diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwphysics/movementsolver.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwphysics/movementsolver.cpp
index 4952a561e7..d67758a618 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwphysics/movementsolver.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwphysics/movementsolver.cpp
@@ -202,7 +202,8 @@ namespace MWPhysics
 
         for (int iterations = 0; iterations < sMaxIterations && remainingTime > 0.0001f; ++iterations)
         {
-            osg::Vec3f nextpos = newPosition + velocity * remainingTime;
+            osg::Vec3f diff = velocity * remainingTime;
+            osg::Vec3f nextpos = newPosition + diff;
             bool underwater = newPosition.z() < swimlevel;
 
             // If not able to fly, don't allow to swim up into the air
@@ -214,7 +215,9 @@ namespace MWPhysics
                 continue; // velocity updated, calculate nextpos again
             }
 
-            if ((newPosition - nextpos).length2() > std::numeric_limits<float>::epsilon())
+            // Note, we use an epsilon of 1e-6 instead of std::numeric_limits<float>::epsilon() to avoid doing extremely 
+            // small steps. But if we make it any larger we'll start rejecting subtle movements from e.g. idle animations.
+            if (diff.length2() > 1e-6 && (newPosition - nextpos).length2() > 1e-6)
             {
                 // trace to where character would go if there were no obstructions
                 tracer.doTrace(actor.mCollisionObject, newPosition, nextpos, collisionWorld, actor.mIsOnGround);