diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwlua/types/npc.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwlua/types/npc.cpp
index 220b845882..2f6b0fa0ba 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwlua/types/npc.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwlua/types/npc.cpp
@@ -41,8 +41,7 @@ namespace
         else
             npc.blank();
 
-            if (npc.mId == ESM::RefId::deserializeText("Player"))
-                npc.mId = ESM::RefId::deserializeText("blank");
+        npc.mId = {};
 
         // Basic fields
         if (rec["name"] != sol::nil)
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwlua/worldbindings.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwlua/worldbindings.cpp
index dca136cd63..228e70b464 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwlua/worldbindings.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwlua/worldbindings.cpp
@@ -191,7 +191,11 @@ namespace MWLua
             },
             [lua = context.mLua](const ESM::NPC& npc) -> const ESM::NPC* {
                 checkGameInitialized(lua);
-                return MWBase::Environment::get().getESMStore()->insert(npc);
+                if (npc.mId.empty())
+                    return MWBase::Environment::get().getESMStore()->insert(npc);
+                ESM::NPC copy = npc;
+                copy.mId = {};
+                return MWBase::Environment::get().getESMStore()->insert(copy);
             },
             [lua = context.mLua](const ESM::Weapon& weapon) -> const ESM::Weapon* {
                 checkGameInitialized(lua);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/store.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/store.cpp
index 0e64e6e627..870c2a60c9 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/store.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/store.cpp
@@ -276,22 +276,15 @@ namespace MWWorld
         return it != map.end();
     }
 
-    template <class StaticMap>
-    inline bool shouldInsert(const ESM::RefId& id, const StaticMap& map)
-    {
-        if (!id.template is<ESM::GeneratedRefId>())
-        {
-            auto it = map.find(id);
-            return it != map.end();
-        }
-        return true;
-    }
     template <class T, class Id>
     T* TypedDynamicStore<T, Id>::insert(const T& item, bool overrideOnly)
     {
+        if constexpr (std::is_same_v<decltype(item.mId), ESM::RefId>)
+            overrideOnly = overrideOnly && !item.mId.template is<ESM::GeneratedRefId>();
         if (overrideOnly)
         {
-            if (!shouldInsert(item.mId, mStatic))
+            auto it = mStatic.find(item.mId);
+            if (it == mStatic.end())
                 return nullptr;
         }
         std::pair<typename Dynamic::iterator, bool> result = mDynamic.insert_or_assign(item.mId, item);