diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 15bb77e73..ce0cce952 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
     Bug #5101: Hostile followers travel with the player
     Bug #5108: Savegame bloating due to inefficient fog textures format
     Bug #5165: Active spells should use real time intead of timestamps
+    Bug #5300: NPCs don't switch from torch to shield when starting combat
     Bug #5358: ForceGreeting always resets the dialogue window completely
     Bug #5363: Enchantment autocalc not always 0/1
     Bug #5364: Script fails/stops if trying to startscript an unknown script
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/actors.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/actors.cpp
index 88c402b14..c9fcf8280 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/actors.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/actors.cpp
@@ -1430,6 +1430,13 @@ namespace MWMechanics
                         if (heldIter != inventoryStore.end() && heldIter->getTypeName() != typeid(ESM::Light).name())
                             inventoryStore.unequipItem(*heldIter, ptr);
                     }
+                    else if (heldIter == inventoryStore.end() || heldIter->getTypeName() == typeid(ESM::Light).name())
+                    {
+                        // For hostile NPCs, see if they have anything better to equip first
+                        auto shield = inventoryStore.getPreferredShield(ptr);
+                        if(shield != inventoryStore.end())
+                            inventoryStore.equip(MWWorld::InventoryStore::Slot_CarriedLeft, shield, ptr);
+                    }
 
                     heldIter = inventoryStore.getSlot(MWWorld::InventoryStore::Slot_CarriedLeft);
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/inventorystore.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/inventorystore.cpp
index 386bbb30a..38007c1cb 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/inventorystore.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/inventorystore.cpp
@@ -556,6 +556,14 @@ void MWWorld::InventoryStore::autoEquip (const MWWorld::Ptr& actor)
     }
 }
 
+MWWorld::ContainerStoreIterator MWWorld::InventoryStore::getPreferredShield(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor)
+{
+    TSlots slots;
+    initSlots (slots);
+    autoEquipArmor(actor, slots);
+    return slots[Slot_CarriedLeft];
+}
+
 const MWMechanics::MagicEffects& MWWorld::InventoryStore::getMagicEffects() const
 {
     return mMagicEffects;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/inventorystore.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/inventorystore.hpp
index e70c21480..df69a5709 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/inventorystore.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/inventorystore.hpp
@@ -153,6 +153,8 @@ namespace MWWorld
             ContainerStoreIterator getSlot (int slot);
             ConstContainerStoreIterator getSlot(int slot) const;
 
+            ContainerStoreIterator getPreferredShield(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor);
+
             void unequipAll(const MWWorld::Ptr& actor);
             ///< Unequip all currently equipped items.