diff --git a/client/render/CAnimation.cpp b/client/render/CAnimation.cpp
index d411ae81b..514540d79 100644
--- a/client/render/CAnimation.cpp
+++ b/client/render/CAnimation.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ bool CAnimation::loadFrame(size_t frame, size_t group)
 	if(auto image = getImageImpl(frame, group, false))
 		return true;
 
-	std::shared_ptr<IImage> image = GH.renderHandler().loadImage(source[group][frame], mode);
+	std::shared_ptr<IImage> image = GH.renderHandler().loadImage(getImageLocator(frame, group), mode);
 
 	if(image)
 	{
@@ -109,19 +109,7 @@ CAnimation::~CAnimation() = default;
 
 void CAnimation::duplicateImage(const size_t sourceGroup, const size_t sourceFrame, const size_t targetGroup)
 {
-	if(!source.count(sourceGroup))
-	{
-		logAnim->error("Group %d missing in %s", sourceGroup, name.getName());
-		return;
-	}
-
-	if(source[sourceGroup].size() <= sourceFrame)
-	{
-		logAnim->error("Frame [%d %d] missing in %s", sourceGroup, sourceFrame, name.getName());
-		return;
-	}
-
-	ImageLocator clone(source[sourceGroup][sourceFrame]);
+	ImageLocator clone(getImageLocator(sourceFrame, sourceGroup));
 	source[targetGroup].push_back(clone);
 }
 
@@ -179,8 +167,9 @@ void CAnimation::horizontalFlip(size_t frame, size_t group)
 		// ignore - image not loaded
 	}
 
-	ImageLocator & locator = source.at(group).at(frame);
+	auto locator = getImageLocator(frame, group);
 	locator.horizontalFlip = !locator.horizontalFlip;
+	source[group][frame] = locator;
 }
 
 void CAnimation::verticalFlip(size_t frame, size_t group)
@@ -194,8 +183,9 @@ void CAnimation::verticalFlip(size_t frame, size_t group)
 		// ignore - image not loaded
 	}
 
-	ImageLocator & locator = source.at(group).at(frame);
+	auto locator = getImageLocator(frame, group);
 	locator.verticalFlip = !locator.verticalFlip;
+	source[group][frame] = locator;
 }
 
 void CAnimation::playerColored(PlayerColor player)
@@ -213,3 +203,13 @@ void CAnimation::createFlippedGroup(const size_t sourceGroup, const size_t targe
 		verticalFlip(frame, targetGroup);
 	}
 }
+
+ImageLocator CAnimation::getImageLocator(size_t frame, size_t group) const
+{
+	const ImageLocator & locator = source.at(group).at(frame);
+
+	if (!locator.empty())
+		return locator;
+
+	return ImageLocator(name, frame, group);
+}
diff --git a/client/render/CAnimation.h b/client/render/CAnimation.h
index 13b96ed25..75c8d1566 100644
--- a/client/render/CAnimation.h
+++ b/client/render/CAnimation.h
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ private:
 	void printError(size_t frame, size_t group, std::string type) const;
 
 	std::shared_ptr<IImage> getImageImpl(size_t frame, size_t group=0, bool verbose=true);
+
+	ImageLocator getImageLocator(size_t frame, size_t group) const;
 public:
 	CAnimation(const AnimationPath & Name, std::map<size_t, std::vector <ImageLocator> > layout, EImageBlitMode mode);
 	~CAnimation();
diff --git a/client/render/ImageLocator.cpp b/client/render/ImageLocator.cpp
index f1c94462e..250fd2f47 100644
--- a/client/render/ImageLocator.cpp
+++ b/client/render/ImageLocator.cpp
@@ -49,3 +49,8 @@ bool ImageLocator::operator<(const ImageLocator & other) const
 		return verticalFlip < other.verticalFlip;
 	return horizontalFlip < other.horizontalFlip;
 }
+
+bool ImageLocator::empty() const
+{
+	return !image.has_value() && !defFile.has_value();
+}
diff --git a/client/render/ImageLocator.h b/client/render/ImageLocator.h
index 13b6f1625..875b537c1 100644
--- a/client/render/ImageLocator.h
+++ b/client/render/ImageLocator.h
@@ -22,8 +22,10 @@ struct ImageLocator
 	bool horizontalFlip = false;
 
 	ImageLocator() = default;
-	ImageLocator(const JsonNode & config);
-	ImageLocator(const ImagePath & path);
 	ImageLocator(const AnimationPath & path, int frame, int group);
+	explicit ImageLocator(const JsonNode & config);
+	explicit ImageLocator(const ImagePath & path);
+
 	bool operator < (const ImageLocator & other) const;
+	bool empty() const;
 };
diff --git a/client/renderSDL/RenderHandler.cpp b/client/renderSDL/RenderHandler.cpp
index bfaf83ec1..ae932a16a 100644
--- a/client/renderSDL/RenderHandler.cpp
+++ b/client/renderSDL/RenderHandler.cpp
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ void RenderHandler::initFromJson(AnimationLayoutMap & source, const JsonNode & c
 			JsonNode toAdd;
 			JsonUtils::inherit(toAdd, base);
 			toAdd["file"].String() = basepath + frame.String();
-			source[groupID].push_back(toAdd);
+			source[groupID].push_back(ImageLocator(toAdd));
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ void RenderHandler::initFromJson(AnimationLayoutMap & source, const JsonNode & c
 		JsonNode toAdd;
 		JsonUtils::inherit(toAdd, base);
 		toAdd["file"].String() = basepath + node["file"].String();
-		source[group][frame] = toAdd;
+		source[group][frame] = ImageLocator(toAdd);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -141,10 +141,10 @@ std::shared_ptr<IConstImage> RenderHandler::loadImageFromAnimationFileUncached(c
 	if (frame >= layout.at(group).size())
 		return loadImageFromSingleFile(ImagePath::builtin("DEFAULT"));
 
-	const auto & config = layout.at(group).at(frame);
-	if (config.image)
+	const auto & locator = layout.at(group).at(frame);
+	if (locator.image)
 	{
-		return loadImageImpl(ImageLocator(config));
+		return loadImageImpl(locator);
 	}
 	else
 	{
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ std::shared_ptr<IConstImage> RenderHandler::loadImageImpl(const ImageLocator & l
 
 	std::shared_ptr<IConstImage> result;
 
-	if (!locator.image)
+	if (locator.image)
 		result = loadImageFromSingleFile(*locator.image);
 	else if (locator.defFile)
 		result = loadImageFromAnimationFile(*locator.defFile, locator.defFrame, locator.defGroup);
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ void RenderHandler::addImageListEntries(const EntityService * service)
 			if (index >= layout[group].size())
 				layout[group].resize(index + 1);
 
-			layout[group][index] = entry;
+			layout[group][index] = ImageLocator(entry);
 		});
 	});
 }