Index: binaries/data/mods/public/simulation/components/UnitAI.js
===================================================================
--- binaries/data/mods/public/simulation/components/UnitAI.js
+++ binaries/data/mods/public/simulation/components/UnitAI.js
@@ -2419,6 +2419,11 @@
 			"APPROACHING": {
 				"enter": function() {
 					this.gatheringTarget = this.order.data.target;	// temporary, deleted in "leave".
+					if (this.CheckRange(this.order.data, IID_ResourceGatherer))
+					{
+						this.SetNextState("GATHERING");
+						return true;
+					}
 
 					// If we can't move, assume we'll fail any subsequent order
 					// and finish the order entirely to avoid an infinite loop.
@@ -2449,11 +2454,6 @@
 						this.SetNextState("FINDINGNEWTARGET");
 						return true;
 					}
-					if (this.CheckRange(this.order.data, IID_ResourceGatherer))
-					{
-						this.SetNextState("GATHERING");
-						return true;
-					}
 					this.SetAnimationVariant("approach_" + this.order.data.type.specific);
 					return false;
 				},
@@ -2523,13 +2523,13 @@
 					this.order.data.force = false;
 					this.order.data.autoharvest = true;
 
+					this.FaceTowardsTarget(this.order.data.target);
 					if (!cmpResourceGatherer.StartGathering(this.order.data.target, IID_UnitAI))
 					{
 						this.ProcessMessage("TargetInvalidated");
 						return true;
 					}
 
-					this.FaceTowardsTarget(this.order.data.target);
 					return false;
 				},
 
@@ -2661,12 +2661,13 @@
 					}
 					this.order.data.formerTarget = this.order.data.target;
 					this.order.data.target = nearestDropsite;
+					this.SetDefaultAnimationVariant();
+
 					if (this.CheckTargetRange(this.order.data.target, IID_ResourceGatherer))
 					{
 						this.SetNextState("DROPPINGRESOURCES");
 						return true;
 					}
-					this.SetDefaultAnimationVariant();
 					this.SetNextState("APPROACHING");
 					return true;
 				},
@@ -2683,6 +2684,7 @@
 							cmpResourceGatherer.IsTargetInRange(this.order.data.target))
 						{
 							cmpResourceGatherer.CommitResources(this.order.data.target);
+							this.SetDefaultAnimationVariant();
 							this.SetNextState("GATHER.APPROACHING");
 						}
 						else