diff --git a/src/animations/animation_base.cpp b/src/animations/animation_base.cpp
index 029273cf7..8c4c191a3 100644
--- a/src/animations/animation_base.cpp
+++ b/src/animations/animation_base.cpp
@@ -46,6 +46,14 @@ AnimationBase::AnimationBase(const XMLNode &node)
         m_playing = false;
     }
     reset();
+
+    m_animation_duration = -1.0f;
+    for (const Ipo* currIpo : m_all_ipos)
+    {
+        m_animation_duration = std::max(m_animation_duration,
+            currIpo->getEndTime());
+    }
+
 }   // AnimationBase
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /** Special constructor which takes one IPO (or curve). This is used by the
diff --git a/src/animations/animation_base.hpp b/src/animations/animation_base.hpp
index 8f5430542..4bd370a85 100644
--- a/src/animations/animation_base.hpp
+++ b/src/animations/animation_base.hpp
@@ -62,7 +62,9 @@ protected:
 
     /** True if the animation is currently playing. */
     bool  m_playing;
-    
+
+    float m_animation_duration;
+
 public:
                  AnimationBase(const XMLNode &node);
                  AnimationBase(Ipo *ipo);
@@ -85,18 +87,7 @@ public:
     void         setPlaying(bool playing) {m_playing = playing; }
 
     // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-    float getAnimationDuration() const
-    {
-        float duration = -1;
-
-        for (const Ipo* currIpo : m_all_ipos)
-        {
-            duration = std::max(duration, currIpo->getEndTime());
-        }
-
-        return duration;
-    }
+    float getAnimationDuration() const         { return m_animation_duration; }
 
 };   // AnimationBase
 
diff --git a/src/animations/three_d_animation.cpp b/src/animations/three_d_animation.cpp
index cbe260d33..5627d0dc0 100644
--- a/src/animations/three_d_animation.cpp
+++ b/src/animations/three_d_animation.cpp
@@ -69,17 +69,21 @@ ThreeDAnimation::~ThreeDAnimation()
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /** Updates position and rotation of this model. Called once per time step.
- *  \param dt Time since last call.
  */
-void ThreeDAnimation::update(float dt)
+void ThreeDAnimation::updateWithWorldTicks()
 {
     Vec3 xyz   = m_object->getPosition();
     Vec3 scale = m_object->getScale();
 
-    //make the object think no time has passed to pause it's animation
-    if (m_is_paused)dt = 0;
+    float position = 0.0f;
+    if (!m_is_paused)
+    {
+        int cur_ticks = World::getWorld()->getTicksSinceStart();
+        float cur_time = stk_config->ticks2Time(cur_ticks);
+        position = fmodf(cur_time, m_animation_duration);
+    }
 
-    AnimationBase::update(dt, &xyz, &m_hpr, &scale);     //updates all IPOs
+    AnimationBase::getAt(position, &xyz, &m_hpr, &scale);     //updates all IPOs
     //m_node->setPosition(xyz.toIrrVector());
     //m_node->setScale(scale.toIrrVector());
 
diff --git a/src/animations/three_d_animation.hpp b/src/animations/three_d_animation.hpp
index 4ed22c08f..bc42f13d2 100644
--- a/src/animations/three_d_animation.hpp
+++ b/src/animations/three_d_animation.hpp
@@ -68,12 +68,13 @@ private:
       */
     bool                  m_important_animation;
 
-    //scene::ISceneNode*    m_node;
 
 public:
                  ThreeDAnimation(const XMLNode &node, TrackObject* object);
     virtual     ~ThreeDAnimation();
-    virtual void update(float dt);
+    virtual void update(float dt) {}
+    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    void updateWithWorldTicks();
     // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     /** Returns true if a collision with this object should
      * trigger a rescue. */
diff --git a/src/tracks/track_object.cpp b/src/tracks/track_object.cpp
index 392388868..58b9636ac 100644
--- a/src/tracks/track_object.cpp
+++ b/src/tracks/track_object.cpp
@@ -530,25 +530,18 @@ void TrackObject::resetEnabled()
  */
 void TrackObject::updateGraphics(float dt)
 {
-
-    // FIXME: At this stage neither m_presentation nor m_animator
-    // have been converted to use separate updateGraphics() calls.
-
     if (m_physical_object) m_physical_object->updateGraphics(dt);
-    if (m_animator) m_animator->update(dt);
-
 }   // update
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-/** This updates all only graphical elements. It is only called once per
- *  rendered frame, not once per time step.
+/** This updates once per physics time step.
  *  float dt Time since last rame.
  */
 void TrackObject::update(float dt)
 {
     if (m_presentation) m_presentation->update(dt);
     if (m_physical_object) m_physical_object->update(dt);
-
+    if (m_animator) m_animator->updateWithWorldTicks();
 }   // update
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------