diff --git a/interface/src/AvatarBookmarks.cpp b/interface/src/AvatarBookmarks.cpp
index 5c79bedc9a..631ea94b49 100644
--- a/interface/src/AvatarBookmarks.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/AvatarBookmarks.cpp
@@ -78,8 +78,10 @@ void addAvatarEntities(const QVariantList& avatarEntities) {
                 }
 
                 entity->setLastBroadcast(usecTimestampNow());
-                // since we're creating this object we will immediately volunteer to own its simulation
-                entity->setScriptSimulationPriority(VOLUNTEER_SIMULATION_PRIORITY);
+                if (entityProperties.getDynamic()) {
+                    // since we're creating a dynamic object we volunteer immediately to own its simulation
+                    entity->upgradeScriptSimulationPriority(VOLUNTEER_SIMULATION_PRIORITY);
+                }
                 entityProperties.setLastEdited(entity->getLastEdited());
             } else {
                 qCDebug(entities) << "AvatarEntitiesBookmark failed to add new Entity to local Octree";
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.cpp b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.cpp
index c4ef74a0d7..36ffc68fd3 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.cpp
@@ -1382,8 +1382,11 @@ void EntityItem::getTransformAndVelocityProperties(EntityItemProperties& propert
     properties._accelerationChanged = true;
 }
 
-void EntityItem::setScriptSimulationPriority(uint8_t priority) {
-    uint8_t newPriority = stillHasGrabActions() ? glm::max(priority, SCRIPT_GRAB_SIMULATION_PRIORITY) : priority;
+void EntityItem::upgradeScriptSimulationPriority(uint8_t priority) {
+    uint8_t newPriority = glm::max(priority, _scriptSimulationPriority);
+    if (newPriority < SCRIPT_GRAB_SIMULATION_PRIORITY && stillHasGrabActions()) {
+        newPriority = SCRIPT_GRAB_SIMULATION_PRIORITY;
+    }
     if (newPriority != _scriptSimulationPriority) {
         // set the dirty flag to trigger a bid or ownership update
         markDirtyFlags(Simulation::DIRTY_SIMULATION_OWNERSHIP_PRIORITY);
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h
index 2fa60e17cb..c49017b2e0 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ public:
     // TODO: move this "ScriptSimulationPriority" and "PendingOwnership" stuff into EntityMotionState
     // but first would need to do some other cleanup. In the meantime these live here as "scratch space"
     // to allow libs that don't know about each other to communicate.
-    void setScriptSimulationPriority(uint8_t priority);
+    void upgradeScriptSimulationPriority(uint8_t priority);
     void clearScriptSimulationPriority();
     uint8_t getScriptSimulationPriority() const { return _scriptSimulationPriority; }
     void setPendingOwnershipPriority(uint8_t priority);
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityScriptingInterface.cpp b/libraries/entities/src/EntityScriptingInterface.cpp
index e745bf0874..73b9a58fc1 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityScriptingInterface.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityScriptingInterface.cpp
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ bool EntityScriptingInterface::addLocalEntityCopy(EntityItemProperties& properti
 
                 entity->setLastBroadcast(usecTimestampNow());
                 // since we're creating this object we will immediately volunteer to own its simulation
-                entity->setScriptSimulationPriority(VOLUNTEER_SIMULATION_PRIORITY);
+                entity->upgradeScriptSimulationPriority(VOLUNTEER_SIMULATION_PRIORITY);
                 properties.setLastEdited(entity->getLastEdited());
             } else {
                 qCDebug(entities) << "script failed to add new Entity to local Octree";
@@ -569,16 +569,20 @@ QUuid EntityScriptingInterface::editEntity(QUuid id, const EntityItemProperties&
                     //    TODO: figure out how to change simulation ownership priority
                     //}
                 } else {
-                    // we don't own the simulation
+                    // we don't own the simulation but think we would like to
+                    // --> flag the object for simulation ownership at at least POKE
+                    // (the bid for simulation ownership (if any) will be sent by the physics simulation)
+                    entity->upgradeScriptSimulationPriority(SCRIPT_POKE_SIMULATION_PRIORITY);
+
                     uint8_t desiredPriority = entity->getScriptSimulationPriority();
                     if (desiredPriority < simulationOwner.getPriority()) {
-                        // we don't desire to own it --> clear restricted properties
+                        // the priority at which we'd like to own it is not high enough
+                        // --> assume failure and clear all restricted property changes
                         properties.clearSimulationRestrictedProperties();
                     } else {
-                        // we want to own it --> copy ALL restricted properties
+                        // the priority at which we'd like to own it is high enough to win.
+                        // --> assume success and copy ALL restricted properties
                         properties.copySimulationRestrictedProperties(entity);
-                        // and also store our simulation
-                        properties.setSimulationOwner(sessionID, desiredPriority);
                     }
                 }
             } else if (!simulationOwner.getID().isNull()) {
@@ -587,7 +591,7 @@ QUuid EntityScriptingInterface::editEntity(QUuid id, const EntityItemProperties&
                 properties.clearSimulationRestrictedProperties();
             }
             // clear the cached simulationPriority level
-            entity->setScriptSimulationPriority(0);
+            entity->upgradeScriptSimulationPriority(0);
         }
 
         // set these to make EntityItemProperties::getScalesWithParent() work correctly
@@ -1452,7 +1456,7 @@ QUuid EntityScriptingInterface::addAction(const QString& actionTypeString,
         }
         action->setIsMine(true);
         success = entity->addAction(simulation, action);
-        entity->setScriptSimulationPriority(SCRIPT_GRAB_SIMULATION_PRIORITY);
+        entity->upgradeScriptSimulationPriority(SCRIPT_GRAB_SIMULATION_PRIORITY);
         return false; // Physics will cause a packet to be sent, so don't send from here.
     });
     if (success) {
@@ -1468,7 +1472,7 @@ bool EntityScriptingInterface::updateAction(const QUuid& entityID, const QUuid&
     return actionWorker(entityID, [&](EntitySimulationPointer simulation, EntityItemPointer entity) {
         bool success = entity->updateAction(simulation, actionID, arguments);
         if (success) {
-            entity->setScriptSimulationPriority(SCRIPT_GRAB_SIMULATION_PRIORITY);
+            entity->upgradeScriptSimulationPriority(SCRIPT_GRAB_SIMULATION_PRIORITY);
         }
         return success;
     });
@@ -1482,7 +1486,7 @@ bool EntityScriptingInterface::deleteAction(const QUuid& entityID, const QUuid&
         success = entity->removeAction(simulation, actionID);
         if (success) {
             // reduce from grab to poke
-            entity->setScriptSimulationPriority(SCRIPT_POKE_SIMULATION_PRIORITY);
+            entity->upgradeScriptSimulationPriority(SCRIPT_POKE_SIMULATION_PRIORITY);
         }
         return false; // Physics will cause a packet to be sent, so don't send from here.
     });