diff --git a/code/modules/clothing/clothing.dm b/code/modules/clothing/clothing.dm
index fa3c58d41f1..e0a0c2e0f9f 100644
--- a/code/modules/clothing/clothing.dm
+++ b/code/modules/clothing/clothing.dm
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+#define MOTH_EATING_CLOTHING_DAMAGE 15
+
 /obj/item/clothing
 	name = "clothing"
 	resistance_flags = FLAMMABLE
@@ -54,6 +56,9 @@
 	/// How many zones (body parts, not precise) we have disabled so far, for naming purposes
 	var/zones_disabled
 
+	/// A lazily initiated "food" version of the clothing for moths
+	var/obj/item/food/clothing/moth_snack
+
 /obj/item/clothing/Initialize()
 	if((clothing_flags & VOICEBOX_TOGGLABLE))
 		actions_types += /datum/action/item_action/toggle_voice_box
@@ -76,21 +81,50 @@
 		var/atom/movable/screen/inventory/hand/H = over_object
 		if(M.putItemFromInventoryInHandIfPossible(src, H.held_index))
 			add_fingerprint(usr)
+
 //This code is cursed, moths are cursed, and someday I will destroy it. but today is not that day.
 /obj/item/food/clothing
 	name = "temporary moth clothing snack item"
 	desc = "If you're reading this it means I messed up. This is related to moths eating clothes and I didn't know a better way to do it than making a new food object. <--- stinky idiot wrote this"
-	food_reagents = list(/datum/reagent/consumable/nutriment = 1)
+	bite_consumption = 1
+	// sigh, ok, so it's not ACTUALLY infinite nutrition. this is so you can eat clothes more than...once.
+	// bite_consumption limits how much you actually get, and the take_damage in after eat makes sure you can't abuse this.
+	// ...maybe this was a mistake after all.
+	food_reagents = list(/datum/reagent/consumable/nutriment = INFINITY)
 	tastes = list("dust" = 1, "lint" = 1)
 	foodtypes = CLOTH
 
-/obj/item/clothing/attack(mob/M, mob/user, def_zone)
-	if(user.a_intent != INTENT_HARM && ismoth(M))
-		var/obj/item/food/clothing/clothing_as_food = new //collective bruh moment
-		clothing_as_food.name = name
-		if(clothing_as_food.attack(M, user, def_zone)) //BRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH
-			take_damage(15, sound_effect=FALSE)
-		qdel(clothing_as_food) ///WHAT ARE THOOSEEE
+	/// A weak reference to the clothing that created us
+	var/datum/weakref/clothing
+
+/obj/item/food/clothing/MakeEdible()
+	AddComponent(/datum/component/edible,\
+		initial_reagents = food_reagents,\
+		food_flags = food_flags,\
+		foodtypes = foodtypes,\
+		volume = max_volume,\
+		eat_time = eat_time,\
+		tastes = tastes,\
+		eatverbs = eatverbs,\
+		bite_consumption = bite_consumption,\
+		microwaved_type = microwaved_type,\
+		junkiness = junkiness,\
+		after_eat = CALLBACK(src, .proc/after_eat))
+
+/obj/item/food/clothing/proc/after_eat(mob/eater)
+	var/obj/item/clothing/resolved_clothing = clothing.resolve()
+	if (resolved_clothing)
+		resolved_clothing.take_damage(MOTH_EATING_CLOTHING_DAMAGE, sound_effect = FALSE)
+	else
+		qdel(src)
+
+/obj/item/clothing/attack(mob/attacker, mob/user, def_zone)
+	if(user.a_intent != INTENT_HARM && ismoth(attacker))
+		if (isnull(moth_snack))
+			moth_snack = new
+			moth_snack.name = name
+			moth_snack.clothing = WEAKREF(src)
+		moth_snack.attack(attacker, user, def_zone)
 	else
 		return ..()
 
@@ -201,6 +235,7 @@
 
 /obj/item/clothing/Destroy()
 	user_vars_remembered = null //Oh god somebody put REFERENCES in here? not to worry, we'll clean it up
+	QDEL_NULL(moth_snack)
 	return ..()
 
 /obj/item/clothing/dropped(mob/user)
@@ -469,3 +504,5 @@ BLIND     // can't see anything
 		return
 	if(prob(0.2))
 		to_chat(L, "<span class='warning'>The damaged threads on your [src.name] chafe!</span>")
+
+#undef MOTH_EATING_CLOTHING_DAMAGE