diff --git a/src/ingame/player.gd b/src/ingame/player.gd
index 1f1694c..1c34198 100644
--- a/src/ingame/player.gd
+++ b/src/ingame/player.gd
@@ -118,10 +118,12 @@ func hold_thing(p_item_instance_id: int) -> void:
 		# TODO: in more complex scenarios model scene might want to have its own callback for this.
 		for model in base_node.get_children():
 			for submodel in model.get_children():
-				var material := submodel.mesh.surface_get_material(0).duplicate() as Material
+				var mesh := submodel.mesh.duplicate() as Mesh
+				var material := mesh.surface_get_material(0).duplicate()
 				material.render_priority += 1
 				material.no_depth_test = true
-				submodel.mesh.surface_set_material(0, material)
+				mesh.surface_set_material(0, material)
+				submodel.mesh = mesh
 
 @rpc("any_peer", "call_local", "reliable")
 func throw_thing() -> void: