How to Fix the Bugged Thieves’ Guild Quest in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered breathes new life into a beloved RPG classic, enhancing visuals, performance, and mod support. However, even with these upgrades, some familiar bugs persist. One of the most frustrating issues involves the Thieves’ Guild quest, “Taking Care of Lex.”

How to Fix the Thieves’ Guild Quest Bug in Oblivion Remastered

Many players report a bug where after delivering a letter to The Stranger in Anvil, the quest fails to progress. Instead of returning the letter after 24 in-game hours, The Stranger only responds with, “Why are you bothering me?” and the quest stalls indefinitely.

Fortunately, there’s a reliable method to fix this bug without disabling Steam or GOG achievements. This guide will walk you through the exact steps to resolve the issue using a couple of mods and safe console commands.

What Causes the Bug?

In the “Taking Care of Lex” quest, you’re instructed to give a forged letter to The Stranger and then wait 24 in-game hours to receive it back. When the quest works correctly, this interaction helps set the wheels in motion for the Thieves’ Guild’s long-term plans.

But in the remastered version, a scripting error or conflict with the game’s timing system may cause this step to freeze. No matter how long you wait, The Stranger refuses to advance the dialogue, effectively halting your progress.

How to Fix the Bug Without Disabling Achievements

Fixing this bug requires installing two small mods and using console commands to manually move the quest forward. The key is doing so in a way that does not disable your achievements, which is where the Baka Achievement Enabler comes in.

Step 1: Install the Oblivion Remastered Script Extender (OBSE64)

The first thing you’ll need is the Oblivion Remastered Script Extender, often abbreviated as OBSE64. This is a core utility that enables the use of advanced scripting and command-line tools in Oblivion Remastered.

To install it:

1. Download OBSE64 from Nexus Mods.
2. Use a file extractor like 7-Zip if needed to open the downloaded archive.
3. Place the contents into the following directory inside your Oblivion game folder: OblivionRemastered\Binaries\Win64

This allows the game to support the console commands necessary to bypass the bug.

Step 2: Install Baka Achievement Enabler

To ensure your achievements remain intact after running console commands, install the Baka Achievement Enabler. This plugin prevents the game from marking your save as “modded” in a way that disables achievement tracking.

To install Baka Achievement Enabler:

1. Download it from Nexus Mods.
2. Extract the files with 7-Zip or a similar tool.
3. Navigate to the following path in your game files. Create the folders if they don’t exist: OblivionRemastered\Binaries\Win64\OBSE\plugins
4. Move the following two files into that folder:
   • BakaAchievementEnabler.dll
   • BakaAchievementEnabler.pdb

Step 3: Launch the Game Through OBSE64

Now that your mods are installed, launch the game by double-clicking the obse64_loader.exe file located in the Win64 folder. This ensures that OBSE64 is properly loaded along with the achievement enabler.

Step 4: Use Console Commands to Fix the Quest

With the game running through OBSE64:

1. Load your saved game.
2. Press the tilde key (~) to open the developer console.
3. Type the following three lines, one at a time, pressing Enter after each: Altar.Cheat.AllowSetStage true
   setstage TG07Lex 40
   Altar.Cheat.AllowSetStage false

This manually sets the quest stage to 40, which bypasses the broken dialogue and resumes the quest properly.

Step 5: Save Your Game and Check for Broken Achievement Status

After entering the commands, create a new save.

Go to your save file in the load menu and look for a broken trophy icon (a trophy cracked in half). If you don’t see one, then your achievements are still active and everything worked correctly.

If you do see a broken trophy icon, double-check that the Baka Achievement Enabler files are in the correct folder and that you launched the game through obse64_loader.exe.

Final Thoughts

While bugs like this can disrupt the immersive experience of Oblivion Remastered, the modding community continues to provide tools to fix common problems quickly and effectively. With OBSE64 and the Baka Achievement Enabler, players can fix the “Taking Care of Lex” quest without compromising achievements or risking game stability.

Whether you’re a veteran thief or just now donning your first gray cowl, knowing how to resolve game-breaking bugs keeps your adventures running smoothly.

Useful Resources

• Download OBSE64 on Nexus Mods
• Download Baka Achievement Enabler on Nexus Mods
• Get 7-Zip File Manager at 7-zip.org

If you encounter any other bugged quests or want to see more Oblivion Remastered fix guides, feel free to leave a comment or contact us directly. Happy thieving.

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Last Updated on May 17, 2025