diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
index 82c289200..5ab195e64 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
@@ -629,6 +629,13 @@ void CharacterController::playDeath(float startpoint, CharacterState death)
                     false, 1.0f, "start", "stop", startpoint, 0);
 }
 
+CharacterState CharacterController::chooseRandomDeathState()
+{
+    int selected=0;
+    chooseRandomGroup("death", &selected);
+    return static_cast<CharacterState>(CharState_Death1 + (selected-1));
+}
+
 void CharacterController::playRandomDeath(float startpoint)
 {
     if (mPtr == getPlayer())
@@ -652,9 +659,7 @@ void CharacterController::playRandomDeath(float startpoint)
     }
     else
     {
-        int selected=0;
-        chooseRandomGroup("death", &selected);
-        mDeathState = static_cast<CharacterState>(CharState_Death1 + (selected-1));
+        mDeathState = chooseRandomDeathState();
     }
     playDeath(startpoint, mDeathState);
 }
@@ -716,7 +721,12 @@ CharacterController::CharacterController(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr, MWRender::Anim
         {
             // Set the death state, but don't play it yet
             // We will play it in the first frame, but only if no script set the skipAnim flag
-            mDeathState = static_cast<CharacterState>(CharState_Death1 + mPtr.getClass().getCreatureStats(mPtr).getDeathAnimation());
+            signed char deathanim = mPtr.getClass().getCreatureStats(mPtr).getDeathAnimation();
+            if (deathanim == -1)
+                mDeathState = chooseRandomDeathState();
+            else
+                mDeathState = static_cast<CharacterState>(CharState_Death1 + deathanim);
+
             mFloatToSurface = false;
         }
     }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp
index 6fab04d64..685bdf1cb 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp
@@ -207,6 +207,7 @@ class CharacterController : public MWRender::Animation::TextKeyListener
     void updateMagicEffects();
 
     void playDeath(float startpoint, CharacterState death);
+    CharacterState chooseRandomDeathState();
     void playRandomDeath(float startpoint = 0.0f);
 
     /// choose a random animation group with \a prefix and numeric suffix
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/creaturestats.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/creaturestats.cpp
index 13396e3fa..7d1dc4d2f 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/creaturestats.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/creaturestats.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ namespace MWMechanics
           mKnockdown(false), mKnockdownOneFrame(false), mKnockdownOverOneFrame(false),
           mHitRecovery(false), mBlock(false), mMovementFlags(0),
           mFallHeight(0), mRecalcMagicka(false), mLastRestock(0,0), mGoldPool(0), mActorId(-1),
-          mDeathAnimation(0), mTimeOfDeath(), mLevel (0)
+          mDeathAnimation(-1), mTimeOfDeath(), mLevel (0)
     {
         for (int i=0; i<4; ++i)
             mAiSettings[i] = 0;
@@ -617,12 +617,12 @@ namespace MWMechanics
         esm.getHNT(sActorId, "COUN");
     }
 
-    unsigned char CreatureStats::getDeathAnimation() const
+    signed char CreatureStats::getDeathAnimation() const
     {
         return mDeathAnimation;
     }
 
-    void CreatureStats::setDeathAnimation(unsigned char index)
+    void CreatureStats::setDeathAnimation(signed char index)
     {
         mDeathAnimation = index;
     }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/creaturestats.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/creaturestats.hpp
index 734e87319..8965dedac 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/creaturestats.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/creaturestats.hpp
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ namespace MWMechanics
 
         int mActorId;
 
-        // The index of the death animation that was played
-        unsigned char mDeathAnimation;
+        // The index of the death animation that was played, or -1 if none played
+        signed char mDeathAnimation;
 
         MWWorld::TimeStamp mTimeOfDeath;
 
@@ -258,8 +258,8 @@ namespace MWMechanics
         void setGoldPool(int pool);
         int getGoldPool() const;
 
-        unsigned char getDeathAnimation() const;
-        void setDeathAnimation(unsigned char index);
+        signed char getDeathAnimation() const; // -1 means not decided
+        void setDeathAnimation(signed char index);
 
         MWWorld::TimeStamp getTimeOfDeath() const;
 
diff --git a/components/esm/creaturestats.cpp b/components/esm/creaturestats.cpp
index 9b60382e9..a48ce5472 100644
--- a/components/esm/creaturestats.cpp
+++ b/components/esm/creaturestats.cpp
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ void ESM::CreatureStats::load (ESMReader &esm)
     mActorId = -1;
     esm.getHNOT (mActorId, "ACID");
 
-    mDeathAnimation = 0;
+    mDeathAnimation = -1;
     esm.getHNOT (mDeathAnimation, "DANM");
 
     mTimeOfDeath.mDay = 0;
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ void ESM::CreatureStats::save (ESMWriter &esm) const
     if (mActorId != -1)
         esm.writeHNT ("ACID", mActorId);
 
-    if (mDeathAnimation)
+    if (mDeathAnimation != -1)
         esm.writeHNT ("DANM", mDeathAnimation);
 
     if (mTimeOfDeath.mHour != 0 && mTimeOfDeath.mDay != 0)
@@ -247,6 +247,6 @@ void ESM::CreatureStats::blank()
     mFallHeight = 0.f;
     mRecalcDynamicStats = false;
     mDrawState = 0;
-    mDeathAnimation = 0;
+    mDeathAnimation = -1;
     mLevel = 1;
 }
diff --git a/components/esm/creaturestats.hpp b/components/esm/creaturestats.hpp
index 66b708e27..a99cca944 100644
--- a/components/esm/creaturestats.hpp
+++ b/components/esm/creaturestats.hpp
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ namespace ESM
         std::string mLastHitAttemptObject;
         bool mRecalcDynamicStats;
         int mDrawState;
-        unsigned char mDeathAnimation;
+        signed char mDeathAnimation;
         ESM::TimeStamp mTimeOfDeath;
 
         int mLevel;