diff --git a/apps/openmw/CMakeLists.txt b/apps/openmw/CMakeLists.txt
index eb5b71ec3..4da5e2997 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/apps/openmw/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ add_openmw_dir (mwmechanics
     mechanicsmanagerimp stat character creaturestats magiceffects movement actors objects
     drawstate spells activespells npcstats aipackage aisequence alchemy aiwander aitravel aifollow
     aiescort aiactivate aicombat repair enchanting pathfinding security spellsuccess spellcasting
-    disease pickpocket
+    disease pickpocket levelledlist
     )
 
 add_openmw_dir (mwbase
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/levelledlist.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/levelledlist.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..af5f71f51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/levelledlist.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+#ifndef OPENMW_MECHANICS_LEVELLEDLIST_H
+#define OPENMW_MECHANICS_LEVELLEDLIST_H
+
+#include "../mwworld/ptr.hpp"
+#include "../mwworld/manualref.hpp"
+#include "../mwworld/class.hpp"
+#include "../mwbase/world.hpp"
+#include "../mwbase/environment.hpp"
+
+namespace MWMechanics
+{
+
+    /// @return ID of resulting item, or empty if none
+    std::string getLevelledItem (const ESM::LeveledListBase* levItem, unsigned char failChance=0)
+    {
+        const std::vector<ESM::LeveledListBase::LevelItem>& items = levItem->mList;
+
+        const MWWorld::Ptr& player = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getPlayerPtr();
+        int playerLevel = player.getClass().getCreatureStats(player).getLevel();
+
+        failChance += levItem->mChanceNone;
+
+        float random = static_cast<float> (std::rand()) / RAND_MAX;
+        if (random < failChance/100.f)
+            return std::string();
+
+        std::vector<std::string> candidates;
+        int highestLevel = 0;
+        for (std::vector<ESM::LeveledListBase::LevelItem>::const_iterator it = items.begin(); it != items.end(); ++it)
+        {
+            if (it->mLevel > highestLevel)
+                highestLevel = it->mLevel;
+        }
+
+        std::pair<int, std::string> highest = std::make_pair(-1, "");
+        for (std::vector<ESM::LeveledListBase::LevelItem>::const_iterator it = items.begin(); it != items.end(); ++it)
+        {
+            if (playerLevel >= it->mLevel
+                    && (levItem->mFlags & ESM::LeveledListBase::AllLevels || it->mLevel == highestLevel))
+            {
+                candidates.push_back(it->mId);
+                if (it->mLevel >= highest.first)
+                    highest = std::make_pair(it->mLevel, it->mId);
+            }
+
+        }
+        if (candidates.empty())
+            return std::string();
+        std::string item = candidates[std::rand()%candidates.size()];
+
+        // Is this another levelled item or a real item?
+        try
+        {
+            MWWorld::ManualRef ref (MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore(), item, 1);
+            if (ref.getPtr().getTypeName() != typeid(ESM::ItemLevList).name()
+                    && ref.getPtr().getTypeName() != typeid(ESM::CreatureLevList).name())
+            {
+                return item;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                if (ref.getPtr().getTypeName() == typeid(ESM::ItemLevList).name())
+                    return getLevelledItem(ref.getPtr().get<ESM::ItemLevList>()->mBase, failChance);
+                else
+                    return getLevelledItem(ref.getPtr().get<ESM::CreatureLevList>()->mBase, failChance);
+            }
+        }
+        catch (std::logic_error& e)
+        {
+            // Vanilla doesn't fail on nonexistent items in levelled lists
+            std::cerr << "Warning: ignoring nonexistent item '" << item << "'" << std::endl;
+            return std::string();
+        }
+    }
+
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.cpp
index 744971985..864bb2a0d 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.cpp
@@ -5,17 +5,11 @@
 #include <typeinfo>
 #include <stdexcept>
 
-#include <boost/algorithm/string.hpp>
-
-#include <components/esm/loadcont.hpp>
-#include <components/compiler/locals.hpp>
-#include <components/misc/stringops.hpp>
-
 #include "../mwbase/environment.hpp"
 #include "../mwbase/world.hpp"
-#include "../mwbase/scriptmanager.hpp"
 
 #include "../mwmechanics/creaturestats.hpp"
+#include "../mwmechanics/levelledlist.hpp"
 
