diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwsound/sound_buffer.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwsound/sound_buffer.cpp
index 8aaaca1634..d2645a1fe8 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwsound/sound_buffer.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwsound/sound_buffer.cpp
@@ -64,8 +64,14 @@ namespace MWSound
 
     Sound_Buffer* SoundBufferPool::lookup(std::string_view fileName) const
     {
-        auto soundId = ESM::RefId::stringRefId(fileName);
-        return lookup(soundId);
+        const auto it = mBufferFileNameMap.find(std::string(fileName));
+        if (it != mBufferFileNameMap.end())
+        {
+            Sound_Buffer* sfx = it->second;
+            if (sfx->getHandle() != nullptr)
+                return sfx;
+        }
+        return nullptr;
     }
 
     Sound_Buffer* SoundBufferPool::loadSfx(Sound_Buffer* sfx)
@@ -116,11 +122,9 @@ namespace MWSound
 
     Sound_Buffer* SoundBufferPool::load(std::string_view fileName)
     {
-        auto soundId = ESM::RefId::stringRefId(fileName);
-
         Sound_Buffer* sfx;
-        const auto it = mBufferNameMap.find(soundId);
-        if (it != mBufferNameMap.end())
+        const auto it = mBufferFileNameMap.find(std::string(fileName));
+        if (it != mBufferFileNameMap.end())
             sfx = it->second;
         else
         {
@@ -138,6 +142,9 @@ namespace MWSound
                 mOutput->unloadSound(sfx.mHandle);
             sfx.mHandle = nullptr;
         }
+
+        mBufferFileNameMap.clear();
+        mBufferNameMap.clear();
         mUnusedBuffers.clear();
     }
 
@@ -155,7 +162,7 @@ namespace MWSound
 
         Sound_Buffer& sfx = mSoundBuffers.emplace_back(fileName, volume, min, max);
 
-        mBufferNameMap.emplace(ESM::RefId::stringRefId(fileName), &sfx);
+        mBufferFileNameMap.emplace(fileName, &sfx);
         return &sfx;
     }
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwsound/sound_buffer.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwsound/sound_buffer.hpp
index bb7c976352..3bf734a4b6 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwsound/sound_buffer.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwsound/sound_buffer.hpp
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ namespace MWSound
         Sound_Output* mOutput;
         std::deque<Sound_Buffer> mSoundBuffers;
         std::unordered_map<ESM::RefId, Sound_Buffer*> mBufferNameMap;
+        std::unordered_map<std::string, Sound_Buffer*> mBufferFileNameMap;
         std::size_t mBufferCacheMax;
         std::size_t mBufferCacheMin;
         std::size_t mBufferCacheSize = 0;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanagerimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanagerimp.cpp
index cc2fecb07e..d5f1758f03 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanagerimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanagerimp.cpp
@@ -534,6 +534,9 @@ namespace MWSound
             return nullptr;
 
         std::string normalizedName = VFS::Path::normalizeFilename(fileName);
+        if (!mVFS->exists(normalizedName))
+            return nullptr;
+
         Sound_Buffer* sfx = mSoundBuffers.load(normalizedName);
         if (!sfx)
             return nullptr;
@@ -630,6 +633,9 @@ namespace MWSound
 
         // Look up the sound
         std::string normalizedName = VFS::Path::normalizeFilename(fileName);
+        if (!mVFS->exists(normalizedName))
+            return nullptr;
+
         Sound_Buffer* sfx = mSoundBuffers.load(normalizedName);
         if (!sfx)
             return nullptr;
@@ -705,9 +711,15 @@ namespace MWSound
 
     void SoundManager::stopSound3D(const MWWorld::ConstPtr& ptr, std::string_view fileName)
     {
+        if (!mOutput->isInitialized())
+            return;
+
         std::string normalizedName = VFS::Path::normalizeFilename(fileName);
-        auto soundId = ESM::RefId::stringRefId(normalizedName);
-        stopSound3D(ptr, soundId);
+        Sound_Buffer* sfx = mSoundBuffers.lookup(normalizedName);
+        if (!sfx)
+            return;
+
+        stopSound(sfx, ptr);
     }
 
     void SoundManager::stopSound3D(const MWWorld::ConstPtr& ptr)
@@ -769,8 +781,21 @@ namespace MWSound
     bool SoundManager::getSoundPlaying(const MWWorld::ConstPtr& ptr, std::string_view fileName) const
     {
         std::string normalizedName = VFS::Path::normalizeFilename(fileName);
-        auto soundId = ESM::RefId::stringRefId(normalizedName);
-        return getSoundPlaying(ptr, soundId);
+
+        SoundMap::const_iterator snditer = mActiveSounds.find(ptr.mRef);
+        if (snditer != mActiveSounds.end())
+        {
+            Sound_Buffer* sfx = mSoundBuffers.lookup(normalizedName);
+            if (!sfx)
+                return false;
+
+            return std::find_if(snditer->second.mList.cbegin(), snditer->second.mList.cend(),
+                       [this, sfx](const SoundBufferRefPair& snd) -> bool {
+                           return snd.second == sfx && mOutput->isSoundPlaying(snd.first.get());
+                       })
+                != snditer->second.mList.cend();
+        }
+        return false;
     }
 
     bool SoundManager::getSoundPlaying(const MWWorld::ConstPtr& ptr, const ESM::RefId& soundId) const
@@ -779,6 +804,9 @@ namespace MWSound
         if (snditer != mActiveSounds.end())
         {
             Sound_Buffer* sfx = mSoundBuffers.lookup(soundId);
+            if (!sfx)
+                return false;
+
             return std::find_if(snditer->second.mList.cbegin(), snditer->second.mList.cend(),
                        [this, sfx](const SoundBufferRefPair& snd) -> bool {
                            return snd.second == sfx && mOutput->isSoundPlaying(snd.first.get());