diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
index 6c8d558a4d..7b166ba91a 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ Ogre::Vector3 CharacterController::update(float duration)
             // Apply any sideways movement manually
             movement.x += vec.x * (speed*duration);
         }
-        else
+        else if(mAnimQueue.size() == 0)
             setState((inwater ? CharState_IdleSwim : CharState_Idle), true);
     }
 
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ void CharacterController::playGroup(const std::string &groupname, int mode, int
             while(count-- > 0)
                 mAnimQueue.push_back(groupname);
             mCurrentGroup = groupname;
-            mState = CharState_Idle;
+            mState = CharState_SpecialIdle;
             mAnimation->play(mCurrentGroup, ((mode==2) ? "loop start" : "start"), false);
         }
         else if(mode == 0)
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp
index 996687a3e1..2465aea98f 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ namespace MWMechanics
 {
 
 enum CharacterState {
+    CharState_SpecialIdle,
     CharState_Idle,
     CharState_Idle2,
     CharState_Idle3,