diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.cpp
index 86adfb71a0..8757c93fde 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.cpp
@@ -7,9 +7,12 @@
 
 #include "../mwworld/ptr.hpp"
 #include "../mwworld/actiontalk.hpp"
+#include "../mwworld/environment.hpp"
 
 #include "../mwrender/cellimp.hpp"
 
+#include "../mwmechanics/mechanicsmanager.hpp"
+
 namespace MWClass
 {
     void Creature::insertObj (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, MWRender::CellRenderImp& cellRender,
@@ -28,6 +31,16 @@ namespace MWClass
         }
     }
 
+    void Creature::enable (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, MWWorld::Environment& environment) const
+    {
+        environment.mMechanicsManager->addActor (ptr);
+    }
+
+    void Creature::disable (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, MWWorld::Environment& environment) const
+    {
+        environment.mMechanicsManager->removeActor (ptr);
+    }
+
     std::string Creature::getName (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr) const
     {
         ESMS::LiveCellRef<ESM::Creature, MWWorld::RefData> *ref =
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.hpp
index 18771491ee..ec354a0158 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwclass/creature.hpp
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@ namespace MWClass
                 MWWorld::Environment& environment) const;
             ///< Add reference into a cell for rendering
 
+            virtual void enable (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, MWWorld::Environment& environment) const;
+            ///< Enable reference; only does the non-rendering part
+
+            virtual void disable (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, MWWorld::Environment& environment) const;
+            ///< Enable reference; only does the non-rendering part
+
             virtual std::string getName (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr) const;
             ///< \return name (the one that is to be presented to the user; not the internal one);
             /// can return an empty string.
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.cpp
index 09b589c67f..1aae8928d4 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 
 #include "../mwrender/cellimp.hpp"
 
+#include "../mwmechanics/mechanicsmanager.hpp"
+
 namespace MWClass
 {
     void Npc::insertObj (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, MWRender::CellRenderImp& cellRender,
@@ -43,6 +45,16 @@ namespace MWClass
         ref->mData.setHandle (cellRender.insertEnd (ref->mData.isEnabled()));
     }
 
+    void Npc::enable (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, MWWorld::Environment& environment) const
+    {
+        environment.mMechanicsManager->addActor (ptr);
+    }
+
+    void Npc::disable (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, MWWorld::Environment& environment) const
+    {
+        environment.mMechanicsManager->removeActor (ptr);
+    }
+
     std::string Npc::getName (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr) const
     {
         ESMS::LiveCellRef<ESM::NPC, MWWorld::RefData> *ref =
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.hpp
index af00ff1981..1bbf427def 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.hpp
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@ namespace MWClass
                 MWWorld::Environment& environment) const;
             ///< Add reference into a cell for rendering
 
+            virtual void enable (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, MWWorld::Environment& environment) const;
+            ///< Enable reference; only does the non-rendering part
+
+            virtual void disable (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, MWWorld::Environment& environment) const;
+            ///< Enable reference; only does the non-rendering part
+
             virtual std::string getName (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr) const;
             ///< \return name (the one that is to be presented to the user; not the internal one);
             /// can return an empty string.
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/cellimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/cellimp.cpp
index 0b5e7c9518..d1e1ec8f93 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/cellimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/cellimp.cpp
@@ -20,7 +20,11 @@ void insertCellRefList (CellRenderImp& cellRender, MWWorld::Environment& environ
             it != cellRefList.list.end(); it++)
         {
             if (it->mData.getCount())
-                class_.insertObj (MWWorld::Ptr (&*it, &cell), cellRender, environment);
+            {
+                MWWorld::Ptr ptr (&*it, &cell);
+                class_.insertObj (ptr, cellRender, environment);
+                class_.enable (ptr, environment);
+            }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.cpp
index b7498dcdd4..386ba650e8 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,16 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
     }
 
+    void Class::enable (const Ptr& ptr, MWWorld::Environment& environment) const
+    {
+
+    }
+
+    void Class::disable (const Ptr& ptr, MWWorld::Environment& environment) const
+    {
+
+    }
+
     MWMechanics::CreatureStats& Class::getCreatureStats (const Ptr& ptr) const
     {
         throw std::runtime_error ("class does not have creature stats");
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.hpp
index 83269957ab..d230605dae 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/class.hpp
@@ -46,6 +46,16 @@ namespace MWWorld
                 MWWorld::Environment& environment) const;
             ///< Add reference into a cell for rendering (default implementation: don't render anything).
 
+            virtual void enable (const Ptr& ptr, MWWorld::Environment& environment) const;
+            ///< Enable reference; only does the non-rendering part (default implementation: ignore)
+            /// \attention This is not the same as the script instruction with the same name. References
+            /// should only be enabled while in an active cell.
+
+            virtual void disable (const Ptr& ptr, MWWorld::Environment& environment) const;
+            ///< Enable reference; only does the non-rendering part (default implementation: ignore)
+            /// \attention This is not the same as the script instruction with the same name. References
+            /// should only be enabled while in an active cell.
+
             virtual std::string getName (const Ptr& ptr) const = 0;
             ///< \return name (the one that is to be presented to the user; not the internal one);
             /// can return an empty string.
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.cpp
index 620751f612..5744779da7 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
 #include "ptr.hpp"
 #include "environment.hpp"
+#include "class.hpp"
 
 namespace
 {
@@ -374,12 +375,8 @@ namespace MWWorld
             {
                 render->enable (reference.getRefData().getHandle());
 
-                if (mActiveCells.find (reference.getCell())!=mActiveCells.end() &&
-                    (reference.getType()==typeid (ESMS::LiveCellRef<ESM::NPC, RefData>) ||
-                    reference.getType()==typeid (ESMS::LiveCellRef<ESM::Creature, RefData>)))
-                {
-                    mEnvironment.mMechanicsManager->addActor (reference);
-                }
+                if (mActiveCells.find (reference.getCell())!=mActiveCells.end())
+                    Class::get (reference).enable (reference, mEnvironment);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -394,12 +391,8 @@ namespace MWWorld
             {
                 render->disable (reference.getRefData().getHandle());
 
-                if (mActiveCells.find (reference.getCell())!=mActiveCells.end() &&
-                    (reference.getType()==typeid (ESMS::LiveCellRef<ESM::NPC, RefData>) ||
-                    reference.getType()==typeid (ESMS::LiveCellRef<ESM::Creature, RefData>)))
-                {
-                    mEnvironment.mMechanicsManager->removeActor (reference);
-                }
+                if (mActiveCells.find (reference.getCell())!=mActiveCells.end())
+                    Class::get (reference).disable (reference, mEnvironment);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -626,12 +619,8 @@ namespace MWWorld
                 render->deleteObject (ptr.getRefData().getHandle());
                 ptr.getRefData().setHandle ("");
 
-                if (mActiveCells.find (ptr.getCell())!=mActiveCells.end() &&
-                    (ptr.getType()==typeid (ESMS::LiveCellRef<ESM::NPC, RefData>) ||
-                    ptr.getType()==typeid (ESMS::LiveCellRef<ESM::Creature, RefData>)))
-                {
-                    mEnvironment.mMechanicsManager->removeActor (ptr);
-                }
+                if (mActiveCells.find (ptr.getCell())!=mActiveCells.end())
+                    Class::get (ptr).disable (ptr, mEnvironment);
             }
         }
     }