diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/actors.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/actors.cpp
index 88fee8ef1..1ae0e36a9 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/actors.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/actors.cpp
@@ -803,6 +803,12 @@ namespace MWMechanics
         CharacterController* ctrl = it->second->getCharacterController();
 
         NpcStats &stats = ptr.getClass().getNpcStats(ptr);
+
+        // When npc stats are just initialized, mTimeToStartDrowning == -1 and we should get value from GMST
+        static const int fHoldBreathTime = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore().get<ESM::GameSetting>().find("fHoldBreathTime")->getFloat();
+        if (stats.getTimeToStartDrowning() == -1.f)
+            stats.setTimeToStartDrowning(fHoldBreathTime);
+
         MWBase::World *world = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld();
         bool knockedOutUnderwater = (ctrl->isKnockedOut() && world->isUnderwater(ptr.getCell(), osg::Vec3f(ptr.getRefData().getPosition().asVec3())));
         if((world->isSubmerged(ptr) || knockedOutUnderwater)
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp
index 34269d793..6145e7a29 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp
@@ -328,12 +328,16 @@ namespace MWMechanics
                 winMgr->setValue(fbar, stats.getFatigue());
             }
 
-            if(stats.getTimeToStartDrowning() != mWatchedTimeToStartDrowning)
-            {
-                const float fHoldBreathTime = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore().get<ESM::GameSetting>()
+            static const float fHoldBreathTime = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore().get<ESM::GameSetting>()
                         .find("fHoldBreathTime")->getFloat();
-                mWatchedTimeToStartDrowning = stats.getTimeToStartDrowning();
-                if(stats.getTimeToStartDrowning() >= fHoldBreathTime)
+
+            float timeToDrown = stats.getTimeToStartDrowning();
+
+            if(timeToDrown != mWatchedTimeToStartDrowning)
+            {
+                mWatchedTimeToStartDrowning = timeToDrown;
+
+                if(timeToDrown >= fHoldBreathTime || timeToDrown == -1.0) // -1.0 is a special value during initialization
                     winMgr->setDrowningBarVisibility(false);
                 else
                 {
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/npcstats.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/npcstats.cpp
index 0b016e69d..41f2a9b51 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/npcstats.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/npcstats.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ MWMechanics::NpcStats::NpcStats()
 , mBounty(0)
 , mWerewolfKills (0)
 , mLevelProgress(0)
-, mTimeToStartDrowning(20.0)
+, mTimeToStartDrowning(-1.0) // set breath to special value, it will be replaced during actor update
     , mIsWerewolf(false)
 {
     mSkillIncreases.resize (ESM::Attribute::Length, 0);