diff --git a/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/nearParentGrabEntity.js b/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/nearParentGrabEntity.js
index a9f3fbd668..75f8d28c85 100644
--- a/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/nearParentGrabEntity.js
+++ b/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/nearParentGrabEntity.js
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@
    TRIGGER_OFF_VALUE, makeDispatcherModuleParameters, entityIsGrabbable, makeRunningValues, NEAR_GRAB_RADIUS,
    findGroupParent, Vec3, cloneEntity, entityIsCloneable, propsAreCloneDynamic, HAPTIC_PULSE_STRENGTH,
    HAPTIC_PULSE_DURATION, BUMPER_ON_VALUE, findHandChildEntities, TEAR_AWAY_DISTANCE, MSECS_PER_SEC, TEAR_AWAY_CHECK_TIME,
-   TEAR_AWAY_COUNT, distanceBetweenPointAndEntityBoundingBox, print, Uuid, highlightTargetEntity, unhighlightTargetEntity
+   TEAR_AWAY_COUNT, distanceBetweenPointAndEntityBoundingBox, print, Uuid, highlightTargetEntity, unhighlightTargetEntity,
+   distanceBetweenEntityLocalPositionAndBoundingBox
 */
 
 Script.include("/~/system/libraries/controllerDispatcherUtils.js");
@@ -172,12 +173,9 @@ Script.include("/~/system/libraries/cloneEntityUtils.js");
             if (now - this.lastUnequipCheckTime > MSECS_PER_SEC * TEAR_AWAY_CHECK_TIME) {
                 this.lastUnequipCheckTime = now;
                 if (props.parentID === MyAvatar.SELF_ID) {
-                    var tearAwayDistance = TEAR_AWAY_DISTANCE;
-                    var localX = props.localPosition.x;
-                    var localZ = props.localPosition.z;
-                    var localY = props.localPosition.y;
-                    if ((localX > tearAwayDistance) || (localY > tearAwayDistance) ||
-                        (localZ > tearAwayDistance)) {
+                    var tearAwayDistance = TEAR_AWAY_DISTANCE * MyAvatar.sensorToWorldScale;
+                    var distance = distanceBetweenEntityLocalPositionAndBoundingBox(props);
+                    if (distance > tearAwayDistance) {
                         this.autoUnequipCounter++;
                     } else {
                         this.autoUnequipCounter = 0;
diff --git a/scripts/system/libraries/controllerDispatcherUtils.js b/scripts/system/libraries/controllerDispatcherUtils.js
index 9a886372b8..e817bb4ee1 100644
--- a/scripts/system/libraries/controllerDispatcherUtils.js
+++ b/scripts/system/libraries/controllerDispatcherUtils.js
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@
    highlightTargetEntity:true,
    clearHighlightedEntities:true,
    unhighlightTargetEntity:true
+   distanceBetweenEntityLocalPositionAndBoundingBox: true
 */
 
 MSECS_PER_SEC = 1000.0;
@@ -415,6 +416,25 @@ findHandChildEntities = function(hand) {
     });
 };
 
+distanceBetweenEntityLocalPositionAndBoundingBox = function(entityProps) {
+    var localPoint = entityProps.localPosition;
+    var entityXform = new Xform(entityProps.rotation, entityProps.position);
+    var minOffset = Vec3.multiplyVbyV(entityProps.registrationPoint, entityProps.dimensions);
+    var maxOffset = Vec3.multiplyVbyV(Vec3.subtract(ONE_VEC, entityProps.registrationPoint), entityProps.dimensions);
+    var localMin = Vec3.subtract(entityXform.trans, minOffset);
+    var localMax = Vec3.sum(entityXform.trans, maxOffset);
+
+    var v = {x: localPoint.x, y: localPoint.y, z: localPoint.z};
+    v.x = Math.max(v.x, localMin.x);
+    v.x = Math.min(v.x, localMax.x);
+    v.y = Math.max(v.y, localMin.y);
+    v.y = Math.min(v.y, localMax.y);
+    v.z = Math.max(v.z, localMin.z);
+    v.z = Math.min(v.z, localMax.z);
+
+    return Vec3.distance(v, localPoint);
+};
+
 distanceBetweenPointAndEntityBoundingBox = function(point, entityProps) {
     var entityXform = new Xform(entityProps.rotation, entityProps.position);
     var localPoint = entityXform.inv().xformPoint(point);