diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldmodel.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldmodel.cpp
index f1521049dc..6a9d61b9f1 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldmodel.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldmodel.cpp
@@ -62,19 +62,22 @@ namespace
     };
 }
 
-MWWorld::CellStore& MWWorld::WorldModel::getCellStore(const ESM::Cell& cell)
+MWWorld::CellStore& MWWorld::WorldModel::getOrInsertCellStore(const ESM::Cell& cell)
 {
     const auto it = mCells.find(cell.mId);
     if (it != mCells.end())
         return it->second;
+    return insertCellStore(cell);
+}
 
-    CellStore& cellStore = mCells.emplace_hint(it, cell.mId, CellStore(Cell(cell), mStore, mReaders))->second;
+MWWorld::CellStore& MWWorld::WorldModel::insertCellStore(const ESM::Cell& cell)
+{
+    CellStore& cellStore = mCells.emplace(cell.mId, CellStore(Cell(cell), mStore, mReaders)).first->second;
     if (cell.mData.mFlags & ESM::Cell::Interior)
         mInteriors.emplace(cell.mName, &cellStore);
     else
         mExteriors.emplace(
             ESM::ExteriorCellLocation(cell.getGridX(), cell.getGridY(), ESM::Cell::sDefaultWorldspaceId), &cellStore);
-
     return cellStore;
 }
 
@@ -382,23 +385,24 @@ MWWorld::Ptr MWWorld::WorldModel::getPtr(const ESM::RefId& name)
 
     // Now try the other cells
     const MWWorld::Store<ESM::Cell>& cells = mStore.get<ESM::Cell>();
-    MWWorld::Store<ESM::Cell>::iterator iter;
 
-    for (iter = cells.extBegin(); iter != cells.extEnd(); ++iter)
+    for (auto iter = cells.extBegin(); iter != cells.extEnd(); ++iter)
     {
-        CellStore& cellStore = getCellStore(*iter);
+        if (mCells.contains(iter->mId))
+            continue;
 
-        Ptr ptr = getPtrAndCache(name, cellStore);
+        Ptr ptr = getPtrAndCache(name, insertCellStore(*iter));
 
         if (!ptr.isEmpty())
             return ptr;
     }
 
-    for (iter = cells.intBegin(); iter != cells.intEnd(); ++iter)
+    for (auto iter = cells.intBegin(); iter != cells.intEnd(); ++iter)
     {
-        CellStore& cellStore = getCellStore(*iter);
+        if (mCells.contains(iter->mId))
+            continue;
 
-        Ptr ptr = getPtrAndCache(name, cellStore);
+        Ptr ptr = getPtrAndCache(name, insertCellStore(*iter));
 
         if (!ptr.isEmpty())
             return ptr;
@@ -413,7 +417,7 @@ void MWWorld::WorldModel::getExteriorPtrs(const ESM::RefId& name, std::vector<MW
     const MWWorld::Store<ESM::Cell>& cells = mStore.get<ESM::Cell>();
     for (MWWorld::Store<ESM::Cell>::iterator iter = cells.extBegin(); iter != cells.extEnd(); ++iter)
     {
-        CellStore& cellStore = getCellStore(*iter);
+        CellStore& cellStore = getOrInsertCellStore(*iter);
 
         Ptr ptr = getPtrAndCache(name, cellStore);
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldmodel.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldmodel.hpp
index 48cf9624ca..300adbe2db 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldmodel.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldmodel.hpp
@@ -51,8 +51,12 @@ namespace MWWorld
         std::size_t mPtrIndexUpdateCounter = 0;
         ESM::RefNum mLastGeneratedRefnum;
 
-        CellStore& getCellStore(const ESM::Cell& cell);
+        CellStore& getOrInsertCellStore(const ESM::Cell& cell);
+
+        CellStore& insertCellStore(const ESM::Cell& cell);
+
         CellStore* getInteriorOrNull(std::string_view name);
+
         Ptr getPtrAndCache(const ESM::RefId& name, CellStore& cellStore);
 
         void writeCell(ESM::ESMWriter& writer, CellStore& cell) const;