diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/playerpos.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/playerpos.hpp
index 3501850b63..48a4fd8d5e 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/playerpos.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/playerpos.hpp
@@ -76,15 +76,11 @@ namespace MWRender
       setPos(relX, relY, relZ);
     }
     
-        ESMS::LiveCellRef<ESM::NPC, MWWorld::RefData> *getPlayer()
+        MWWorld::Ptr getPlayer()
         {
-            return &mPlayer;
+            MWWorld::Ptr ptr (&mPlayer, mCellStore);
+            return ptr;
         }
-
-        const ESMS::LiveCellRef<ESM::NPC, MWWorld::RefData> *getPlayer() const
-        {
-            return &mPlayer;
-        }        
   };
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.cpp
index f2b8aa7e9c..d71276fe9f 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.cpp
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
         // the player is always in an active cell.
         if (name=="player")
         {
-            return Ptr (mPlayerPos->getPlayer(), mCurrentCell);
+            return mPlayerPos->getPlayer();
         }
         
         // active cells