diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwbase/world.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwbase/world.hpp
index 39c1910df5..a7ff9b35bf 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwbase/world.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwbase/world.hpp
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 namespace osg
 {
     class Vec3f;
+    class Matrixf;
     class Quat;
     class Image;
 }
@@ -373,6 +374,8 @@ namespace MWBase
             virtual bool isUnderwater(const MWWorld::CellStore* cell, const osg::Vec3f &pos) const = 0;
             virtual bool isOnGround(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr) const = 0;
 
+            virtual osg::Matrixf getActorHeadTransform(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor) const = 0;
+
             virtual void togglePOV() = 0;
             virtual bool isFirstPerson() const = 0;
             virtual void togglePreviewMode(bool enable) = 0;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanagerimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanagerimp.cpp
index c568ef7780..801a262d84 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanagerimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanagerimp.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <map>
 
+#include <osg/Matrixf>
+
 #include <components/misc/rng.hpp>
 
 #include <components/vfs/manager.hpp>
@@ -397,8 +399,6 @@ namespace MWSound
         try
         {
             std::string voicefile = "Sound/"+filename;
-            const ESM::Position &pos = ptr.getRefData().getPosition();
-            const osg::Vec3f objpos(pos.asVec3());
 
             Sound_Loudness *loudness;
             mVFS->normalizeFilename(voicefile);
@@ -408,7 +408,9 @@ namespace MWSound
                 mPendingSaySounds[ptr] = std::make_pair(decoder, loudness);
             else
             {
-                MWBase::SoundStreamPtr sound = playVoice(decoder, objpos, (ptr == MWMechanics::getPlayer()));
+                MWBase::World *world = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld();
+                const osg::Vec3f pos = world->getActorHeadTransform(ptr).getTrans();
+                MWBase::SoundStreamPtr sound = playVoice(decoder, pos, (ptr == MWMechanics::getPlayer()));
                 mActiveSaySounds[ptr] = std::make_pair(sound, loudness);
             }
         }
@@ -906,10 +908,10 @@ namespace MWSound
                         sound = playVoice(decoder, osg::Vec3f(), true);
                     else
                     {
-                        const ESM::Position &pos = ptr.getRefData().getPosition();
-                        const osg::Vec3f objpos(pos.asVec3());
+                        MWBase::World *world = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld();
+                        const osg::Vec3f pos = world->getActorHeadTransform(ptr).getTrans();
 
-                        sound = playVoice(decoder, objpos, (ptr == MWMechanics::getPlayer()));
+                        sound = playVoice(decoder, pos, (ptr == MWMechanics::getPlayer()));
                     }
                     mActiveSaySounds[ptr] = std::make_pair(sound, loudness);
                 }
@@ -930,13 +932,13 @@ namespace MWSound
             MWBase::SoundStreamPtr sound = sayiter->second.first;
             if(!ptr.isEmpty() && sound->getIs3D())
             {
-                const ESM::Position &pos = ptr.getRefData().getPosition();
-                const osg::Vec3f objpos(pos.asVec3());
-                sound->setPosition(objpos);
+                MWBase::World *world = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld();
+                const osg::Vec3f pos = world->getActorHeadTransform(ptr).getTrans();
+                sound->setPosition(pos);
 
                 if(sound->getDistanceCull())
                 {
-                    if((mListenerPos - objpos).length2() > 2000*2000)
+                    if((mListenerPos - pos).length2() > 2000*2000)
                         mOutput->stopStream(sound);
                 }
             }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
index 9a32c63a39..c9971c6f06 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
@@ -1038,32 +1038,30 @@ namespace MWWorld
         return facedObject;
     }
 
-    osg::Vec3f getActorHeadPosition(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor, MWRender::RenderingManager* rendering)
+    osg::Matrixf World::getActorHeadTransform(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor) const
     {
-        osg::Vec3f origin(actor.getRefData().getPosition().asVec3());
-
-        MWRender::Animation* anim = rendering->getAnimation(actor);
-        if (anim != NULL)
+        MWRender::Animation *anim = mRendering->getAnimation(actor);
+        if(anim)
         {
-            const osg::Node* node = anim->getNode("Head");
-            if (node == NULL)
-                node = anim->getNode("Bip01 Head");
-            if (node != NULL)
+            const osg::Node *node = anim->getNode("Head");
+            if(!node) node = anim->getNode("Bip01 Head");
+            if(node)
             {
                 osg::MatrixList mats = node->getWorldMatrices();
-                if (mats.size())
-                    origin = mats[0].getTrans();
+                if(!mats.empty())
+                    return mats[0];
             }
         }
-        return origin;
+        return osg::Matrixf::translate(actor.getRefData().getPosition().asVec3());
     }
 
+
     std::pair<MWWorld::Ptr,osg::Vec3f> World::getHitContact(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr, float distance)
     {
         const ESM::Position &posdata = ptr.getRefData().getPosition();
 
         osg::Quat rot = osg::Quat(posdata.rot[0], osg::Vec3f(-1,0,0)) * osg::Quat(posdata.rot[2], osg::Vec3f(0,0,-1));
-        osg::Vec3f pos = getActorHeadPosition(ptr, mRendering);
+        osg::Vec3f pos = getActorHeadTransform(ptr).getTrans();
 
         std::pair<MWWorld::Ptr,osg::Vec3f> result = mPhysics->getHitContact(ptr, pos, rot, distance);
         if(result.first.isEmpty())
@@ -2659,7 +2657,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
         MWWorld::Ptr target;
         float distance = 192.f; // ??
         osg::Vec3f hitPosition = actor.getRefData().getPosition().asVec3();
-        osg::Vec3f origin = getActorHeadPosition(actor, mRendering);
+        osg::Vec3f origin = getActorHeadTransform(actor).getTrans();
 
         osg::Quat orient = osg::Quat(actor.getRefData().getPosition().rot[0], osg::Vec3f(-1,0,0))
                 * osg::Quat(actor.getRefData().getPosition().rot[2], osg::Vec3f(0,0,-1));
@@ -3297,14 +3295,14 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
     osg::Vec3f World::aimToTarget(const Ptr &actor, const MWWorld::Ptr& target)
     {
-        osg::Vec3f weaponPos = getActorHeadPosition(actor, mRendering);
+        osg::Vec3f weaponPos = getActorHeadTransform(actor).getTrans();
         osg::Vec3f targetPos = mPhysics->getPosition(target);
         return (targetPos - weaponPos);
     }
 
     float World::getHitDistance(const Ptr &actor, const Ptr &target)
     {
-        osg::Vec3f weaponPos = getActorHeadPosition(actor, mRendering);
+        osg::Vec3f weaponPos = getActorHeadTransform(actor).getTrans();
         return mPhysics->getHitDistance(weaponPos, target);
     }
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.hpp
index 92027868e8..f08ede1005 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.hpp
@@ -469,6 +469,8 @@ namespace MWWorld
             virtual bool isWading(const MWWorld::Ptr &object) const;
             virtual bool isOnGround(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr) const;
 
+            virtual osg::Matrixf getActorHeadTransform(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor) const;
+
             virtual void togglePOV();
 
             virtual bool isFirstPerson() const;