diff --git a/src/karts/abstract_kart.hpp b/src/karts/abstract_kart.hpp
index 71a155178..b15d5c2a1 100644
--- a/src/karts/abstract_kart.hpp
+++ b/src/karts/abstract_kart.hpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "karts/controller/kart_control.hpp"
 #include "race/race_manager.hpp"
 
+class AbstractKartAnimation;
 class Attachment;
 class btKart;
 class btQuaternion;
@@ -31,7 +32,6 @@ class btUprightConstraint;
 class Camera;
 class Controller;
 class Item;
-class AbstractKartAnimation;
 class KartModel;
 class KartProperties;
 class Material;
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ public:
                                                    { return m_kart_animation; }
     // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     /** Sets a new kart animation. */
-    void setKartAnimation(AbstractKartAnimation *ka);
+    virtual void setKartAnimation(AbstractKartAnimation *ka);
     // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/karts/abstract_kart_animation.hpp b/src/karts/abstract_kart_animation.hpp
index ccbe03ac6..35ba0c0ab 100644
--- a/src/karts/abstract_kart_animation.hpp
+++ b/src/karts/abstract_kart_animation.hpp
@@ -53,12 +53,12 @@ public:
     virtual     ~AbstractKartAnimation();
     virtual void update(float dt);
     // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    /** Returns the current animation timer. */
     virtual float getAnimationTimer() const { return m_timer; }
-#ifdef DEBUG
+    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     /** To easily allow printing the name of the animation being used atm.
      *  Used in AstractKart in case of an incorrect sequence of calls. */
-    virtual const std::string getName() const { return m_name; }
-#endif
+    virtual const std::string &getName() const { return m_name; }
 
 };   // AbstractKartAnimation
 
diff --git a/src/karts/kart_with_stats.cpp b/src/karts/kart_with_stats.cpp
index d570826f3..0f03cfdea 100644
--- a/src/karts/kart_with_stats.cpp
+++ b/src/karts/kart_with_stats.cpp
@@ -76,12 +76,16 @@ void KartWithStats::setKartAnimation(AbstractKartAnimation *ka)
     // Nothing to count if it's not a new animation
     if(!is_new) return;
 
-    if(dynamic_cast<ExplosionAnimation*>(ka))
+    // We can't use a dynamic cast here, since this function is called from
+    // constructor of AbstractKartAnimation, which is the base class for all
+    // animations. So at this stage ka is only an AbstractKartAnimation, not
+    // any of the derived classes.
+    if(ka && ka->getName()=="ExplosionAnimation")
     {
         m_explosion_count ++;
         m_explosion_time += ka->getAnimationTimer();
     }
-    else if(dynamic_cast<RescueAnimation*>(ka))
+    else if(ka && ka->getName()=="RescueAnimation")
     {
         m_rescue_count ++;
         m_rescue_time += ka->getAnimationTimer();