diff --git a/src/core/ArxGame.cpp b/src/core/ArxGame.cpp
index 7d1e6da5a7..b430ed85d4 100644
--- a/src/core/ArxGame.cpp
+++ b/src/core/ArxGame.cpp
@@ -905,10 +905,7 @@ bool ArxGame::addPaks() {
 
 static void ReleaseSystemObjects() {
 	
-	delete hero, hero = nullptr;
-	
 	if(entities.size() > 0 && entities.player() != nullptr) {
-		entities.player()->obj = nullptr; // already deleted above (hero)
 		delete entities.player();
 		arx_assert(entities.size() > 0 && entities.player() == nullptr);
 	}
diff --git a/src/game/Equipment.cpp b/src/game/Equipment.cpp
index 5c5b760460..13b74bf58b 100644
--- a/src/game/Equipment.cpp
+++ b/src/game/Equipment.cpp
@@ -221,8 +221,7 @@ void ARX_EQUIPMENT_RecreatePlayerMesh() {
 	arx_assert(entities.player());
 	Entity * io = entities.player();
 	
-	if(io->obj != hero)
-		delete io->obj;
+	delete io->obj;
 	
 	io->obj = loadObject("graph/obj3d/interactive/npc/human_base/human_base.teo", false).release();
 	
@@ -250,7 +249,6 @@ void ARX_EQUIPMENT_RecreatePlayerMesh() {
 	ARX_INTERACTIVE_Show_Hide_1st(entities.player(), !EXTERNALVIEW);
 	ARX_INTERACTIVE_HideGore(entities.player(), false);
 	
-	EERIE_Object_Precompute_Fast_Access(hero);
 	EERIE_Object_Precompute_Fast_Access(entities.player()->obj);
 	
 	ARX_INTERACTIVE_RemoveGoreOnIO(entities.player());
diff --git a/src/game/Player.cpp b/src/game/Player.cpp
index 98c7d2559f..b43c75afdc 100644
--- a/src/game/Player.cpp
+++ b/src/game/Player.cpp
@@ -147,7 +147,6 @@ extern long COLLIDED_CLIMB_POLY;
 static const float ARX_PLAYER_SKILL_STEALTH_MAX = 100.f;
 
 ARXCHARACTER player;
-EERIE_3DOBJ * hero = nullptr;
 float currentdistance = 0.f;
 float CURRENT_PLAYER_COLOR = 0;
 AnimationDuration PLAYER_ROTATION = 0;
@@ -1083,9 +1082,6 @@ void ARX_PLAYER_Restore_Skin() {
  */
 void ARX_PLAYER_LoadHeroAnimsAndMesh() {
 	
-	hero = loadObject("graph/obj3d/interactive/npc/human_base/human_base.teo", false).release();
-	PLAYER_SKIN_TC = TextureContainer::Load("graph/obj3d/textures/npc_human_base_hero_head");
-	
 	herowaitbook = EERIE_ANIMMANAGER_Load("graph/obj3d/anims/npc/human_wait_book.tea");
 	EERIE_ANIMMANAGER_Load("graph/obj3d/anims/npc/human_normal_wait.tea");
 	herowait_2h = EERIE_ANIMMANAGER_Load("graph/obj3d/anims/npc/human_wait_book_2handed.tea");
@@ -1095,7 +1091,9 @@ void ARX_PLAYER_LoadHeroAnimsAndMesh() {
 	arx_assert(entities.player() == io);
 	arx_assert(io->idString() == "player");
 	
-	io->obj = hero;
+	arx_assert(!io->obj);
+	io->obj = loadObject("graph/obj3d/interactive/npc/human_base/human_base.teo", false).release();
+	PLAYER_SKIN_TC = TextureContainer::Load("graph/obj3d/textures/npc_human_base_hero_head");
 	
 	player.skin = 0;
 	ARX_PLAYER_Restore_Skin();
diff --git a/src/game/Player.h b/src/game/Player.h
index 573809a7fa..1ab1920783 100644
--- a/src/game/Player.h
+++ b/src/game/Player.h
@@ -408,7 +408,6 @@ struct ARXCHARACTER {
 extern float CURRENT_PLAYER_COLOR;
 
 extern ARXCHARACTER player;
-extern EERIE_3DOBJ * hero;
 extern ANIM_HANDLE * herowaitbook;
 extern ANIM_HANDLE * herowait_2h;
 extern std::vector<std::string> g_playerQuestLogEntries;