diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
index 086a2fc25..bbf679cda 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
@@ -148,27 +148,6 @@ void CharacterController::updatePtr(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr)
 }
 
 
-void CharacterController::markerEvent(float time, const std::string &evt)
-{
-    if(evt == "stop")
-    {
-        if(mAnimQueue.size() > 0)
-        {
-            mAnimQueue.pop_front();
-            if(mAnimQueue.size() > 0)
-            {
-                mCurrentGroup = mAnimQueue.front().first;
-                size_t count = mAnimQueue.front().second;
-                mAnimation->play(mCurrentGroup, "start", "stop", count);
-            }
-        }
-        return;
-    }
-
-    std::cerr<< "Unhandled animation event: "<<evt <<std::endl;
-}
-
-
 void CharacterController::update(float duration, Movement &movement)
 {
     float speed = 0.0f;
@@ -237,7 +216,17 @@ void CharacterController::update(float duration, Movement &movement)
                 setState(CharState_TurnLeft, true);
         }
         else if(getState() != CharState_SpecialIdle || !mAnimation->isPlaying(0))
-            setState((inwater ? CharState_IdleSwim : (sneak ? CharState_IdleSneak : CharState_Idle)), true);
+        {
+            if(mAnimQueue.size() > 0)
+            {
+                mCurrentGroup = mAnimQueue.front().first;
+                size_t count = mAnimQueue.front().second;
+                mAnimQueue.pop_front();
+                mAnimation->play(mCurrentGroup, "start", "stop", count);
+            }
+            else
+                setState((inwater ? CharState_IdleSwim : (sneak ? CharState_IdleSneak : CharState_Idle)), true);
+        }
 
         movement.mRotation[0] += rot.x * duration;
         movement.mRotation[1] += rot.y * duration;
@@ -263,17 +252,16 @@ void CharacterController::playGroup(const std::string &groupname, int mode, int
     else
     {
         count = std::max(count, 1);
-        if(mode != 0 || mAnimQueue.size() == 0)
+        if(mode != 0 || getState() != CharState_SpecialIdle)
         {
             mAnimQueue.clear();
-            mAnimQueue.push_back(std::make_pair(groupname, count-1));
             mCurrentGroup = groupname;
             mState = CharState_SpecialIdle;
             mAnimation->play(mCurrentGroup, ((mode==2) ? "loop start" : "start"), "stop", count-1);
         }
         else if(mode == 0)
         {
-            mAnimQueue.resize(1);
+            mAnimQueue.clear();
             mAnimQueue.push_back(std::make_pair(groupname, count-1));
         }
     }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp
index 4453b078d..4bbea1551 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp
@@ -79,12 +79,6 @@ class CharacterController
     CharacterState mState;
     bool mSkipAnim;
 
-protected:
-    /* Called by the animation whenever a new text key is reached. */
-    void markerEvent(float time, const std::string &evt);
-
-    friend class MWRender::Animation;
-
 public:
     CharacterController(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr, MWRender::Animation *anim, CharacterState state, bool loop);
     CharacterController(const CharacterController &rhs);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp
index b205d9519..c0fee0d3b 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp
@@ -499,7 +499,7 @@ bool Animation::handleTextKey(size_t layeridx, const NifOgre::TextKeyMap::const_
         return true;
     }
 
-    if(evt.compare(off, len, "loop stop") == 0)
+    if(evt.compare(off, len, "loop stop") == 0 || evt.compare(off, len, "stop") == 0)
     {
         if(doLoop(layeridx))
         {
@@ -508,18 +508,8 @@ bool Animation::handleTextKey(size_t layeridx, const NifOgre::TextKeyMap::const_
         }
         return true;
     }
-    if(evt.compare(off, len, "stop") == 0)
-    {
-        if(doLoop(layeridx))
-        {
-            if(mLayer[layeridx].mTime >= time)
-                return false;
-            return true;
-        }
-        // fall-through
-    }
-    if(mController)
-        mController->markerEvent(time, evt.substr(off));
+
+    std::cerr<< "Unhandled animation textkey: "<<evt <<std::endl;
     return true;
 }