diff --git a/apps/essimporter/convertinventory.cpp b/apps/essimporter/convertinventory.cpp
index 42535d946b..6a31be6a3e 100644
--- a/apps/essimporter/convertinventory.cpp
+++ b/apps/essimporter/convertinventory.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ namespace ESSImport
             objstate.mCount = std::abs(it->mCount); // restocking items have negative count in the savefile
                                                     // openmw handles them differently, so no need to set any flags
             objstate.mRef.mCharge = it->mCondition;
-            state.mItems.push_back(std::make_pair(objstate, -1));
+            state.mItems.push_back(std::make_pair(objstate, it->mRelativeEquipmentSlot));
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/apps/essimporter/importinventory.cpp b/apps/essimporter/importinventory.cpp
index b4d1935409..2f5c3c054f 100644
--- a/apps/essimporter/importinventory.cpp
+++ b/apps/essimporter/importinventory.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #include "importinventory.hpp"
 
+#include <stdexcept>
+
 #include <components/esm/esmreader.hpp>
 
 #include <components/esm/loadcont.hpp>
@@ -17,6 +19,7 @@ namespace ESSImport
             InventoryItem item;
             item.mId = contItem.mItem.toString();
             item.mCount = contItem.mCount;
+            item.mRelativeEquipmentSlot = -1;
 
             // seems that a stack of items can have a set of subrecords for each item? rings0000.ess
             // doesn't make any sense to me, if the values were different then the items shouldn't stack in the first place?
@@ -55,14 +58,21 @@ namespace ESSImport
         {
             // note: same item can be equipped 2 items (e.g. 2 rings)
             // and will be *stacked* in the NPCO list, unlike openmw!
+            // this is currently not handled properly.
+
             esm.getSubHeader();
             int itemIndex; // index of the item in the NPCO list
             esm.getT(itemIndex);
 
+            if (itemIndex < 0 || itemIndex >= int(mItems.size()))
+                esm.fail("equipment item index out of range");
+
             // appears to be a relative index for only the *possible* slots this item can be equipped in,
-            // i.e. 0 most of the time, unlike openmw slot enum index
+            // i.e. 0 most of the time
             int slotIndex;
             esm.getT(slotIndex);
+
+            mItems[itemIndex].mRelativeEquipmentSlot = slotIndex;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/apps/essimporter/importinventory.hpp b/apps/essimporter/importinventory.hpp
index 359e43fa68..8a1594465b 100644
--- a/apps/essimporter/importinventory.hpp
+++ b/apps/essimporter/importinventory.hpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ namespace ESSImport
             std::string mId;
             int mCount;
             int mCondition;
+            int mRelativeEquipmentSlot;
         };
         std::vector<InventoryItem> mItems;