diff --git a/code/game/machinery/machinery.dm b/code/game/machinery/machinery.dm
index 92a5430bc39..2f5cb7d54b6 100644
--- a/code/game/machinery/machinery.dm
+++ b/code/game/machinery/machinery.dm
@@ -202,30 +202,41 @@ Class Procs:
 	..()
 	if(!interact_offline && stat & (NOPOWER|BROKEN))
 		return 1
-	if(usr.restrained() || usr.lying || usr.stat)
+	if(!usr.canUseTopic(src))
 		return 1
-	if(!(ishuman(usr) || issilicon(usr)))
-		usr << "<span class='notice'>You don't have the dexterity to do this!</span>"
-		return 1
-
-	var/norange = 0
-	if(istype(usr, /mob/living/carbon/human))
-		var/mob/living/carbon/human/H = usr
-		if(istype(H.l_hand, /obj/item/tk_grab))
-			norange = 1
-		else if(istype(H.r_hand, /obj/item/tk_grab))
-			norange = 1
-
-	if(!norange)
-		if(!issilicon(usr))
-			if(!in_range(src, usr))
-				return 1
-			if(!isturf(loc))
-				return 1
-
 	add_fingerprint(usr)
 	return 0
 
+/mob/proc/canUseTopic() //TODO: once finished, place these procs on the respective mob files
+	return
+
+/mob/dead/observer/canUseTopic()
+	if(check_rights(R_ADMIN))
+		return
+
+/mob/living/canUseTopic()
+	src << "<span class='notice'>You don't have the dexterity to do this!</span>"
+	return
+
+/mob/living/carbon/human/canUseTopic(atom/movable/M)
+	if(restrained() || lying || stat || stunned || weakened)
+		return
+	if(!in_range(M, src))
+		return
+	if(!isturf(M.loc) && M.loc != src)
+		return
+	return 1
+
+/mob/living/silicon/ai/canUseTopic()
+	if(stat)
+		return
+	return 1
+
+/mob/living/silicon/robot/canUseTopic()
+	if(stat || lockcharge || stunned || weakened)
+		return
+	return 1
+
 /obj/machinery/attack_ai(mob/user as mob)
 	if(isrobot(user))
 		// For some reason attack_robot doesn't work
diff --git a/code/game/objects/structures/musician.dm b/code/game/objects/structures/musician.dm
index 13f86a3785c..fd879cd10f2 100644
--- a/code/game/objects/structures/musician.dm
+++ b/code/game/objects/structures/musician.dm
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@
 
 
 /datum/song/Topic(href, href_list)
-	if(!in_range(instrumentObj, usr) || (issilicon(usr) && instrumentObj.loc != usr) || !isliving(usr) || !usr.canmove || usr.restrained())
+	if(usr.canUseTopic(src))
 		usr << browse(null, "window=instrument")
 		usr.unset_machine()
 		return