 #include "manualref.hpp"
 #include "refdata.hpp"
@@ -309,72 +303,35 @@ void MWWorld::ContainerStore::fill (const ESM::InventoryList& items, const std::
 }
 
 void MWWorld::ContainerStore::addInitialItem (const std::string& id, const std::string& owner, const std::string& faction,
-                                              int count, unsigned char failChance, bool topLevel)
+                                              int count, bool topLevel)
 {
     count = std::abs(count); /// \todo implement item restocking (indicated by negative count)
 
-    try
+    ManualRef ref (MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore(), id, count);
+
+    if (ref.getPtr().getTypeName()==typeid (ESM::ItemLevList).name())
     {
-        ManualRef ref (MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore(), id, count);
+        const ESM::ItemLevList* levItem = ref.getPtr().get<ESM::ItemLevList>()->mBase;
 
-        if (ref.getPtr().getTypeName()==typeid (ESM::ItemLevList).name())
+        if (topLevel && count > 1 && levItem->mFlags & ESM::ItemLevList::Each)
         {
-            const ESM::ItemLevList* levItem = ref.getPtr().get<ESM::ItemLevList>()->mBase;
-            const std::vector<ESM::LeveledListBase::LevelItem>& items = levItem->mList;
-
-            MWWorld::Ptr player = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getPlayerPtr();
-            int playerLevel = player.getClass().getCreatureStats(player).getLevel();
-
-            failChance += levItem->mChanceNone;
-
-            if (topLevel && count > 1 && levItem->mFlags & ESM::ItemLevList::Each)
-            {
-                for (int i=0; i<count; ++i)
-                    addInitialItem(id, owner, faction, 1, failChance, false);
-                return;
-            }
-
-            float random = static_cast<float> (std::rand()) / RAND_MAX;
-            if (random >= failChance/100.f)
-            {
-                std::vector<std::string> candidates;
-                int highestLevel = 0;
-                for (std::vector<ESM::LeveledListBase::LevelItem>::const_iterator it = items.begin(); it != items.end(); ++it)
-                {
-                    if (it->mLevel > highestLevel)
-                        highestLevel = it->mLevel;
-                }
-
-                std::pair<int, std::string> highest = std::make_pair(-1, "");
-                for (std::vector<ESM::LeveledListBase::LevelItem>::const_iterator it = items.begin(); it != items.end(); ++it)
-                {
-                    if (playerLevel >= it->mLevel
-                            && (levItem->mFlags & ESM::ItemLevList::AllLevels || it->mLevel == highestLevel))
-                    {
-                        candidates.push_back(it->mId);
-                        if (it->mLevel >= highest.first)
-                            highest = std::make_pair(it->mLevel, it->mId);
-                    }
-
-                }
-                if (candidates.empty())
-                    return;
-                std::string item = candidates[std::rand()%candidates.size()];
-                addInitialItem(item, owner, faction, count, failChance, false);
-            }
+            for (int i=0; i<count; ++i)
+                addInitialItem(id, owner, faction, 1);
+            return;
         }
         else
         {
-            ref.getPtr().getCellRef().mOwner = owner;
-            ref.getPtr().getCellRef().mFaction = faction;
-            addImp (ref.getPtr(), count);
+            std::string id = MWMechanics::getLevelledItem(ref.getPtr().get<ESM::ItemLevList>()->mBase);
+            if (id.empty())
+                return;
+            addInitialItem(id, owner, faction, count, false);
         }
     }
-    catch (std::logic_error& e)
+    else
     {
-        // Vanilla doesn't fail on nonexistent items in levelled lists
-        std::cerr << "Warning: ignoring nonexistent item '" << id << "'" << std::endl;
-        return;
+        ref.getPtr().getCellRef().mOwner = owner;
+        ref.getPtr().getCellRef().mFaction = faction;
+        addImp (ref.getPtr(), count);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.hpp
index 936468f8d..0a1728740 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/containerstore.hpp
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
             mutable float mCachedWeight;
             mutable bool mWeightUpToDate;
             ContainerStoreIterator addImp (const Ptr& ptr, int count);
-            void addInitialItem (const std::string& id, const std::string& owner, const std::string& faction, int count, unsigned char failChance=0, bool topLevel=true);
+            void addInitialItem (const std::string& id, const std::string& owner, const std::string& faction, int count, bool topLevel=true);
 
         public: