diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmp/DedicatedActor.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmp/DedicatedActor.cpp
index dcf379859..2941836d7 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmp/DedicatedActor.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmp/DedicatedActor.cpp
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ DedicatedActor::DedicatedActor()
 
     hasPositionData = false;
     hasStatsDynamicData = false;
+    hasReceivedInitialEquipment = false;
     hasChangedCell = true;
 
     attack.pressed = false;
@@ -195,14 +196,16 @@ void DedicatedActor::setEquipment()
         if (packetRefId.empty() || equal)
             continue;
 
-        if (hasItem(packetRefId, packetCharge))
-            equipItem(packetRefId, packetCharge);
-        else
+        if (!hasItem(packetRefId, packetCharge))
         {
             ptr.getClass().getContainerStore(ptr).add(packetRefId, count, ptr);
-            equipItem(packetRefId, packetCharge);
         }
+
+        // Equip items silently if this is the first time equipment is being set for this character
+        equipItem(packetRefId, packetCharge, !hasReceivedInitialEquipment);
     }
+
+    hasReceivedInitialEquipment = true;
 }
 
 void DedicatedActor::setAi()
@@ -344,14 +347,14 @@ bool DedicatedActor::hasItem(std::string itemId, int charge)
     return false;
 }
 
-void DedicatedActor::equipItem(std::string itemId, int charge)
+void DedicatedActor::equipItem(std::string itemId, int charge, bool noSound)
 {
     for (const auto &itemPtr : ptr.getClass().getInventoryStore(ptr))
     {
         if (::Misc::StringUtils::ciEqual(itemPtr.getCellRef().getRefId(), itemId) && itemPtr.getCellRef().getCharge() == charge)
         {
             std::shared_ptr<MWWorld::Action> action = itemPtr.getClass().use(itemPtr);
-            action->execute(ptr);
+            action->execute(ptr, noSound);
             break;
         }
     }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmp/DedicatedActor.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmp/DedicatedActor.hpp
index 8824b4347..a3420ed7b 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmp/DedicatedActor.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmp/DedicatedActor.hpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ namespace mwmp
         void playSound();
 
         bool hasItem(std::string itemId, int charge);
-        void equipItem(std::string itemId, int charge);
+        void equipItem(std::string itemId, int charge, bool noSound = false);
 
         MWWorld::Ptr getPtr();
         void setPtr(const MWWorld::Ptr& newPtr);
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ namespace mwmp
     private:
         MWWorld::Ptr ptr;
 
+        bool hasReceivedInitialEquipment;
         bool hasChangedCell;
     };
 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmp/DedicatedPlayer.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmp/DedicatedPlayer.cpp
index 4f10a27f6..3901bedc9 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmp/DedicatedPlayer.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmp/DedicatedPlayer.cpp
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ DedicatedPlayer::DedicatedPlayer(RakNet::RakNetGUID guid) : BasePlayer(guid)
     npc.mId = "";
     previousRace = npc.mRace;
 
+    hasReceivedInitialEquipment = false;
     hasFinishedInitialTeleportation = false;
 }
 
@@ -306,12 +307,14 @@ void DedicatedPlayer::setEquipment()
     // Go no further if the player is disguised as a creature
     if (!ptr.getClass().hasInventoryStore(ptr)) return;
 
+    bool equippedSomething = false;
+
     MWWorld::InventoryStore& invStore = ptr.getClass().getInventoryStore(ptr);
     for (int slot = 0; slot < MWWorld::InventoryStore::Slots; ++slot)
     {
         MWWorld::ContainerStoreIterator it = invStore.getSlot(slot);
 
-        const string &packetItemId = equipmentItems[slot].refId;
+        const string &packetRefId = equipmentItems[slot].refId;
         std::string ptrItemId = "";
         bool equal = false;
 
@@ -319,7 +322,7 @@ void DedicatedPlayer::setEquipment()
         {
             ptrItemId = it->getCellRef().getRefId();
 
-            if (!Misc::StringUtils::ciEqual(ptrItemId, packetItemId)) // if other item is now equipped
+            if (!Misc::StringUtils::ciEqual(ptrItemId, packetRefId)) // if other item is now equipped
             {
                 MWWorld::ContainerStore &store = ptr.getClass().getContainerStore(ptr);
 
@@ -327,7 +330,7 @@ void DedicatedPlayer::setEquipment()
                 // have just run out but still need to be kept briefly so they can be used in attacks about to be released
                 bool shouldRemove = true;
 
-                if (attack.type == mwmp::Attack::RANGED && packetItemId.empty() && !attack.pressed)
+                if (attack.type == mwmp::Attack::RANGED && packetRefId.empty() && !attack.pressed)
                 {
                     if (slot == MWWorld::InventoryStore::Slot_CarriedRight && Misc::StringUtils::ciEqual(ptrItemId, attack.rangedWeaponId))
                         shouldRemove = false;
@@ -336,28 +339,27 @@ void DedicatedPlayer::setEquipment()
                 }
                 
                 if (shouldRemove)
+                {
                     store.remove(ptrItemId, store.count(ptrItemId), ptr);
+                }
             }
             else
                 equal = true;
         }
 
-        if (packetItemId.empty() || equal)
+        if (packetRefId.empty() || equal)
             continue;
 
         const int count = equipmentItems[slot].count;
-        ptr.getClass().getContainerStore(ptr).add(packetItemId, count, ptr);
-
-        for (const auto &itemPtr : invStore)
-        {
-            if (::Misc::StringUtils::ciEqual(itemPtr.getCellRef().getRefId(), packetItemId)) // equip item
-            {
-                std::shared_ptr<MWWorld::Action> action = itemPtr.getClass().use(itemPtr);
-                action->execute(ptr);
-                break;
-            }
-        }
+        ptr.getClass().getContainerStore(ptr).add(packetRefId, count, ptr);
+        // Equip items silently if this is the first time equipment is being set for this character
+        equipItem(packetRefId, !hasReceivedInitialEquipment);
+        equippedSomething = true;
     }
+
+    // Only track the initial equipment as received if at least one item has been equipped
+    if (equippedSomething)
+        hasReceivedInitialEquipment = true;
 }
 
 void DedicatedPlayer::setCell()
@@ -469,6 +471,19 @@ void DedicatedPlayer::playSpeech()
         winMgr->messageBox(MWBase::Environment::get().getDialogueManager()->getVoiceCaption(sound), MWGui::ShowInDialogueMode_Never);
 }
 
+void DedicatedPlayer::equipItem(std::string itemId, bool noSound)
+{
+    for (const auto& itemPtr : ptr.getClass().getInventoryStore(ptr))
+    {
+        if (::Misc::StringUtils::ciEqual(itemPtr.getCellRef().getRefId(), itemId))
+        {
+            std::shared_ptr<MWWorld::Action> action = itemPtr.getClass().use(itemPtr);
+            action->execute(ptr, noSound);
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 void DedicatedPlayer::createReference(const std::string& recId)
 {
     MWBase::World *world = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld();
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmp/DedicatedPlayer.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmp/DedicatedPlayer.hpp
index 4b6b2b715..0abf26090 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmp/DedicatedPlayer.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmp/DedicatedPlayer.hpp
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ namespace mwmp
         void playAnimation();
         void playSpeech();
 
+        void equipItem(std::string itemId, bool noSound = false);
+
         void createReference(const std::string& recId);
         void deleteReference();
 
@@ -75,6 +77,7 @@ namespace mwmp
 
         std::string creatureRecordId;
 
+        bool hasReceivedInitialEquipment;
         bool hasFinishedInitialTeleportation;
         bool isLevitationPurged;
     };