diff --git a/apps/essimporter/converter.hpp b/apps/essimporter/converter.hpp
index 93b4e2c810..095e36c7ee 100644
--- a/apps/essimporter/converter.hpp
+++ b/apps/essimporter/converter.hpp
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ namespace ESSImport
                 for (size_t i = 0; i < invState.mItems.size(); ++i)
                 {
                     // FIXME: in case of conflict (multiple items with this refID) use the already equipped one?
-                    if (invState.mItems[i].mRef.mRefID == ESM::RefId::stringRefId(refr.mActorData.mSelectedEnchantItem))
+                    if (invState.mItems[i].mRef.mRefID == refr.mActorData.mSelectedEnchantItem)
                         invState.mSelectedEnchantItem = i;
                 }
             }
@@ -260,12 +260,12 @@ namespace ESSImport
         void write(ESM::ESMWriter& esm) override
         {
             esm.startRecord(ESM::REC_ASPL);
-            esm.writeHNString("ID__", mSelectedSpell);
+            esm.writeHNRefId("ID__", mSelectedSpell);
             esm.endRecord(ESM::REC_ASPL);
         }
 
     private:
-        std::string mSelectedSpell;
+        ESM::RefId mSelectedSpell;
     };
 
     class ConvertPCDT : public Converter
@@ -374,16 +374,16 @@ namespace ESSImport
         void write(ESM::ESMWriter& esm) override
         {
             esm.startRecord(ESM::REC_DCOU);
-            for (auto it = mKillCounter.begin(); it != mKillCounter.end(); ++it)
+            for (const auto& [id, count] : mKillCounter)
             {
-                esm.writeHNString("ID__", it->first);
-                esm.writeHNT("COUN", it->second);
+                esm.writeHNRefId("ID__", id);
+                esm.writeHNT("COUN", count);
             }
             esm.endRecord(ESM::REC_DCOU);
         }
 
     private:
-        std::map<std::string, int> mKillCounter;
+        std::map<ESM::RefId, int> mKillCounter;
     };
 
     class ConvertFACT : public Converter
diff --git a/apps/essimporter/importacdt.hpp b/apps/essimporter/importacdt.hpp
index 65519c6a6c..e961725e75 100644
--- a/apps/essimporter/importacdt.hpp
+++ b/apps/essimporter/importacdt.hpp
@@ -75,8 +75,8 @@ namespace ESSImport
         // to change them ingame
         int mCombatStats[3][2];
 
-        std::string mSelectedSpell;
-        std::string mSelectedEnchantItem;
+        ESM::RefId mSelectedSpell;
+        ESM::RefId mSelectedEnchantItem;
 
         SCRI mSCRI;
 
diff --git a/apps/essimporter/importcellref.cpp b/apps/essimporter/importcellref.cpp
index 9e8e9a6948..c49c876e37 100644
--- a/apps/essimporter/importcellref.cpp
+++ b/apps/essimporter/importcellref.cpp
@@ -107,12 +107,12 @@ namespace ESSImport
 
         if (esm.isNextSub("WNAM"))
         {
-            std::string id = esm.getHString();
+            ESM::RefId spellRefId = esm.getRefId();
 
             if (esm.isNextSub("XNAM"))
-                mActorData.mSelectedEnchantItem = esm.getHString();
+                mActorData.mSelectedEnchantItem = esm.getRefId();
             else
-                mActorData.mSelectedSpell = std::move(id);
+                mActorData.mSelectedSpell = std::move(spellRefId);
 
             if (esm.isNextSub("YNAM"))
                 esm.skipHSub(); // 4 byte, 0
diff --git a/apps/essimporter/importinfo.cpp b/apps/essimporter/importinfo.cpp
index 66902f6ff4..d902ff1823 100644
--- a/apps/essimporter/importinfo.cpp
+++ b/apps/essimporter/importinfo.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,19 @@ namespace ESSImport
 
     void INFO::load(ESM::ESMReader& esm)
     {
-        mInfo = esm.getHNString("INAM");
+        if (esm.peekNextSub("XNAM"))
+        {
+            // TODO: Support older saves by turning XNAM into a RefId.
+            // XNAM is probably the number of the topic response within the topic record's linked list.
+            // Resolving this value will likely require loading Morrowind.esm.
+
+            esm.getSubName();
+            esm.skipHSub();
+            mInfo = ESM::RefId();
+        }
+        else
+            mInfo = esm.getHNRefId("INAM");
+
         mActorRefId = esm.getHNString("ACDT");
     }
 
diff --git a/apps/essimporter/importinfo.hpp b/apps/essimporter/importinfo.hpp
index f4d616786f..e0d1de4e92 100644
--- a/apps/essimporter/importinfo.hpp
+++ b/apps/essimporter/importinfo.hpp
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 
 #include <string>
 
+#include <components/esm/refid.hpp>
+
 namespace ESM
 {
     class ESMReader;
@@ -13,7 +15,7 @@ namespace ESSImport
 
     struct INFO
     {
-        std::string mInfo;
+        ESM::RefId mInfo;
         std::string mActorRefId;
 
         void load(ESM::ESMReader& esm);
diff --git a/apps/essimporter/importklst.cpp b/apps/essimporter/importklst.cpp
index 2d5e09e913..12721f81bd 100644
--- a/apps/essimporter/importklst.cpp
+++ b/apps/essimporter/importklst.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ namespace ESSImport
     {
         while (esm.isNextSub("KNAM"))
         {
-            std::string refId = esm.getHString();
+            ESM::RefId refId = esm.getRefId();
             int32_t count;
             esm.getHNT(count, "CNAM");
             mKillCounter[refId] = count;
diff --git a/apps/essimporter/importklst.hpp b/apps/essimporter/importklst.hpp
index 9cdb2d701b..57c271c95a 100644
--- a/apps/essimporter/importklst.hpp
+++ b/apps/essimporter/importklst.hpp
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 
 #include <cstdint>
 #include <map>
-#include <string>
+
+#include <components/esm/refid.hpp>
 
 namespace ESM
 {
@@ -18,8 +19,7 @@ namespace ESSImport
     {
         void load(ESM::ESMReader& esm);
 
-        /// RefId, kill count
-        std::map<std::string, int32_t> mKillCounter;
+        std::map<ESM::RefId, int32_t> mKillCounter;
 
         int32_t mWerewolfKills;
     };