart& bodyPart : (isFemale ? race->mBodyPartsFemale : race->mBodyPartsMale))
             insertPart(bodyPart.mesh);
-        for (const ESM4::Race::BodyPart& bodyPart : (isFemale ? race->mHeadPartsFemale : race->mHeadParts))
+        for (const ESM4::Race::BodyPart& bodyPart : race->mHeadParts)
             insertPart(bodyPart.mesh);
         if (!traits->mHair.isZeroOrUnset())
         {