diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwlua/actions.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwlua/actions.cpp
index 500ad98490..1f75760f7c 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwlua/actions.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwlua/actions.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ namespace MWLua
             else
             {
                 const std::string& recordId = std::get<std::string>(item);
-                if (old_it != store.end() && *old_it->getCellRef().getRefIdPtr() == recordId)
+                if (old_it != store.end() && old_it->getCellRef().getRefIdRef() == recordId)
                     return true;  // already equipped
                 itemPtr = store.search(recordId);
                 if (itemPtr.isEmpty() || itemPtr.getRefData().getCount() == 0)
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwlua/luamanagerimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwlua/luamanagerimp.cpp
index d358979aec..1e009081ff 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwlua/luamanagerimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwlua/luamanagerimp.cpp
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ namespace MWLua
         std::shared_ptr<LocalScripts> scripts;
         // When loading a game, it can be called before LuaManager::setPlayer,
         // so we can't just check ptr == mPlayer here.
-        if (*ptr.getCellRef().getRefIdPtr() == "player")
+        if (ptr.getCellRef().getRefIdRef() == "player")
         {
             scripts = std::make_shared<PlayerScripts>(&mLua, LObject(getId(ptr), mWorldView.getObjectRegistry()));
             scripts->addPackage("openmw.ui", mUserInterfacePackage);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwlua/object.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwlua/object.cpp
index 696179d003..d94ce1f49d 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwlua/object.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwlua/object.cpp
@@ -51,13 +51,13 @@ namespace MWLua
 
     bool isMarker(const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr)
     {
-        std::string_view id = *ptr.getCellRef().getRefIdPtr();
+        std::string_view id = ptr.getCellRef().getRefIdRef();
         return id == "prisonmarker" || id == "divinemarker" || id == "templemarker" || id == "northmarker";
     }
 
     std::string_view getMWClassName(const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr)
     {
-        if (*ptr.getCellRef().getRefIdPtr() == "player")
+        if (ptr.getCellRef().getRefIdRef() == "player")
             return "Player";
         if (isMarker(ptr))
             return "Marker";
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ namespace MWLua
         res.append(" (");
         res.append(getMWClassName(ptr));
         res.append(", ");
-        res.append(*ptr.getCellRef().getRefIdPtr());
+        res.append(ptr.getCellRef().getRefIdRef());
         res.append(")");
         return res;
     }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellref.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellref.cpp
index 5e91ddcc67..0b16964043 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellref.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellref.cpp
@@ -48,11 +48,6 @@ namespace MWWorld
         return mCellRef.mRefID;
     }
 
-    const std::string* CellRef::getRefIdPtr() const
-    {
-        return &mCellRef.mRefID;
-    }
-
     bool CellRef::getTeleport() const
     {
         return mCellRef.mTeleport;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellref.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellref.hpp
index 6a6ac69c57..78170a766f 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellref.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellref.hpp
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ namespace MWWorld
         // Id of object being referenced
         std::string getRefId() const;
 
-        // Pointer to ID of the object being referenced
-        const std::string* getRefIdPtr() const;
+        // Reference to ID of the object being referenced
+        const std::string& getRefIdRef() const { return mCellRef.mRefID; }
 
         // For doors - true if this door teleports to somewhere else, false
         // if it should open through animation.
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cells.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cells.cpp
index ad4dfcfb90..d020eace45 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cells.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cells.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ namespace
             }
             bool cont = cell.second.forEach([&] (MWWorld::Ptr ptr)
             {
-                if(*ptr.getCellRef().getRefIdPtr() == id)
+                if (ptr.getCellRef().getRefIdRef() == id)
                 {
                     return visitor(ptr);
                 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
index 37c4e178ad..3d82a30c29 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ namespace
         {
             for (typename MWWorld::CellRefList<T>::List::iterator iter (collection.mList.begin());
                 iter!=collection.mList.end(); ++iter)
-                if (iter->mRef.getRefNum()==state.mRef.mRefNum && *iter->mRef.getRefIdPtr() == state.mRef.mRefID)
+                if (iter->mRef.getRefNum()==state.mRef.mRefNum && iter->mRef.getRefIdRef() == state.mRef.mRefID)
                 {
                     // overwrite existing reference
                     float oldscale = iter->mRef.getScale();
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
         const std::string *mIdToFind;
         bool operator()(const PtrType& ptr)
         {
-            if (*ptr.getCellRef().getRefIdPtr() == *mIdToFind)
+            if (ptr.getCellRef().getRefIdRef() == *mIdToFind)
             {
                 mFound = ptr;
                 return false;