diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/Animation.cs b/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/Animation.cs
index ff8d3cd446..d851c20094 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/Animation.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/Animation.cs
@@ -23,9 +23,12 @@ namespace OpenRA.Graphics
 
 		int frame = 0;
 		bool backwards = false;
-		bool tickAlways;
+
 		string name;
 
+		readonly int defaultTick = 40; // 25 fps == 40 ms
+		bool tickAlways;
+
 		public string Name { get { return name; } }
 
 		readonly SequenceProvider sequenceProvider;
@@ -66,6 +69,12 @@ namespace OpenRA.Graphics
 			return Render(pos, WVec.Zero, 0, palette, 1f);
 		}
 
+		public void Initialize(string sequenceName)
+		{
+			CurrentSequence = sequenceProvider.GetSequence(name, sequenceName);
+			tickAlways = true;
+		}
+
 		public void Play(string sequenceName)
 		{
 			PlayThen(sequenceName, null);
@@ -149,7 +158,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Graphics
 				while (timeUntilNextFrame <= 0)
 				{
 					tickFunc();
-					timeUntilNextFrame += CurrentSequence != null ? CurrentSequence.Tick : 40; // 25 fps == 40 ms
+					timeUntilNextFrame += CurrentSequence != null ? CurrentSequence.Tick : defaultTick;
 				}
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.RA/Render/RenderBuilding.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.RA/Render/RenderBuilding.cs
index 2cff096996..e30569fbf5 100755
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.RA/Render/RenderBuilding.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.RA/Render/RenderBuilding.cs
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.RA.Render
 			this.info = info;
 			skipMakeAnimation = init.Contains<SkipMakeAnimsInit>();
 
-			DefaultAnimation.PlayRepeating(NormalizeSequence(self, "idle"));
+			DefaultAnimation.Initialize(NormalizeSequence(self, "idle"));
+
 			self.Trait<IBodyOrientation>().SetAutodetectedFacings(DefaultAnimation.CurrentSequence.Facings);
 		}
 
@@ -71,6 +72,8 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.RA.Render
 
 		public virtual void BuildingComplete(Actor self)
 		{
+			DefaultAnimation.PlayRepeating(NormalizeSequence(self, "idle"));
+
 			if (info.PauseOnLowPower)
 			{
 				var disabled = self.TraitsImplementing<IDisable>();