diff --git a/Source/inv.cpp b/Source/inv.cpp
index 53fc8d515..fbee6a9f8 100644
--- a/Source/inv.cpp
+++ b/Source/inv.cpp
@@ -864,7 +864,7 @@ void CheckInvCut(int pnum, Point cursorPosition, bool automaticMove, bool dropIt
 	}
 }
 
-void UpdateBookLevel(Player &player, Item &book)
+void UpdateBookLevel(const Player &player, Item &book)
 {
 	if (book._iMiscId != IMISC_BOOK)
 		return;
@@ -1611,7 +1611,7 @@ void CheckInvScrn(bool isShiftHeld, bool isCtrlHeld)
 	}
 }
 
-void InvGetItem(int pnum, int ii)
+void InvGetItem(Player &player, int ii)
 {
 	auto &item = Items[ii];
 	if (dropGoldFlag) {
@@ -1622,22 +1622,26 @@ void InvGetItem(int pnum, int ii)
 	if (dItem[item.position.x][item.position.y] == 0)
 		return;
 
-	auto &player = Players[pnum];
+	item._iCreateInfo &= ~CF_PREGEN;
+	CheckQuestItem(player, item);
+	UpdateBookLevel(player, item);
+	item._iStatFlag = player.CanUseItem(item);
 
-	if (MyPlayerId == pnum && !player.HoldItem.isEmpty())
-		NetSendCmdPItem(true, CMD_SYNCPUTITEM, player.position.tile, player.HoldItem);
+	if (item._itype != ItemType::Gold || !GoldAutoPlace(player, item)) {
+		// The item needs to go into the players hand
+		if (MyPlayer == &player && !player.HoldItem.isEmpty()) {
+			// drop whatever the player is currently holding
+			NetSendCmdPItem(true, CMD_SYNCPUTITEM, player.position.tile, player.HoldItem);
+		}
 
-	item._iCreateInfo &= ~CF_PREGEN;
-	player.HoldItem = item;
-	CheckQuestItem(player, player.HoldItem);
-	UpdateBookLevel(player, player.HoldItem);
-	player.HoldItem._iStatFlag = player.CanUseItem(player.HoldItem);
-	if (player.HoldItem._itype == ItemType::Gold && GoldAutoPlace(player, player.HoldItem))
-		player.HoldItem._itype == ItemType::None;
+		// need to copy here instead of move so CleanupItems still has access to the position
+		player.HoldItem = item;
+		NewCursor(player.HoldItem);
+	}
+
+	// This potentially moves items in memory so must be done after we've made a copy
 	CleanupItems(ii);
 	pcursitem = -1;
-	if (!player.HoldItem.isEmpty())
-		NewCursor(player.HoldItem);
 }
 
 void AutoGetItem(int pnum, Item *itemPointer, int ii)
diff --git a/Source/inv.h b/Source/inv.h
index b99805279..68d402871 100644
--- a/Source/inv.h
+++ b/Source/inv.h
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ void CheckInvItem(bool isShiftHeld = false, bool isCtrlHeld = false);
  * Check for interactions with belt
  */
 void CheckInvScrn(bool isShiftHeld, bool isCtrlHeld);
-void InvGetItem(int pnum, int ii);
+void InvGetItem(Player &player, int ii);
 void AutoGetItem(int pnum, Item *item, int ii);
 
 /**
diff --git a/Source/msg.cpp b/Source/msg.cpp
index 87c0f9b13..08aa0bb42 100644
--- a/Source/msg.cpp
+++ b/Source/msg.cpp
@@ -719,7 +719,7 @@ DWORD OnRequestGetItem(const TCmd *pCmd, Player &player)
 				if (message.bPnum != MyPlayerId)
 					SyncGetItem(position, message.dwSeed, message.wIndx, message.wCI);
 				else
-					InvGetItem(MyPlayerId, ii);
+					InvGetItem(*MyPlayer, ii);
 				SetItemRecord(message.dwSeed, message.wCI, message.wIndx);
 			} else if (!NetSendCmdReq2(CMD_REQUESTGITEM, MyPlayerId, message.bPnum, message)) {
 				NetSendCmdExtra(message);
@@ -742,13 +742,12 @@ DWORD OnGetItem(const TCmd *pCmd, int pnum)
 			if ((currlevel == message.bLevel || message.bPnum == MyPlayerId) && message.bMaster != MyPlayerId) {
 				if (message.bPnum == MyPlayerId) {
 					if (currlevel != message.bLevel) {
-						auto &player = Players[MyPlayerId];
-						int ii = SyncPutItem(player, player.position.tile, message.wIndx, message.wCI, message.dwSeed, message.bId, message.bDur, message.bMDur, message.bCh, message.bMCh, message.wValue, message.dwBuff, message.wToHit, message.wMaxDam, message.bMinStr, message.bMinMag, message.bMinDex, message.bAC);
+						int ii = SyncPutItem(*MyPlayer, MyPlayer->position.tile, message.wIndx, message.wCI, message.dwSeed, message.bId, message.bDur, message.bMDur, message.bCh, message.bMCh, message.wValue, message.dwBuff, message.wToHit, message.wMaxDam, message.bMinStr, message.bMinMag, message.bMinDex, message.bAC);
 						if (ii != -1)
-							InvGetItem(MyPlayerId, ii);
+							InvGetItem(*MyPlayer, ii);
 					} else {
 						int activeItemIndex = FindGetItem(message.dwSeed, message.wIndx, message.wCI);
-						InvGetItem(MyPlayerId, ActiveItems[activeItemIndex]);
+						InvGetItem(*MyPlayer, ActiveItems[activeItemIndex]);
 					}
 				} else {
 					SyncGetItem(position, message.dwSeed, message.wIndx, message.wCI);