diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystem/job.dm b/code/controllers/subsystem/job.dm
index 4f59992ace..e61a3b3854 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystem/job.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystem/job.dm
@@ -665,7 +665,7 @@ SUBSYSTEM_DEF(job)
 		message_admins(msg)
 		CRASH(msg)
 
-/datum/controller/subsystem/job/proc/equip_loadout(mob/dead/new_player/N, mob/living/M, equipbackpackstuff, bypass_prereqs = FALSE)
+/datum/controller/subsystem/job/proc/equip_loadout(mob/dead/new_player/N, mob/living/M, equipbackpackstuff, bypass_prereqs = FALSE, can_drop = TRUE)
 	var/mob/the_mob = N
 	if(!the_mob)
 		the_mob = M // cause this doesn't get assigned if player is a latejoiner
@@ -694,9 +694,15 @@ SUBSYSTEM_DEF(job)
 					var/mob/living/carbon/C = M
 					var/obj/item/storage/backpack/B = C.back
 					if(!B || !SEND_SIGNAL(B, COMSIG_TRY_STORAGE_INSERT, I, null, TRUE, TRUE)) // Otherwise, try to put it in the backpack, for carbons.
-						I.forceMove(get_turf(C))
+						if(can_drop)
+							I.forceMove(get_turf(C))
+						else
+							qdel(I)
 				else if(!M.equip_to_slot_if_possible(I, SLOT_IN_BACKPACK, disable_warning = TRUE, bypass_equip_delay_self = TRUE)) // Otherwise, try to put it in the backpack
-					I.forceMove(get_turf(M)) // If everything fails, just put it on the floor under the mob.
+					if(can_drop)
+						I.forceMove(get_turf(M)) // If everything fails, just put it on the floor under the mob.
+					else
+						qdel(I)
 
 /datum/controller/subsystem/job/proc/FreeRole(rank)
 	if(!rank)
diff --git a/code/modules/client/preferences.dm b/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
index 9eae46c1f3..0f26c38a91 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(preferences_datums)
 /datum/preferences/proc/ShowChoices(mob/user)
 	if(!user || !user.client)
 		return
-	update_preview_icon(current_tab != 2)
+	update_preview_icon(current_tab)
 	var/list/dat = list("<center>")
 
 	dat += "<a href='?_src_=prefs;preference=tab;tab=0' [current_tab == 0 ? "class='linkOn'" : ""]>Character Settings</a>"
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/dead/new_player/preferences_setup.dm b/code/modules/mob/dead/new_player/preferences_setup.dm
index c3c0787aa8..2e1ffe718f 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/dead/new_player/preferences_setup.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/dead/new_player/preferences_setup.dm
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@
 	features = random_features(pref_species?.id, gender)
 	age = rand(AGE_MIN,AGE_MAX)
 
-/datum/preferences/proc/update_preview_icon(equip_job = TRUE)
+/datum/preferences/proc/update_preview_icon(current_tab)
+	var/equip_job = (current_tab != 2)
 	// Determine what job is marked as 'High' priority, and dress them up as such.
 	var/datum/job/previewJob = get_highest_job()
 
@@ -45,9 +46,13 @@
 	mannequin.add_overlay(mutable_appearance('modular_citadel/icons/ui/backgrounds.dmi', bgstate, layer = SPACE_LAYER))
 	copy_to(mannequin, initial_spawn = TRUE)
 
-	if(previewJob && equip_job)
-		mannequin.job = previewJob.title
-		previewJob.equip(mannequin, TRUE, preference_source = parent)
+	if(current_tab == 3)
+		//give it its loadout if not on the appearance tab
+		SSjob.equip_loadout(parent.mob, mannequin, FALSE, bypass_prereqs = TRUE, can_drop = FALSE)
+	else
+		if(previewJob && equip_job)
+			mannequin.job = previewJob.title
+			previewJob.equip(mannequin, TRUE, preference_source = parent)
 
 	COMPILE_OVERLAYS(mannequin)
 	parent.show_character_previews(new /mutable_appearance(mannequin))