diff --git a/src/PlayerInventory.hh b/src/PlayerInventory.hh
index 06372670..e75032d6 100644
--- a/src/PlayerInventory.hh
+++ b/src/PlayerInventory.hh
@@ -179,11 +179,11 @@ struct PlayerInventoryT {
     }
   }
 
-  void equip_item_id(uint32_t item_id, EquipSlot slot, bool allow_overwrite) {
-    this->equip_item_index(this->find_item(item_id), slot, allow_overwrite);
+  void equip_item_id(uint32_t item_id, EquipSlot slot) {
+    this->equip_item_index(this->find_item(item_id), slot);
   }
 
-  void equip_item_index(size_t index, EquipSlot slot, bool allow_overwrite) {
+  void equip_item_index(size_t index, EquipSlot slot) {
     auto& item = this->items[index];
 
     if ((slot == EquipSlot::UNKNOWN) || !item.data.can_be_equipped_in_slot(slot)) {
@@ -191,11 +191,7 @@ struct PlayerInventoryT {
     }
 
     if (this->has_equipped_item(slot)) {
-      if (allow_overwrite) {
-        this->unequip_item_slot(slot);
-      } else {
-        throw std::runtime_error("equip slot is already in use");
-      }
+      this->unequip_item_slot(slot);
     }
 
     item.flags |= 0x00000008;
diff --git a/src/ReceiveSubcommands.cc b/src/ReceiveSubcommands.cc
index e0495f07..bcf0f430 100644
--- a/src/ReceiveSubcommands.cc
+++ b/src/ReceiveSubcommands.cc
@@ -2340,7 +2340,7 @@ static asio::awaitable<void> on_equip_item(shared_ptr<Client> c, SubcommandMessa
   auto l = c->require_lobby();
   EquipSlot slot = static_cast<EquipSlot>(cmd.equip_slot.load());
   auto p = c->character_file();
-  p->inventory.equip_item_id(cmd.item_id, slot, is_pre_v1(c->version()));
+  p->inventory.equip_item_id(cmd.item_id, slot);
   c->log.info_f("Equipped item {:08X}", cmd.item_id);
 
   forward_subcommand(c, msg);