diff --git a/apps/esmtool/esmtool.cpp b/apps/esmtool/esmtool.cpp
index dd9ed648c8..06348e949c 100644
--- a/apps/esmtool/esmtool.cpp
+++ b/apps/esmtool/esmtool.cpp
@@ -410,7 +410,6 @@ int load(Arguments& info)
             {
                 rec = new Creature();
                 Creature& b = *(Creature*)rec;
-                b.setID(id);
                 b.load(esm);
                 if(quiet) break;
                 cout << "  Name: " << b.name << endl;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.cpp
index 7270fd22b9..8a5b149ff1 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.cpp
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ namespace MWClass
         ESMS::LiveCellRef<ESM::Creature, MWWorld::RefData> *ref =
             ptr.get<ESM::Creature>();
 
-        return ref->base->mId;
+        return ref->base->getId();
     }
 
     void Creature::insertObjectRendering (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, MWRender::RenderingInterface& renderingInterface) const
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.cpp
index 83a94d27d1..04ac31f984 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.cpp
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ namespace MWClass
         ESMS::LiveCellRef<ESM::NPC, MWWorld::RefData> *ref =
             ptr.get<ESM::NPC>();
 
-        return ref->base->mId;
+        return ref->base->getId();
     }
 
     void Npc::insertObjectRendering (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, MWRender::RenderingInterface& renderingInterface) const
diff --git a/components/esm/loadcrea.cpp b/components/esm/loadcrea.cpp
index 7b84a7f296..259d37b4a1 100644
--- a/components/esm/loadcrea.cpp
+++ b/components/esm/loadcrea.cpp
@@ -2,11 +2,6 @@
 
 namespace ESM {
 
-void Creature::setID(const std::string& id)
-{
-    mId = id;
-}
-
 void Creature::load(ESMReader &esm)
 {
     model = esm.getHNString("MODL");
diff --git a/components/esm/loadcrea.hpp b/components/esm/loadcrea.hpp
index 3035003cf8..348c14b234 100644
--- a/components/esm/loadcrea.hpp
+++ b/components/esm/loadcrea.hpp
@@ -63,9 +63,6 @@ struct Creature : public Record
     // Defined in loadcont.hpp
     InventoryList inventory;
 
-    std::string mId;
-
-    void setID(const std::string& id);
     void load(ESMReader &esm);
     void save(ESMWriter &esm);
 
diff --git a/components/esm/loadnpc.cpp b/components/esm/loadnpc.cpp
index 34b5e69ed1..b689ba5e84 100644
--- a/components/esm/loadnpc.cpp
+++ b/components/esm/loadnpc.cpp
@@ -3,11 +3,6 @@
 namespace ESM
 {
 
-void NPC::setID(const std::string& id)
-{
-    mId = id;
-}
-
 void NPC::load(ESMReader &esm)
 {
     npdt52.gold = -10;
diff --git a/components/esm/loadnpc.hpp b/components/esm/loadnpc.hpp
index 3f8a60304c..13ee9ef6d7 100644
--- a/components/esm/loadnpc.hpp
+++ b/components/esm/loadnpc.hpp
@@ -100,10 +100,9 @@ struct NPC : public Record
   std::string name, model, race, cls, faction, script,
     hair, head; // body parts
 
-    std::string mId;
+    //std::string mId;
 
   // Implementation moved to load_impl.cpp
-  void setID(const std::string& id);
   void load(ESMReader &esm);
   void save(ESMWriter &esm);
 
diff --git a/components/esm/record.hpp b/components/esm/record.hpp
index d273b175ab..dfecab7b93 100644
--- a/components/esm/record.hpp
+++ b/components/esm/record.hpp
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ public:
     virtual void load(ESMReader& esm) = 0;
     virtual void save(ESMWriter& esm) = 0;
 
-    std::string getId() { return m_id; }
+    std::string getId() const { return m_id; }
     void setId(const std::string& in) { m_id = in; } 
     
     virtual int getName() = 0;
diff --git a/components/esm_store/reclists.hpp b/components/esm_store/reclists.hpp
index bc3b676a21..22bb55b52c 100644
--- a/components/esm_store/reclists.hpp
+++ b/components/esm_store/reclists.hpp
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ namespace ESMS
     void load(ESMReader &esm, const std::string &id)
     {
       std::string id2 = toLower (id);
-      list[id2].setID(id2);
+      list[id2].setId(id2);
       list[id2].load(esm);
     }