diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/player.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/player.cpp
index 6835fd64ce..153d4af490 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/player.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/player.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 #include <OgreSceneNode.h>
 #include <OgreCamera.h>
+#include <OgreSceneManager.h>
 
 #include "../mwbase/environment.hpp"
 #include "../mwbase/windowmanager.hpp"
@@ -16,8 +17,7 @@ namespace MWRender
 {
     Player::Player (Ogre::Camera *camera, Ogre::SceneNode* node)
     : mCamera(camera),
-      mPlayerNode(node),
-      mCameraNode(mPlayerNode->createChildSceneNode()),
+      mCameraNode(NULL),
       mFirstPersonView(true),
       mPreviewMode(false),
       mFreeLook(true),
@@ -29,9 +29,6 @@ namespace MWRender
         mVanity.enabled = false;
         mVanity.allowed = true;
 
-        mCameraNode->attachObject(mCamera);
-        mCameraNode->setPosition(0.f, 0.f, mHeight);
-
         mPreviewCam.yaw = 0.f;
         mPreviewCam.offset = 400.f;
     }
@@ -62,12 +59,22 @@ namespace MWRender
 
     const std::string &Player::getHandle() const
     {
-        return mPlayerNode->getName();
+        return mTrackingPtr.getRefData().getHandle();
     }
 
     void Player::attachTo(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr)
     {
-        ptr.getRefData().setBaseNode(mPlayerNode);
+        mTrackingPtr = ptr;
+        Ogre::SceneNode *node = mTrackingPtr.getRefData().getBaseNode()->createChildSceneNode(Ogre::Vector3(0.0f, 0.0f, mHeight));
+        if(mCameraNode)
+        {
+            node->setOrientation(mCameraNode->getOrientation());
+            node->setPosition(mCameraNode->getPosition());
+            node->setScale(mCameraNode->getScale());
+            mCameraNode->getCreator()->destroySceneNode(mCameraNode);
+        }
+        mCameraNode = node;
+        mCameraNode->attachObject(mCamera);
     }
 
     void Player::updateListener()
@@ -84,13 +91,11 @@ namespace MWRender
         updateListener();
 
         // only show the crosshair in game mode and in first person mode.
-        MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager ()->showCrosshair
-                (!MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager ()->isGuiMode () && (mFirstPersonView && !mVanity.enabled && !mPreviewMode));
+        MWBase::WindowManager *wm = MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager();
+        wm->showCrosshair(!wm->isGuiMode() && (mFirstPersonView && !mVanity.enabled && !mPreviewMode));
 
-        if (mFirstPersonView && !mVanity.enabled) {
-            return;
-        }
-        if (mVanity.enabled) {
+        if(mVanity.enabled)
+        {
             Ogre::Vector3 rot(0.f, 0.f, 0.f);
             rot.z = Ogre::Degree(3.f * duration).valueRadians();
             rotateCamera(rot, true);
@@ -283,21 +288,21 @@ namespace MWRender
 
     float Player::getHeight()
     {
-        return mHeight * mPlayerNode->getScale().z;
+        return mHeight * mTrackingPtr.getRefData().getBaseNode()->getScale().z;
     }
 
     bool Player::getPosition(Ogre::Vector3 &player, Ogre::Vector3 &camera)
     {
         mCamera->getParentSceneNode ()->needUpdate(true);
         camera = mCamera->getRealPosition();
-        player = mPlayerNode->getPosition();
+        player = mTrackingPtr.getRefData().getBaseNode()->getPosition();
 
         return mFirstPersonView && !mVanity.enabled && !mPreviewMode;
     }
 
     Ogre::Vector3 Player::getPosition()
     {
-        return mPlayerNode->getPosition();
+        return mTrackingPtr.getRefData().getBaseNode()->getPosition();
     }
 
     void Player::getSightAngles(float &pitch, float &yaw)
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/player.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/player.hpp
index 332db457c7..3c645230bb 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/player.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/player.hpp
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 
 #include <string>
 
