diff --git a/server/player/handler.go b/server/player/handler.go
index 4ae54a021..af054abb6 100644
--- a/server/player/handler.go
+++ b/server/player/handler.go
@@ -118,6 +118,8 @@ type Handler interface {
 	// HandleItemPickup handles the player picking up an item from the ground. The item stack laying on the
 	// ground is passed. ctx.Cancel() may be called to prevent the player from picking up the item.
 	HandleItemPickup(ctx *event.Context, i item.Stack)
+	// HandleHeldSlotChange handles the player changing the slot they are currently holding.
+	HandleHeldSlotChange(ctx *event.Context, slot int)
 	// HandleItemDrop handles the player dropping an item on the ground. The dropped item entity is passed.
 	// ctx.Cancel() may be called to prevent the player from dropping the entity.Item passed on the ground.
 	// e.Item() may be called to obtain the item stack dropped.
@@ -142,6 +144,7 @@ type NopHandler struct{}
 var _ Handler = (*NopHandler)(nil)
 
 func (NopHandler) HandleItemDrop(*event.Context, *entity.Item)                                {}
+func (NopHandler) HandleHeldSlotChange(*event.Context, int)                                   {}
 func (NopHandler) HandleMove(*event.Context, mgl64.Vec3, float64, float64)                    {}
 func (NopHandler) HandleJump()                                                                {}
 func (NopHandler) HandleTeleport(*event.Context, mgl64.Vec3)                                  {}
diff --git a/server/player/player.go b/server/player/player.go
index e1f35924e..f0f5b0d5b 100644
--- a/server/player/player.go
+++ b/server/player/player.go
@@ -367,6 +367,29 @@ func (p *Player) Transfer(address string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// SetHeldSlot updates the held slot of the player using the slot provided. It also calls the slot change handler.
+func (p *Player) SetHeldSlot(slot int) error {
+	// The slot that the player might have selected must be within the hotbar: The held item cannot be in a
+	// different place in the inventory.
+	if slot > 8 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("new held slot exceeds hotbar range 0-8: slot is %v", slot)
+	}
+	if p.heldSlot.Swap(uint32(slot)) == uint32(slot) {
+		// Old slot was the same as new slot, so don't do anything.
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	p.usingItem.Store(false)
+
+	ctx := event.C()
+	p.Handler().HandleHeldSlotChange(ctx, slot)
+	if ctx.Cancelled() {
+		// The slot change was cancelled, so don't do anything.
+		return nil
+	}
+	return p.session().SetHeldSlot(slot)
+}
+
 // SendCommandOutput sends the output of a command to the player.
 func (p *Player) SendCommandOutput(output *cmd.Output) {
 	p.session().SendCommandOutput(output)
diff --git a/server/session/controllable.go b/server/session/controllable.go
index 9c7302418..86d1a6b75 100644
--- a/server/session/controllable.go
+++ b/server/session/controllable.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ type Controllable interface {
 	Locale() language.Tag
 
