diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmp/ObjectList.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmp/ObjectList.cpp
index 113b2218c..6a92f23bb 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmp/ObjectList.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmp/ObjectList.cpp
@@ -349,7 +349,14 @@ void ObjectList::activateObjects(MWWorld::CellStore* cellStore)
         else
         {
             LOG_APPEND(TimedLog::LOG_VERBOSE, "-- Activated object is %s %i-%i", baseObject.refId.c_str(), baseObject.refNum, baseObject.mpNum);
-            ptrFound = cellStore->searchExact(baseObject.refNum, baseObject.mpNum);
+            if (baseObject.refId.empty())
+            {
+                ptrFound = cellStore->searchExact(baseObject.refNum, baseObject.mpNum);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                ptrFound = cellStore->searchExactPlus(baseObject.refId, baseObject.refNum, baseObject.mpNum);
+            }
         }
 
         if (ptrFound)
@@ -991,8 +998,16 @@ void ObjectList::makeDialogueChoices(MWWorld::CellStore* cellStore)
     for (const auto& baseObject : baseObjects)
     {
         LOG_APPEND(TimedLog::LOG_VERBOSE, "- cellRef: %s %i-%i", baseObject.refId.c_str(), baseObject.refNum, baseObject.mpNum);
+        MWWorld::Ptr ptrFound;
 
-        MWWorld::Ptr ptrFound = cellStore->searchExact(baseObject.refNum, baseObject.mpNum);
+        if (baseObject.refId.empty())
+        {
+            ptrFound = cellStore->searchExact(baseObject.refNum, baseObject.mpNum);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            ptrFound = cellStore->searchExactPlus(baseObject.refId, baseObject.refNum, baseObject.mpNum);
+        }
 
         if (ptrFound)
         {