+#include "../mwworld/ptr.hpp"
+
 namespace Ogre
 {
     class Vector3;
@@ -10,14 +12,10 @@ namespace Ogre
     class SceneNode;
 }
 
-namespace MWWorld
-{
-    class Ptr;
-}
-
 namespace MWRender
 {
     class NpcAnimation;
+
     /// \brief Player character rendering and camera control
     class Player
     {
@@ -25,9 +23,9 @@ namespace MWRender
             float pitch, yaw, offset;
         };
 
-        Ogre::Camera *mCamera;
+        MWWorld::Ptr mTrackingPtr;
 
-        Ogre::SceneNode *mPlayerNode;
+        Ogre::Camera *mCamera;
         Ogre::SceneNode *mCameraNode;
 
         NpcAnimation *mAnimation;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderingmanager.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderingmanager.cpp
index 1ce1baa39b..252e296661 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderingmanager.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderingmanager.cpp
@@ -858,8 +858,9 @@ void RenderingManager::getTriangleBatchCount(unsigned int &triangles, unsigned i
     }
 }
 
-void RenderingManager::attachCameraTo(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr)
+void RenderingManager::setupPlayer(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr)
 {
+    ptr.getRefData().setBaseNode(mRendering.getScene()->getSceneNode("player"));
     mPlayer->attachTo(ptr);
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderingmanager.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderingmanager.hpp
index 6420a5b7e2..20ec0d9ae9 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderingmanager.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderingmanager.hpp
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ class RenderingManager: private RenderingInterface, public Ogre::WindowEventList
 
     void getPlayerData(Ogre::Vector3 &eyepos, float &pitch, float &yaw);
 
-    void attachCameraTo(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr);
+    void setupPlayer(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr);
     void renderPlayer(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr);
 
     SkyManager* getSkyManager();
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/refdata.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/refdata.cpp
index db565c4513..c1a3ae7859 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/refdata.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/refdata.cpp
@@ -81,10 +81,13 @@ namespace MWWorld
         {}
     }
 
-    std::string RefData::getHandle()
+    const std::string &RefData::getHandle()
     {
-        if (!mBaseNode)
-            return "";
+        if(!mBaseNode)
+        {
+            static const std::string empty;
+            return empty;
+        }
             
         return mBaseNode->getName();
     }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/refdata.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/refdata.hpp
index 77ceb3721a..642f5412c8 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/refdata.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/refdata.hpp
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
             RefData& operator= (const RefData& refData);
 
             /// Return OGRE handle (may be empty).
-            std::string getHandle();
+            const std::string &getHandle();
 
             /// Return OGRE base node (can be a null pointer).
             Ogre::SceneNode* getBaseNode();
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
index a3fda913d0..f3909a1da7 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
@@ -1493,13 +1493,15 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
     void World::setupPlayer(bool newGame)
     {
-        const ESM::NPC* player = mStore.get<ESM::NPC>().find ("player");
-        mPlayer = new MWWorld::Player (player, *this);
-        mRendering->attachCameraTo(mPlayer->getPlayer());
-        if (newGame)
+        const ESM::NPC *player = mStore.get<ESM::NPC>().find("player");
+        mPlayer = new MWWorld::Player(player, *this);
+
+        Ptr ptr = mPlayer->getPlayer();
+        mRendering->setupPlayer(ptr);
+        if(newGame)
         {
-            MWWorld::Class::get(mPlayer->getPlayer()).getContainerStore(mPlayer->getPlayer()).fill(player->mInventory, "", mStore);
-            MWWorld::Class::get(mPlayer->getPlayer()).getInventoryStore(mPlayer->getPlayer()).autoEquip (mPlayer->getPlayer());
+            MWWorld::Class::get(ptr).getContainerStore(ptr).fill(player->mInventory, "", mStore);
+            MWWorld::Class::get(ptr).getInventoryStore(ptr).autoEquip(ptr);
         }
     }