 	SetHeldItems(right, left item.Stack)
+	SetHeldSlot(slot int) error
 
 	Move(deltaPos mgl64.Vec3, deltaYaw, deltaPitch float64)
 	Speed() float64
diff --git a/server/session/handler_inventory_transaction.go b/server/session/handler_inventory_transaction.go
index b72f88ffe..b39e69dcc 100644
--- a/server/session/handler_inventory_transaction.go
+++ b/server/session/handler_inventory_transaction.go
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ type InventoryTransactionHandler struct{}
 // Handle ...
 func (h *InventoryTransactionHandler) Handle(p packet.Packet, s *Session) error {
 	pk := p.(*packet.InventoryTransaction)
-
 	switch data := pk.TransactionData.(type) {
 	case *protocol.NormalTransactionData:
 		h.resendInventories(s)
@@ -30,17 +29,26 @@ func (h *InventoryTransactionHandler) Handle(p packet.Packet, s *Session) error
 		h.resendInventories(s)
 		return nil
 	case *protocol.UseItemOnEntityTransactionData:
-		if err := s.UpdateHeldSlot(int(data.HotBarSlot), stackToItem(data.HeldItem.Stack)); err != nil {
+		if held, _ := s.c.HeldItems(); !held.Equal(stackToItem(data.HeldItem.Stack)) {
+			return nil
+		}
+		if err := s.c.SetHeldSlot(int(data.HotBarSlot)); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 		return h.handleUseItemOnEntityTransaction(data, s)
 	case *protocol.UseItemTransactionData:
-		if err := s.UpdateHeldSlot(int(data.HotBarSlot), stackToItem(data.HeldItem.Stack)); err != nil {
+		if held, _ := s.c.HeldItems(); !held.Equal(stackToItem(data.HeldItem.Stack)) {
+			return nil
+		}
+		if err := s.SetHeldSlot(int(data.HotBarSlot)); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 		return h.handleUseItemTransaction(data, s)
 	case *protocol.ReleaseItemTransactionData:
-		if err := s.UpdateHeldSlot(int(data.HotBarSlot), stackToItem(data.HeldItem.Stack)); err != nil {
+		if held, _ := s.c.HeldItems(); !held.Equal(stackToItem(data.HeldItem.Stack)) {
+			return nil
+		}
+		if err := s.SetHeldSlot(int(data.HotBarSlot)); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 		return h.handleReleaseItemTransaction(s)
diff --git a/server/session/handler_mob_equipment.go b/server/session/handler_mob_equipment.go
index 1ef6fe96d..f0ad40020 100644
--- a/server/session/handler_mob_equipment.go
+++ b/server/session/handler_mob_equipment.go
@@ -21,7 +21,15 @@ func (*MobEquipmentHandler) Handle(p packet.Packet, s *Session) error {
 		// This window ID is expected, but we don't handle it.
 		return nil
 	case protocol.WindowIDInventory:
-		return s.UpdateHeldSlot(int(pk.InventorySlot), stackToItem(pk.NewItem.Stack))
+		// The item the client claims to have must be identical to the one we have registered server-side.
+		actual, _ := s.inv.Item(int(pk.InventorySlot))
+		clientSide := stackToItem(pk.NewItem.Stack)
+		if !actual.Equal(clientSide) {
+			// Only ever debug these as they are frequent and expected to happen whenever client and server get
+			// out of sync.
+			s.log.Debugf("failed processing packet from %v (%v): *packet.MobEquipment: client-side item must be identical to server-side item, but got differences: client: %v vs server: %v", s.conn.RemoteAddr(), s.c.Name(), clientSide, actual)
+		}
+		return s.c.SetHeldSlot(int(pk.InventorySlot))
 	default:
 		return fmt.Errorf("only main inventory should be involved in slot chnage, got window ID %v", pk.WindowID)
 	}
diff --git a/server/session/player.go b/server/session/player.go
index f1d22e262..b6e096f49 100644
--- a/server/session/player.go
+++ b/server/session/player.go
@@ -586,34 +586,6 @@ func (s *Session) SetHeldSlot(slot int) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// UpdateHeldSlot updates the held slot of the Session to the slot passed. It also verifies that the item in that slot
-// matches an expected item stack.
-func (s *Session) UpdateHeldSlot(slot int, expected item.Stack) error {
-	// The slot that the player might have selected must be within the hotbar: The held item cannot be in a
-	// different place in the inventory.
-	if slot > 8 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("new held slot exceeds hotbar range 0-8: slot is %v", slot)
-	}
-	if s.heldSlot.Swap(uint32(slot)) == uint32(slot) {
-		// Old slot was the same as new slot, so don't do anything.
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	clientSideItem := expected
-	actual, _ := s.inv.Item(slot)
-
-	// The item the client claims to have must be identical to the one we have registered server-side.
-	if !clientSideItem.Equal(actual) {
-		// Only ever debug these as they are frequent and expected to happen whenever client and server get
-		// out of sync.
-		s.log.Debugf("failed processing packet from %v (%v): failed changing held slot: client-side item must be identical to server-side item, but got differences: client: %v vs server: %v", s.conn.RemoteAddr(), s.c.Name(), clientSideItem, actual)
-	}
-	for _, viewer := range s.c.World().Viewers(s.c.Position()) {
-		viewer.ViewEntityItems(s.c)
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
 // SendExperience sends the experience level and progress from the given experience manager to the player.
 func (s *Session) SendExperience(e *entity.ExperienceManager) {
 	level, progress := e.Level(), e.Progress()