diff --git a/code/game/objects/items/hand_item.dm b/code/game/objects/items/hand_item.dm
index f0694a4cfdc..39d30526182 100644
--- a/code/game/objects/items/hand_item.dm
+++ b/code/game/objects/items/hand_item.dm
@@ -23,12 +23,7 @@
 	if(!isliving(user))
 		return
 	var/mob/living/L = user
-	if(!L.has_status_effect(STATUS_EFFECT_HIGHFIVE))
-		L.apply_status_effect(STATUS_EFFECT_HIGHFIVE)
-		L.visible_message(
-			"<span class='notice'[user] raises [user.p_their()] hand for a high-five!</span>",
-			"<span class='notice'>You raise your hand for a high-five!</span>"
-		)
+	L.emote("highfive", intentional = TRUE)
 
 /obj/item/slapper/attack_obj(obj/O, mob/living/user, params)
 	if(!istype(O, /obj/structure/table))