diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
index 21ebd255af..6496ba9f27 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 
 #include "../mwrender/animation.hpp"
 
+
 namespace MWMechanics
 {
 
@@ -42,6 +43,26 @@ CharacterController::CharacterController(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr, MWRender::Anim
     }
 }
 
+CharacterController::CharacterController(const CharacterController &rhs)
+  : mPtr(rhs.mPtr), mAnimation(rhs.mAnimation), mState(rhs.mState)
+{
+    if(!mAnimation)
+        return;
+    /* We've been copied. Update the animation with the new controller. */
+    mAnimation->setController(this);
+}
+
+
+void CharacterController::markerEvent(const std::string &evt)
+{
+    std::string::size_type gp = evt.find(':');
+    if(gp >= evt.length()-2)
+    {
+        std::cerr<< "Unexpected animation marker: \""<<evt<<"\"" <<std::endl;
+        return;
+    }
+}
+
 
 void CharacterController::setState(CharacterState state)
 {
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp
index 9bb3a1bfc3..c09cb8e421 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp
@@ -23,8 +23,15 @@ class CharacterController
 
     CharacterState mState;
 
+protected:
+    /* Called by the animation whenever a new text key is reached. */
+    void markerEvent(const std::string &evt);
+
+    friend class MWRender::Animation;
+
 public:
     CharacterController(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr, MWRender::Animation *anim, CharacterState state);
+    CharacterController(const CharacterController &rhs);
 
     void setState(CharacterState state);
     CharacterState getState() const
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp
index 69bd01e2bb..5341ffd7a1 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp
@@ -10,11 +10,14 @@
 #include "../mwbase/environment.hpp"
 #include "../mwbase/world.hpp"
 
+#include "../mwmechanics/character.hpp"
+
 namespace MWRender
 {
 
 Animation::Animation(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr)
     : mPtr(ptr)
+    , mController(NULL)
     , mInsert(NULL)
     , mAccumRoot(NULL)
     , mNonAccumRoot(NULL)
@@ -240,6 +243,8 @@ void Animation::runAnimation(float timepassed)
             while(mCurGroup.mNext != mCurGroup.mTextKeys->end() &&
                   mCurGroup.mNext->first <= mCurGroup.mLoopStop->first)
             {
+                if(mController)
+                    mController->markerEvent(mCurGroup.mNext->second);
                 mCurGroup.mNext++;
             }
 
@@ -256,6 +261,8 @@ void Animation::runAnimation(float timepassed)
                 while(mCurGroup.mNext != mCurGroup.mTextKeys->end() &&
                       mCurGroup.mNext->first <= mCurGroup.mStop->first)
                 {
+                    if(mController)
+                        mController->markerEvent(mCurGroup.mNext->second);
                     mCurGroup.mNext++;
                 }
                 if(mNextGroup.mLoops > 0)
@@ -275,6 +282,8 @@ void Animation::runAnimation(float timepassed)
         while(mCurGroup.mNext != mCurGroup.mTextKeys->end() &&
               mCurGroup.mNext->first <= mTime)
         {
+            if(mController)
+                mController->markerEvent(mCurGroup.mNext->second);
             mCurGroup.mNext++;
         }