diff --git a/code/game/src/entity.c b/code/game/src/entity.c
index cd66789..ad71a26 100644
--- a/code/game/src/entity.c
+++ b/code/game/src/entity.c
@@ -45,6 +45,14 @@ void entity_despawn(uint64_t ent_id) {
     ecs_delete(world_ecs(), ent_id);
 }
 
+void entity_set_position(uint64_t ent_id, float x, float y) {
+    Position *p = ecs_get_mut(world_ecs(), ent_id, Position);
+    p->x = x;
+    p->y = y;
+
+    entity_wake(ent_id);
+}
+
 void entity_wake(uint64_t ent_id) {
     StreamInfo *si = ecs_get_mut(world_ecs(), ent_id, StreamInfo);
     si->tick_delay = 0.0f;
diff --git a/code/game/src/entity.h b/code/game/src/entity.h
index 848c946..941825f 100644
--- a/code/game/src/entity.h
+++ b/code/game/src/entity.h
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 uint64_t entity_spawn(uint16_t class_id /* 0 = no streaming */);
 void entity_batch_despawn(uint64_t *ids, size_t num_ids);
 void entity_despawn(uint64_t ent_id);
+void entity_set_position(uint64_t ent_id, float x, float y);
 
 // NOTE(zaklaus): action-based entity stream throttling
 void entity_wake(uint64_t ent_id);
diff --git a/code/modules/source/system_items.c b/code/modules/source/system_items.c
index fd6ef45..aa6605b 100644
--- a/code/modules/source/system_items.c
+++ b/code/modules/source/system_items.c
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ void PickItem(ecs_iter_t *it) {
                         }
                     }
                 } else if (range <= ITEM_ATTRACT_RADIUS) {
-                    p2->x = zpl_lerp(p2->x, p[i].x, ITEM_ATTRACT_FORCE*it->delta_time);
-                    p2->y = zpl_lerp(p2->y, p[i].y, ITEM_ATTRACT_FORCE*it->delta_time);
-                    entity_wake(ents[j]);
+                    entity_set_position(ents[j],
+                                        zpl_lerp(p2->x, p[i].x, ITEM_ATTRACT_FORCE*it->delta_time),
+                                        zpl_lerp(p2->y, p[i].y, ITEM_ATTRACT_FORCE*it->delta_time));
                 }
             }
         }