diff --git a/src/AcDream.App/Rendering/GameWindow.cs b/src/AcDream.App/Rendering/GameWindow.cs
index c6fc8e8..b78148d 100644
--- a/src/AcDream.App/Rendering/GameWindow.cs
+++ b/src/AcDream.App/Rendering/GameWindow.cs
@@ -8896,6 +8896,21 @@ public sealed class GameWindow : IDisposable
             _debugVm?.AddToast("Not in world");
             return;
         }
+
+        // B.5 polish (2026-05-14): block client-side when the selected
+        // entity is a creature/NPC — ACE's HandleActionPutItemInContainer
+        // would otherwise reject with WeenieError.Stuck (0x0029, "You
+        // cannot pick that up!") AND trigger the NPC's emote chain,
+        // which surfaces as "the NPC talks to me when I press F" if the
+        // user single-clicked an NPC last before the F press. Use
+        // (double-click) is the right action for NPCs; F is only for
+        // ground items.
+        if (IsLiveCreatureTarget(itemGuid))
+        {
+            _debugVm?.AddToast("Can't pick that up");
+            return;
+        }
+
         var seq  = _liveSession.NextGameActionSequence();
         var body = AcDream.Core.Net.Messages.InteractRequests.BuildPickUp(
             seq, itemGuid, _playerServerGuid, placement: 0);