diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwdialogue/filter.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwdialogue/filter.cpp
index 3821862ecb..c2107155ac 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwdialogue/filter.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwdialogue/filter.cpp
@@ -509,7 +509,7 @@ int MWDialogue::Filter::getSelectStructInteger(const SelectWrapper& select) cons
         {
             MWWorld::Ptr target;
             mActor.getClass().getCreatureStats(mActor).getAiSequence().getCombatTarget(target);
-            if (target)
+            if (!target.isEmpty())
             {
                 if (target.getClass().isNpc() && target.getClass().getNpcStats(target).isWerewolf())
                     return 2;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/quickkeysmenu.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/quickkeysmenu.cpp
index 7876013e64..22313a61f5 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/quickkeysmenu.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/quickkeysmenu.cpp
@@ -85,13 +85,13 @@ namespace MWGui
             {
                 MWWorld::Ptr item = *mKey[index].button->getUserData<MWWorld::Ptr>();
                 // Make sure the item is available and is not broken
-                if (!item || item.getRefData().getCount() < 1
+                if (item.isEmpty() || item.getRefData().getCount() < 1
                     || (item.getClass().hasItemHealth(item) && item.getClass().getItemHealth(item) <= 0))
                 {
                     // Try searching for a compatible replacement
                     item = store.findReplacement(mKey[index].id);
 
-                    if (item)
+                    if (!item.isEmpty())
                         mKey[index].button->setUserData(MWWorld::Ptr(item));
 
                     break;
@@ -382,12 +382,12 @@ namespace MWGui
                 item = nullptr;
 
             // check the item is available and not broken
-            if (!item || item.getRefData().getCount() < 1
+            if (item.isEmpty() || item.getRefData().getCount() < 1
                 || (item.getClass().hasItemHealth(item) && item.getClass().getItemHealth(item) <= 0))
             {
                 item = store.findReplacement(key->id);
 
-                if (!item || item.getRefData().getCount() < 1)
+                if (item.isEmpty() || item.getRefData().getCount() < 1)
                 {
                     MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->messageBox("#{sQuickMenu5} " + key->name);
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/tooltips.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/tooltips.cpp
index 178562f4c4..91c980b823 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/tooltips.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/tooltips.cpp
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ namespace MWGui
                 else if (type == "ItemPtr")
                 {
                     mFocusObject = *focus->getUserData<MWWorld::Ptr>();
-                    if (!mFocusObject)
+                    if (mFocusObject.isEmpty())
                         return;
 
                     tooltipSize = getToolTipViaPtr(mFocusObject.getRefData().getCount(), false, checkOwned());
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aicast.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aicast.cpp
index 2b8582d261..583a85c538 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aicast.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aicast.cpp
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ bool MWMechanics::AiCast::execute(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor, MWMechanics::Charac
     else
     {
         target = getTarget();
-        if (!target)
+        if (target.isEmpty())
             return true;
 
         if (!mManual && !pathTo(actor, target.getRefData().getPosition().asVec3(), duration, mDistance))
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
index f17854ae9b..516d52cc91 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
@@ -583,10 +583,10 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
     Ptr CellStore::searchViaActorId(int id)
     {
-        if (Ptr ptr = ::searchViaActorId(get<ESM::NPC>(), id, this, mMovedToAnotherCell))
+        if (Ptr ptr = ::searchViaActorId(get<ESM::NPC>(), id, this, mMovedToAnotherCell); !ptr.isEmpty())
             return ptr;
 
-        if (Ptr ptr = ::searchViaActorId(get<ESM::Creature>(), id, this, mMovedToAnotherCell))
+        if (Ptr ptr = ::searchViaActorId(get<ESM::Creature>(), id, this, mMovedToAnotherCell); !ptr.isEmpty())
             return ptr;
 
         for (const auto& [base, _] : mMovedHere)
@@ -805,13 +805,13 @@ namespace MWWorld
 
         mHasState = true;
 
-        if (Ptr ptr = searchInContainerList(get<ESM::Container>(), id))
+        if (Ptr ptr = searchInContainerList(get<ESM::Container>(), id); !ptr.isEmpty())
             return ptr;
 
-        if (Ptr ptr = searchInContainerList(get<ESM::Creature>(), id))
+        if (Ptr ptr = searchInContainerList(get<ESM::Creature>(), id); !ptr.isEmpty())
             return ptr;
 
-        if (Ptr ptr = searchInContainerList(get<ESM::NPC>(), id))
+        if (Ptr ptr = searchInContainerList(get<ESM::NPC>(), id); !ptr.isEmpty())
             return ptr;
 
         mHasState = oldState;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/ptr.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/ptr.hpp
index 5dd6cf6b7b..fdf69b8818 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/ptr.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/ptr.hpp
@@ -98,10 +98,16 @@ namespace MWWorld
             return mContainerStore;
         }
 
-        operator const void*() const
-        ///< Return a 0-pointer, if Ptr is empty; return a non-0-pointer, if Ptr is not empty
+        template <template <class> class TypeTransform2>
+        bool operator==(const PtrBase<TypeTransform2>& other) const
         {
-            return mRef;
+            return mRef == other.mRef;
+        }
+
+        template <template <class> class TypeTransform2>
+        bool operator<(const PtrBase<TypeTransform2>& other) const
+        {
+            return mRef < other.mRef;
         }
 
     protected:
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/scene.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/scene.cpp
index 0c8b56ec30..42c713a66e 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/scene.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/scene.cpp
@@ -999,9 +999,11 @@ namespace MWWorld
     Ptr Scene::searchPtrViaActorId(int actorId)
     {
         for (CellStoreCollection::const_iterator iter(mActiveCells.begin()); iter != mActiveCells.end(); ++iter)
-            if (Ptr ptr = (*iter)->searchViaActorId(actorId))
+        {
+            Ptr ptr = (*iter)->searchViaActorId(actorId);
+            if (!ptr.isEmpty())
                 return ptr;
-
+        }
         return Ptr();
     }