diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1ee8bd8d92..be789859ea 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
     Bug #3855: AI sometimes spams defensive spells
     Bug #3905: Great House Dagoth issues
     Bug #4203: Resurrecting an actor should close the loot GUI
+    Bug #4389: NPC's lips do not move if his head model has the NiBSAnimationNode root node
     Bug #4602: Robert's Bodies: crash inside createInstance()
     Bug #4700: Editor: Incorrect command implementation
     Bug #4744: Invisible particles must still be processed
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/actoranimation.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/actoranimation.cpp
index 1679c07bf4..25a9904e26 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/actoranimation.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/actoranimation.cpp
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ void ActorAnimation::resetControllers(osg::Node* node)
 
     std::shared_ptr<SceneUtil::ControllerSource> src;
     src.reset(new NullAnimationTime);
-    SceneUtil::AssignControllerSourcesVisitor removeVisitor(src);
+    SceneUtil::ForceControllerSourcesVisitor removeVisitor(src);
     node->accept(removeVisitor);
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.cpp
index 0d6c21c308..7031b5a02b 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.cpp
@@ -837,14 +837,18 @@ bool NpcAnimation::addOrReplaceIndividualPart(ESM::PartReferenceType type, int g
                     }
                 }
             }
+            SceneUtil::ForceControllerSourcesVisitor assignVisitor(src);
+            node->accept(assignVisitor);
         }
-        else if (type == ESM::PRT_Weapon)
-            src = mWeaponAnimationTime;
         else
-            src.reset(new NullAnimationTime);
-
-        SceneUtil::AssignControllerSourcesVisitor assignVisitor(src);
-        node->accept(assignVisitor);
+        {
+            if (type == ESM::PRT_Weapon)
+                src = mWeaponAnimationTime;
+            else
+                src.reset(new NullAnimationTime);
+            SceneUtil::AssignControllerSourcesVisitor assignVisitor(src);
+            node->accept(assignVisitor);
+        }
     }
 
     return true;
diff --git a/components/sceneutil/controller.cpp b/components/sceneutil/controller.cpp
index dfc72918aa..2c7507d0a3 100644
--- a/components/sceneutil/controller.cpp
+++ b/components/sceneutil/controller.cpp
@@ -121,6 +121,21 @@ namespace SceneUtil
             ctrl.setSource(mToAssign);
     }
 
+    ForceControllerSourcesVisitor::ForceControllerSourcesVisitor()
+        : AssignControllerSourcesVisitor()
+    {
+    }
+
+    ForceControllerSourcesVisitor::ForceControllerSourcesVisitor(std::shared_ptr<ControllerSource> toAssign)
+        : AssignControllerSourcesVisitor(toAssign)
+    {
+    }
+
+    void ForceControllerSourcesVisitor::visit(osg::Node&, Controller &ctrl)
+    {
+        ctrl.setSource(mToAssign);
+    }
+
     FindMaxControllerLengthVisitor::FindMaxControllerLengthVisitor()
         : SceneUtil::ControllerVisitor()
         , mMaxLength(0)
diff --git a/components/sceneutil/controller.hpp b/components/sceneutil/controller.hpp
index 2656d654e1..6ef800f05b 100644
--- a/components/sceneutil/controller.hpp
+++ b/components/sceneutil/controller.hpp
@@ -85,10 +85,20 @@ namespace SceneUtil
         /// By default assigns the ControllerSource passed to the constructor of this class if no ControllerSource is assigned to that controller yet.
         void visit(osg::Node& node, Controller& ctrl) override;
 
-    private:
+    protected:
         std::shared_ptr<ControllerSource> mToAssign;
     };
 
+    class ForceControllerSourcesVisitor : public AssignControllerSourcesVisitor
+    {
+    public:
+        ForceControllerSourcesVisitor();
+        ForceControllerSourcesVisitor(std::shared_ptr<ControllerSource> toAssign);
+
+        /// Assign the wanted ControllerSource even if one is already assigned to the controller.
+        void visit(osg::Node& node, Controller& ctrl) override;
+    };
+
     /// Finds the maximum of all controller functions in the given scene graph
     class FindMaxControllerLengthVisitor : public ControllerVisitor
     {