diff --git a/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/nearParentGrabEntity.js b/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/nearParentGrabEntity.js
index 38334f5523..a0a4608fbc 100644
--- a/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/nearParentGrabEntity.js
+++ b/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/nearParentGrabEntity.js
@@ -12,17 +12,32 @@
    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,
-   distanceBetweenEntityLocalPositionAndBoundingBox
+   distanceBetweenEntityLocalPositionAndBoundingBox, GRAB_POINT_SPHERE_OFFSET
 */
 
 Script.include("/~/system/libraries/controllerDispatcherUtils.js");
 Script.include("/~/system/libraries/cloneEntityUtils.js");
+Script.include("/~/system/libraries/controllers.js");
 
 (function() {
 
     // XXX this.ignoreIK = (grabbableData.ignoreIK !== undefined) ? grabbableData.ignoreIK : true;
     // XXX this.kinematicGrab = (grabbableData.kinematic !== undefined) ? grabbableData.kinematic : NEAR_GRABBING_KINEMATIC;
 
+    function getGrabOffset(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
+            };
+        }
+
+        offset.y = -GRAB_POINT_SPHERE_OFFSET.y;
+        return Vec3.multiply(MyAvatar.sensorToWorldScale, offset);
+    }
+
     function NearParentingGrabEntity(hand) {
         this.hand = hand;
         this.targetEntityID = null;
@@ -174,7 +189,9 @@ Script.include("/~/system/libraries/cloneEntityUtils.js");
                 this.lastUnequipCheckTime = now;
                 if (props.parentID === MyAvatar.SELF_ID) {
                     var tearAwayDistance = TEAR_AWAY_DISTANCE * MyAvatar.sensorToWorldScale;
-                    var distance = distanceBetweenEntityLocalPositionAndBoundingBox(props);
+                    var controllerIndex = (this.hand === LEFT_HAND ? Controller.Standard.LeftHand : Controller.Standard.RightHand);
+                    var controllerGrabOffset = getGrabOffset(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 e817bb4ee1..60c4553da7 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 = 0.15; // 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";
@@ -416,13 +416,18 @@ 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);
+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);
+
 
     var v = {x: localPoint.x, y: localPoint.y, z: localPoint.z};
     v.x = Math.max(v.x, localMin.x);