diff --git a/crates/shared/src/player.rs b/crates/shared/src/player.rs
index d263b5b..f4a88d6 100644
--- a/crates/shared/src/player.rs
+++ b/crates/shared/src/player.rs
@@ -186,12 +186,18 @@ fn setup_animations_marker_for_player(
 fn on_update_head_mesh(
     trigger: Trigger<HeadChanged>,
     mut commands: Commands,
-    body_mesh: Single<Entity, With<PlayerBodyMesh>>,
+    body_mesh: Single<(Entity, &Children), With<PlayerBodyMesh>>,
+    animated_characters: Query<&AnimatedCharacter>,
     mut player: Single<&mut ActiveHead, With<Player>>,
     head_db: Res<HeadsDatabase>,
     audio_assets: Res<AudioAssets>,
-) {
-    let body_mesh = *body_mesh;
+) -> Result {
+    let (body_mesh, mesh_children) = *body_mesh;
+
+    let animated_char = mesh_children
+        .iter()
+        .find(|child| animated_characters.contains(*child))
+        .ok_or("tried to update head mesh before AnimatedCharacter was readded")?;
 
     player.0 = trigger.0;
 
@@ -199,11 +205,10 @@ fn on_update_head_mesh(
 
     commands.trigger(PlaySound::Head(head_str.to_string()));
 
-    commands.entity(body_mesh).despawn_related::<Children>();
-
     commands
-        .entity(body_mesh)
-        .with_child(AnimatedCharacter::new(trigger.0));
+        .entity(animated_char)
+        .remove::<AnimatedCharacter>()
+        .insert(AnimatedCharacter::new(trigger.0));
 
     //TODO: make part of full character mesh later
     if head_db.head_stats(trigger.0).controls == HeadControls::Plane {
@@ -216,4 +221,6 @@ fn on_update_head_mesh(
             },
         ));
     }
+
+    Ok(())
 }