diff --git a/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/equipEntity.js b/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/equipEntity.js
index 3134ec6736..0dca6f11f4 100644
--- a/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/equipEntity.js
+++ b/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/equipEntity.js
@@ -796,10 +796,11 @@ EquipHotspotBuddy.prototype.update = function(deltaTime, timestamp, controllerDa
         var pickRay = Camera.computePickRay(event.x, event.y);
         var intersection = Entities.findRayIntersection(pickRay, true);
         if (intersection.intersects) {
-            var entityProperties = Entities.getEntityProperties(intersection.entityID, DISPATCHER_PROPERTIES);
+            var entityID = intersection.entityID;
+            var entityProperties = Entities.getEntityProperties(entityID, DISPATCHER_PROPERTIES);
             var hasEquipData = getWearableData(entityProperties).joints || getEquipHotspotsData(entityProperties).length > 0;
-            if (hasEquipData && entityProperties.parentID === EMPTY_PARENT_ID) {
-                entityProperties.id = intersection.entityID;
+            if (hasEquipData && entityProperties.parentID === EMPTY_PARENT_ID && !entityIsFarGrabbedByOther(entityID)) {
+                entityProperties.id = entityID;
                 var rightHandPosition = MyAvatar.getJointPosition("RightHand");
                 var leftHandPosition = MyAvatar.getJointPosition("LeftHand");   
                 var distanceToRightHand = Vec3.distance(entityProperties.position, rightHandPosition);
@@ -809,11 +810,11 @@ EquipHotspotBuddy.prototype.update = function(deltaTime, timestamp, controllerDa
                 var mouseEquip = true;
                 if (rightHandAvailable && (distanceToRightHand < distanceToLeftHand || !leftHandAvailable)) {
                     // clear any existing grab actions on the entity now (their later removal could affect bootstrapping flags)
-                    clearGrabActions(intersection.entityID);
+                    clearGrabActions(entityID);
                     rightEquipEntity.setMessageGrabData(entityProperties, mouseEquip);
                 } else if (leftHandAvailable && (distanceToLeftHand < distanceToRightHand || !rightHandAvailable)) {
                     // clear any existing grab actions on the entity now (their later removal could affect bootstrapping flags)
-                    clearGrabActions(intersection.entityID);
+                    clearGrabActions(entityID);
                     leftEquipEntity.setMessageGrabData(entityProperties, mouseEquip);
                 }
             }
diff --git a/scripts/system/libraries/controllerDispatcherUtils.js b/scripts/system/libraries/controllerDispatcherUtils.js
index 61b54ca156..a8a7c9da2c 100644
--- a/scripts/system/libraries/controllerDispatcherUtils.js
+++ b/scripts/system/libraries/controllerDispatcherUtils.js
@@ -392,6 +392,26 @@ entityIsEquipped = function(entityID) {
     return equippedInRightHand || equippedInLeftHand;
 };
 
+entityIsFarGrabbedByOther = function(entityID) {
+    // by convention, a far grab sets the tag of its action to be far-grab-*owner-session-id*.
+    var actionIDs = Entities.getActionIDs(entityID);
+    var myFarGrabTag = "far-grab-" + MyAvatar.sessionUUID;
+    for (var actionIndex = 0; actionIndex < actionIDs.length; actionIndex++) {
+        var actionID = actionIDs[actionIndex];
+        var actionArguments = Entities.getActionArguments(entityID, actionID);
+        var tag = actionArguments.tag;
+        if (tag == myFarGrabTag) {
+            // we see a far-grab-*uuid* shaped tag, but it's our tag, so that's okay.
+            continue;
+        }
+        if (tag.slice(0, 9) == "far-grab-") {
+            // we see a far-grab-*uuid* shaped tag and it's not ours, so someone else is grabbing it.
+            return true;
+        }
+    }
+    return false;
+};
+
 if (typeof module !== 'undefined') {
     module.exports = {
         makeDispatcherModuleParameters: makeDispatcherModuleParameters,