diff --git a/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/nearParentGrabEntity.js b/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/nearParentGrabEntity.js
index 1cfaf87852..c26285cdcc 100644
--- a/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/nearParentGrabEntity.js
+++ b/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/nearParentGrabEntity.js
@@ -23,6 +23,20 @@ Script.include("/~/system/libraries/cloneEntityUtils.js");
     // XXX this.ignoreIK = (grabbableData.ignoreIK !== undefined) ? grabbableData.ignoreIK : true;
     // XXX this.kinematicGrab = (grabbableData.kinematic !== undefined) ? grabbableData.kinematic : NEAR_GRABBING_KINEMATIC;
 
+    var GRAB_POINT_SPHERE_OFFSET = { x: 0.01, y: -0.13, z: 0.039 };
+
+    function getGrabPointSphereOffset(handController) {
+        var offset = GRAB_POINT_SPHERE_OFFSET;
+        if (handController === Controller.Standard.LeftHand) {
+            offset = {
+                x: -GRAB_POINT_SPHERE_OFFSET.x,
+                y: GRAB_POINT_SPHERE_OFFSET.y,
+                z: GRAB_POINT_SPHERE_OFFSET.z
+            };
+        }
+        return Vec3.multiply(MyAvatar.sensorToWorldScale, offset);
+    }
+
     function NearParentingGrabEntity(hand) {
         this.hand = hand;
         this.targetEntityID = null;
@@ -174,7 +188,9 @@ Script.include("/~/system/libraries/cloneEntityUtils.js");
                 this.lastUnequipCheckTime = now;
                 if (props.parentID === MyAvatar.SELF_ID) {
                     var tearAwayDistance = TEAR_AWAY_DISTANCE * MyAvatar.sensorToWorldScale;
-                    var distance = distanceBetweenPointAndEntityBoundingBox(props);
+                    var controllerIndex = (this.hand === LEFT_HAND ? Controller.Standard.LeftHand : Controller.Standard.RightHand);
+                    var controllerGrabOffset = getGrabPointSphereOffset(controllerIndex);
+                    var distance = distanceBetweenEntityLocalPositionAndBoundingBox(props, controllerGrabOffset);
                     if (distance > tearAwayDistance) {
                         this.autoUnequipCounter++;
                     } else {
diff --git a/scripts/system/libraries/controllerDispatcherUtils.js b/scripts/system/libraries/controllerDispatcherUtils.js
index 717ec2aa80..1926b77d04 100644
--- a/scripts/system/libraries/controllerDispatcherUtils.js
+++ b/scripts/system/libraries/controllerDispatcherUtils.js
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
    entityIsFarGrabbedByOther:true,
    highlightTargetEntity:true,
    clearHighlightedEntities:true,
-   unhighlightTargetEntity:true
+   unhighlightTargetEntity:true,
    distanceBetweenEntityLocalPositionAndBoundingBox: true
 */
 
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ COLORS_GRAB_DISTANCE_HOLD = { red: 238, green: 75, blue: 214 };
 
 NEAR_GRAB_RADIUS = 1.0;
 
-TEAR_AWAY_DISTANCE = 0.1; // ungrab an entity if its bounding-box moves this far from the hand
+TEAR_AWAY_DISTANCE = 0.2; // ungrab an entity if its bounding-box moves this far from the hand
 TEAR_AWAY_COUNT = 2; // multiply by TEAR_AWAY_CHECK_TIME to know how long the item must be away
 TEAR_AWAY_CHECK_TIME = 0.15; // seconds, duration between checks
 DISPATCHER_HOVERING_LIST = "dispactherHoveringList";
@@ -416,6 +416,30 @@ findHandChildEntities = function(hand) {
     });
 };
 
+distanceBetweenEntityLocalPositionAndBoundingBox = function(entityProps, jointGrabOffset) {
+    var DEFAULT_REGISTRATION_POINT = { x: 0.5, y: 0.5, z: 0.5 };
+    var rotInv = Quat.inverse(entityProps.localRotation);
+    var localPosition = Vec3.sum(entityProps.localPosition, jointGrabOffset);
+    var localPoint = Vec3.multiplyQbyV(rotInv, Vec3.multiply(localPosition, -1.0));
+
+    var halfDims = Vec3.multiply(entityProps.dimensions, 0.5);
+    var regRatio = Vec3.subtract(DEFAULT_REGISTRATION_POINT, entityProps.registrationPoint);
+    var entityCenter = Vec3.multiplyVbyV(regRatio, entityProps.dimensions);
+    var localMin = Vec3.subtract(entityCenter, halfDims);
+    var localMax = Vec3.sum(entityCenter, halfDims);
+
+    if ((localMin.x < localPoint.x) && (localMin.y < localPoint.y) && (localMin.z < localPoint.z)) {
+        if ((localMax.x > localPoint.x) && (localMax.y > localPoint.y) && (localMax.z > localPoint.z)) {
+            return 0;
+        }
+    }
+
+
+    var distanceToLocalMax = Vec3.distance(localMax, localPoint);
+    var distanceToLocalMin = Vec3.distance(localMin, localPoint);
+    return Math.min(distanceToLocalMax, distanceToLocalMin);
+};
+
 distanceBetweenPointAndEntityBoundingBox = function(point, entityProps) {
     var entityXform = new Xform(entityProps.rotation, entityProps.position);
     var localPoint = entityXform.inv().xformPoint(point);