diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 84bd44bd18f..fab893258f0 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
     Bug #4127: Weapon animation looks choppy
     Bug #4204: Dead slaughterfish doesn't float to water surface after loading saved game
     Bug #4207: RestoreHealth/Fatigue spells have a huge priority even if a success chance is near 0
+    Bug #4289: Script compilation fails if an NPC deleted in a content file is disabled
     Bug #4382: Sound output device does not change when it should
     Bug #4508: Can't stack enchantment buffs from different instances of the same self-cast generic magic apparel
     Bug #4610: Casting a Bound Weapon spell cancels the casting animation by equipping the weapon prematurely
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwscript/miscextensions.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwscript/miscextensions.cpp
index 72faf0afa9d..ed2ef756e6f 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwscript/miscextensions.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwscript/miscextensions.cpp
@@ -254,7 +254,26 @@ namespace MWScript
         public:
             void execute(Interpreter::Runtime& runtime) override
             {
-                MWWorld::Ptr ptr = R()(runtime);
+                MWWorld::Ptr ptr;
+                if (!R::implicit)
+                {
+                    ESM::RefId name = ESM::RefId::stringRefId(runtime.getStringLiteral(runtime[0].mInteger));
+                    runtime.pop();
+
+                    ptr = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->searchPtr(name, false);
+                    // We don't normally want to let this go, but some mods insist on trying this
+                    if (ptr.isEmpty())
+                    {
+                        const std::string error = "Failed to find an instance of object " + name.toDebugString();
+                        runtime.getContext().report(error);
+                        Log(Debug::Error) << error;
+                        return;
+                    }
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    ptr = R()(runtime);
+                }
                 MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->disable(ptr);
             }
         };