diff --git a/src/handle_action.cpp b/src/handle_action.cpp
index 270fd74b2219b..a2feae6fdd25d 100644
--- a/src/handle_action.cpp
+++ b/src/handle_action.cpp
@@ -1781,13 +1781,11 @@ static void cast_spell()
         }
     }
 
-    const int spell_index = player_character.magic->select_spell( player_character );
-    if( spell_index < 0 ) {
+    spell &sp = player_character.magic->select_spell( player_character );
+    // if no spell was selected
+    if( sp.id().is_null() ) {
         return;
     }
-
-    spell &sp = *player_character.magic->get_spells()[spell_index];
-
     player_character.cast_spell( sp, false, std::nullopt );
 }
 
diff --git a/src/magic.cpp b/src/magic.cpp
index bf34c56064ba4..0700660486ece 100644
--- a/src/magic.cpp
+++ b/src/magic.cpp
@@ -2812,7 +2812,7 @@ int known_magic::get_invlet( const spell_id &sp, std::set<int> &used_invlets )
     return 0;
 }
 
-int known_magic::select_spell( Character &guy )
+spell &known_magic::select_spell( Character &guy )
 {
     std::vector<spell *> known_spells_sorted = get_spells();
 
@@ -2905,8 +2905,12 @@ int known_magic::select_spell( Character &guy )
     spell_menu.query( true, 50, true );
 
     casting_ignore = static_cast<spellcasting_callback *>( spell_menu.callback )->casting_ignore;
-
-    return spell_menu.ret;
+    if( spell_menu.ret < 0 ) {
+        static spell null_spell_reference( spell_id::NULL_ID() );
+        return null_spell_reference;
+    }
+    spell *selected_spell = known_spells_sorted[spell_menu.ret];
+    return *selected_spell;
 }
 
 void known_magic::on_mutation_gain( const trait_id &mid, Character &guy )
@@ -2963,7 +2967,6 @@ static std::string color_number( const float num )
         return colorize( "0", c_white );
     }
 }
-
 static void draw_spellbook_info( const spell_type &sp )
 {
     const spell fake_spell( sp.id );
diff --git a/src/magic.h b/src/magic.h
index 93b94b343f889..61057e5b20f63 100644
--- a/src/magic.h
+++ b/src/magic.h
@@ -689,8 +689,8 @@ class known_magic
         // gets the spell associated with the spell_id to be edited
         spell &get_spell( const spell_id &sp );
         // opens up a ui that the Character can choose a spell from
-        // returns the index of the spell in the vector of spells
-        int select_spell( Character &guy );
+        // returns the selected spell
+        spell &select_spell( Character &guy );
         // get all known spells
         std::vector<spell *> get_spells();
         // directly get the character known spells