diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/Input/PlayerTouchController.cs b/Assets/Scripts/Input/PlayerTouchController.cs
index 8a853e77..125ce9db 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/Input/PlayerTouchController.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/Input/PlayerTouchController.cs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ namespace Input
         // --- Movement State ---
         private Vector3 targetPosition;
         private Vector3 directMoveVelocity; // default is Vector3.zero
-        private bool isHolding;
+        internal bool isHolding;
         private Vector2 lastHoldPosition;
         private Coroutine pathfindingDragCoroutine;
         private float pathfindingDragUpdateInterval = 0.1f; // Interval in seconds
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ namespace Input
         private Transform artTransform;
         private SpriteRenderer spriteRenderer;
 
+        // --- Last direct movement direction ---
+        private Vector3 _lastDirectMoveDir = Vector3.right;
+        public Vector3 LastDirectMoveDir => _lastDirectMoveDir;
+
         // --- MoveToAndNotify State ---
         public delegate void ArrivedAtTargetHandler();
         private Coroutine moveToCoroutine;
@@ -184,6 +188,9 @@ namespace Input
                 adjustedMove = toTarget;
             }
             transform.position += adjustedMove;
+
+            // Cache the last direct movement direction
+            _lastDirectMoveDir = directMoveVelocity.normalized;
         }
 
         /// <summary>
diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/Interactions/ItemSlot.cs b/Assets/Scripts/Interactions/ItemSlot.cs
index 20dc9ba3..898ab082 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/Interactions/ItemSlot.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/Interactions/ItemSlot.cs
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ namespace Interactions
         {
             if (itemToSlot == null)
             {
-                _currentlySlottedItemData = null;
+                _currentlySlottedItemObject = null;
                 _currentlySlottedItemData = null;
             }
             else
@@ -115,12 +115,11 @@ namespace Interactions
                 itemToSlot.SetActive(false);
                 itemToSlot.transform.SetParent(null);
                 SetSlottedObject(itemToSlot);
-            
                 _currentlySlottedItemData = itemToSlotData;
-                if (clearFollowerHeldItem)
-                {
-                    FollowerController.ClearHeldItem();
-                }
+            }
+            if (clearFollowerHeldItem)
+            {
+                FollowerController.ClearHeldItem();
             }
             UpdateSlottedSprite();
             
@@ -141,5 +140,17 @@ namespace Interactions
                 Interactable.BroadcastInteractionComplete(false);
             }
         }
+
+        void Update()
+        {
+            if (_currentlySlottedItemObject != null)
+            {
+                Debug.Log($"[ItemSlot] Slotted item: {_currentlySlottedItemObject.name}");
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                Debug.Log("[ItemSlot] No item slotted.");
+            }
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/Movement/FollowerController.cs b/Assets/Scripts/Movement/FollowerController.cs
index 0fbb18a4..8ba3a42c 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/Movement/FollowerController.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/Movement/FollowerController.cs
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ public class FollowerController: MonoBehaviour
     /// </summary>
     public float manualMoveSmooth = 8f;
 
+    private GameObject _playerRef;
     private Transform _playerTransform;
     private AIPath _playerAIPath;
     private AIPath _aiPath;
@@ -59,6 +60,8 @@ public class FollowerController: MonoBehaviour
     public event FollowerPickupHandler OnPickupReturned;
     private Coroutine _pickupCoroutine;
     
+    private Input.PlayerTouchController _playerTouchController;
+    
     void Awake()
     {
         _aiPath = GetComponent<AIPath>();
@@ -183,8 +186,10 @@ public class FollowerController: MonoBehaviour
         GameObject playerObj = GameObject.FindGameObjectWithTag("Player");
         if (playerObj != null)
         {
+            _playerRef = playerObj;
             _playerTransform = playerObj.transform;
             _playerAIPath = playerObj.GetComponent<AIPath>();
+            _playerTouchController = playerObj.GetComponent<Input.PlayerTouchController>();
             if (_playerAIPath != null)
             {
                 _playerMaxSpeed = _playerAIPath.maxSpeed;
@@ -196,6 +201,7 @@ public class FollowerController: MonoBehaviour
         {
             _playerTransform = null;
             _playerAIPath = null;
+            _playerTouchController = null;
         }
     }
     
@@ -222,6 +228,11 @@ public class FollowerController: MonoBehaviour
                 moveDir = _playerAIPath.velocity.normalized;
                 _lastMoveDir = moveDir;
             }
+            else if (_playerTouchController != null && _playerTouchController.isHolding && _playerTouchController.LastDirectMoveDir.sqrMagnitude > 0.01f)
+            {
+                moveDir = _playerTouchController.LastDirectMoveDir;
+                _lastMoveDir = moveDir;
+            }
             else
             {
                 moveDir = _lastMoveDir;