diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.cpp
index 4a3344e22..c99e42662 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.cpp
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ namespace MWRender
         mNode = renderRoot->createChildSceneNode();
 
         mAnimation = new NpcAnimation(mCharacter, mNode,
-            MWWorld::Class::get(mCharacter).getInventoryStore (mCharacter), 0);
+            MWWorld::Class::get(mCharacter).getInventoryStore (mCharacter), 0, renderHeadOnly());
 
         mNode->setVisible (false);
 
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ namespace MWRender
         delete mAnimation;
 
         mAnimation = new NpcAnimation(mCharacter, mNode,
-            MWWorld::Class::get(mCharacter).getInventoryStore (mCharacter), 0);
+            MWWorld::Class::get(mCharacter).getInventoryStore (mCharacter), 0, renderHeadOnly());
 
         mNode->setVisible (false);
 
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ namespace MWRender
 
     RaceSelectionPreview::RaceSelectionPreview()
         : CharacterPreview(MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getPlayer().getPlayer(),
-            512, 512, "CharacterHeadPreview", Ogre::Vector3(0, 120, -35), Ogre::Vector3(0,125,0))
+            512, 512, "CharacterHeadPreview", Ogre::Vector3(0, 6, -35), Ogre::Vector3(0,125,0))
         , mRef(&mBase)
     {
         mBase = *mCharacter.get<ESM::NPC>()->mBase;
@@ -173,6 +173,8 @@ namespace MWRender
         mAnimation->runAnimation(0.0f);
         mNode->roll(Ogre::Radian(angle), Ogre::SceneNode::TS_LOCAL);
 
+        updateCamera();
+
         mNode->setVisible (true);
         mRenderTarget->update();
         mNode->setVisible (false);
@@ -189,5 +191,17 @@ namespace MWRender
     void RaceSelectionPreview::onSetup ()
     {
         mAnimation->play("idle", "start", "stop", false);
+
+        updateCamera();
+    }
+
+    void RaceSelectionPreview::updateCamera()
+    {
+        Ogre::Vector3 scale = mNode->getScale();
+        Ogre::Vector3 headOffset = mAnimation->getHeadNode()->_getDerivedPosition();
+        headOffset = mNode->convertLocalToWorldPosition(headOffset);
+
+        mCamera->setPosition(headOffset + mPosition * scale);
+        mCamera->lookAt(headOffset + mPosition*Ogre::Vector3(0,1,0) * scale);
     }
 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.hpp
index cf1e25069..08cbd5108 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/characterpreview.hpp
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ namespace MWRender
         virtual void rebuild();
 
     protected:
+        virtual bool renderHeadOnly() { return false; }
+
         Ogre::TexturePtr mTexture;
         Ogre::RenderTarget* mRenderTarget;
         Ogre::Viewport* mViewport;
@@ -82,6 +84,12 @@ namespace MWRender
         ESM::NPC                        mBase;
         MWWorld::LiveCellRef<ESM::NPC>  mRef;
 
+    protected:
+
+        virtual bool renderHeadOnly() { return true; }
+
+        void updateCamera();
+
     public:
         RaceSelectionPreview();
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.cpp
index a7d5c22af..9da70beb4 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ NpcAnimation::~NpcAnimation()
 }
 
 
-NpcAnimation::NpcAnimation(const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, Ogre::SceneNode* node, MWWorld::InventoryStore& inv, int visibilityFlags)
+NpcAnimation::NpcAnimation(const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, Ogre::SceneNode* node, MWWorld::InventoryStore& inv, int visibilityFlags, bool headOnly)
   : Animation(ptr),
     mStateID(-1),
     mTimeToChange(0),
@@ -70,7 +70,8 @@ NpcAnimation::NpcAnimation(const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, Ogre::SceneNode* node, MWWor
     mPants(inv.end()),
     mGloveL(inv.end()),
     mGloveR(inv.end()),
-    mSkirtIter(inv.end())
+    mSkirtIter(inv.end()),
+    mHeadOnly(headOnly)
 {
     mNpc = mPtr.get<ESM::NPC>()->mBase;
 
@@ -215,7 +216,7 @@ void NpcAnimation::updateParts(bool forceupdate)
     if(!forceupdate)
         return;
 
-    for(size_t i = 0;i < slotlistsize;i++)
+    for(size_t i = 0;i < slotlistsize && !mHeadOnly;i++)
     {
         MWWorld::ContainerStoreIterator iter = inv.getSlot(slotlist[i].slot);
 
@@ -252,6 +253,9 @@ void NpcAnimation::updateParts(bool forceupdate)
     if(mPartPriorities[ESM::PRT_Hair] < 1 && mPartPriorities[ESM::PRT_Head] <= 1)
         addOrReplaceIndividualPart(ESM::PRT_Hair, -1,1, mHairModel);
 
+    if (mHeadOnly)
+        return;
+
     static const struct {
         ESM::PartReferenceType type;
         const char name[2][12];
@@ -449,4 +453,9 @@ void NpcAnimation::addPartGroup(int group, int priority, const std::vector<ESM::
     }
 }
 
+Ogre::Node* NpcAnimation::getHeadNode()
+{
+    return mEntityList.mSkelBase->getSkeleton()->getBone("Bip01 Head");
+}
+
 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.hpp
index aed4868bd..5da4afef8 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.hpp
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ private:
     std::string     mHeadModel;
     std::string     mHairModel;
     std::string     mBodyPrefix;
+    bool            mHeadOnly;
 
     float mTimeToChange;
     MWWorld::ContainerStoreIterator mRobe;
@@ -73,11 +74,13 @@ private:
 
 public:
     NpcAnimation(const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, Ogre::SceneNode* node,
-                 MWWorld::InventoryStore& inv, int visibilityFlags);
+                 MWWorld::InventoryStore& inv, int visibilityFlags, bool headOnly=false);
     virtual ~NpcAnimation();
 
     virtual Ogre::Vector3 runAnimation(float timepassed);
 
+    Ogre::Node* getHeadNode();
+
     void forceUpdate()
     { updateParts(true); }
 };