diff --git a/scripts/system/controllers/handControllerGrab.js b/scripts/system/controllers/handControllerGrab.js
index e2a982b308..bc7c77a286 100644
--- a/scripts/system/controllers/handControllerGrab.js
+++ b/scripts/system/controllers/handControllerGrab.js
@@ -2091,12 +2091,12 @@ function MyController(hand) {
                 var TEAR_AWAY_DISTANCE = 0.1;
                 var dist = distanceBetweenPointAndEntityBoundingBox(handPosition, props);
                 if (dist > TEAR_AWAY_DISTANCE) {
-                    this.autoUnequipCounter += 1;
+                    this.autoUnequipCounter += deltaTime;
                 } else {
                     this.autoUnequipCounter = 0;
                 }
 
-                if (this.autoUnequipCounter > 1) {
+                if (this.autoUnequipCounter > 0.25) {
                         // for whatever reason, the held/equipped entity has been pulled away.  ungrab or unequip.
                     print("handControllerGrab -- autoreleasing held or equipped item because it is far from hand." +
                         props.parentID + ", dist = " + dist);