diff --git a/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/SceneObjectPart.cs b/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/SceneObjectPart.cs
index dcec7e9681..937f43e1e8 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/SceneObjectPart.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/SceneObjectPart.cs
@@ -135,6 +135,11 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Framework.Scenes
             get { return ParentGroup.RootPart == this; } 
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Is the sit target of this part occupied?
+        /// </summary>
+        public bool IsSitTargetOccupied { get { return SitTargetAvatar != UUID.Zero; } }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Is an explicit sit target set for this part?
         /// </summary>
@@ -736,7 +741,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Framework.Scenes
                 }
                 
                 // TODO if we decide to do sitting in a more SL compatible way (multiple avatars per prim), this has to be fixed, too
-                if (SitTargetAvatar != UUID.Zero)
+                if (IsSitTargetOccupied)
                 {
                     ScenePresence avatar;
                     if (ParentGroup.Scene.TryGetScenePresence(SitTargetAvatar, out avatar))
diff --git a/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/ScenePresence.cs b/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/ScenePresence.cs
index a8c98edbdc..c824e56796 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/ScenePresence.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/ScenePresence.cs
@@ -1846,7 +1846,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Framework.Scenes
             //look for prims with explicit sit targets that are available
             foreach (SceneObjectPart part in partArray)
             {
-                if (part.IsSitTargetSet && part.SitTargetAvatar == UUID.Zero)
+                if (part.IsSitTargetSet && !part.IsSitTargetOccupied)
                 {
                     //switch the target to this prim
                     return part;
@@ -1878,7 +1878,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Framework.Scenes
 
             if (part.IsSitTargetSet)
             {
-                if (part.SitTargetAvatar == UUID.Zero)
+                if (!part.IsSitTargetOccupied)
                 {
 //                    m_log.DebugFormat(
 //                        "[SCENE PRESENCE]: Sitting {0} on {1} {2} because sit target is set and unoccupied",