diff --git a/Barotrauma/BarotraumaClient/Source/Items/Components/Signal/ConnectionPanel.cs b/Barotrauma/BarotraumaClient/Source/Items/Components/Signal/ConnectionPanel.cs
index 2e2602b02..c2e19882a 100644
--- a/Barotrauma/BarotraumaClient/Source/Items/Components/Signal/ConnectionPanel.cs
+++ b/Barotrauma/BarotraumaClient/Source/Items/Components/Signal/ConnectionPanel.cs
@@ -9,11 +9,7 @@ namespace Barotrauma.Items.Components
         public override void UpdateHUD(Character character)
         {
             if (character != Character.Controlled || character != user) return;
-
-            if (Screen.Selected != GameMain.EditMapScreen &&
-                character.IsKeyHit(InputType.Select) &&
-                character.SelectedConstruction == this.item) character.SelectedConstruction = null;
-
+            
             if (HighlightedWire != null)
             {
                 HighlightedWire.Item.IsHighlighted = true;
diff --git a/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/Source/Characters/Character.cs b/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/Source/Characters/Character.cs
index fe33f552c..5e26c452e 100644
--- a/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/Source/Characters/Character.cs
+++ b/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/Source/Characters/Character.cs
@@ -978,6 +978,16 @@ namespace Barotrauma
             return true;
         }
 
+        public bool CanInteractWith(Character c, float maxDist = 200.0f)
+        {
+            if (c == this || !c.enabled || c.info == null || !c.IsHumanoid || !c.CanBeSelected) return false;
+
+            maxDist = ConvertUnits.ToSimUnits(maxDist);
+            if (Vector2.DistanceSquared(SimPosition, c.SimPosition) > maxDist * maxDist) return false;
+
+            return true;
+        }
+        
         public bool CanInteractWith(Item item)
         {
             float distanceToItem;
@@ -995,6 +1005,14 @@ namespace Barotrauma
                 return CanAccessInventory(item.ParentInventory);
             }
 
+            Wire wire = item.GetComponent<Wire>();
+            if (wire != null)
+            {
+                //wires are interactable if the character has selected either of the items the wire is connected to
+                if (wire.Connections[0]?.Item != null && selectedConstruction == wire.Connections[0].Item) return true;
+                if (wire.Connections[1]?.Item != null && selectedConstruction == wire.Connections[1].Item) return true;
+            }
+
             if (item.InteractDistance == 0.0f && !item.Prefab.Triggers.Any()) return false;
 
             Pickable pickableComponent = item.GetComponent<Pickable>();
@@ -1126,7 +1144,7 @@ namespace Barotrauma
             
             foreach (Character c in CharacterList)
             {
-                if (c == this || !c.enabled || c.info == null || !c.IsHumanoid || !c.CanBeSelected) continue;
+                if (!CanInteractWith(c)) continue;
 
                 float dist = Vector2.DistanceSquared(mouseSimPos, c.SimPosition);
                 if (dist < maxDist*maxDist && (closestCharacter == null || dist < closestDist))
@@ -1212,7 +1230,8 @@ namespace Barotrauma
                 focusedCharacter = null;
                 return;
             }
-            if ((!isLocalPlayer && IsKeyHit(InputType.Select) && GameMain.Server == null) || (isLocalPlayer && (findFocusedTimer <= 0.0f || Screen.Selected == GameMain.EditMapScreen)))
+            if ((!isLocalPlayer && IsKeyHit(InputType.Select) && GameMain.Server == null) || 
+                (isLocalPlayer && (findFocusedTimer <= 0.0f || Screen.Selected == GameMain.EditMapScreen)))
             {
                 focusedCharacter = FindCharacterAtPosition(mouseSimPos);
                 focusedItem = FindItemAtPosition(mouseSimPos, AnimController.InWater ? 0.5f : 0.25f);
@@ -1223,6 +1242,10 @@ namespace Barotrauma
                     {
                         focusedCharacter = null;
                     }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        focusedItem = null;
+                    }
                 }
                 findFocusedTimer = 0.05f;
             }
@@ -1241,7 +1264,10 @@ namespace Barotrauma
             }
             else if (focusedItem != null)
             {
-                focusedItem.IsHighlighted = true;
+                if (Controlled == this)
+                {
+                    focusedItem.IsHighlighted = true;
+                }
                 focusedItem.TryInteract(this);
             }
             else if (IsKeyHit(InputType.Select) && selectedConstruction != null)
diff --git a/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/Source/Characters/CharacterNetworking.cs b/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/Source/Characters/CharacterNetworking.cs
index 8fff8ce69..dfef47bf7 100644
--- a/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/Source/Characters/CharacterNetworking.cs
+++ b/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/Source/Characters/CharacterNetworking.cs
@@ -144,18 +144,31 @@ namespace Barotrauma
                         cursorPosition = (ViewTarget == null ? AnimController.AimSourcePos : ViewTarget.Position)
                             + new Vector2((float)Math.Cos(aimAngle), (float)Math.Sin(aimAngle)) * 60.0f;
 
-                        var closestEntity = Entity.FindEntityByID(memInput[memInput.Count - 1].interact);
+                        //reset focus when attempting to use/select something
+                        if (memInput[memInput.Count - 1].states.HasFlag(InputNetFlags.Use) ||
+                            memInput[memInput.Count - 1].states.HasFlag(InputNetFlags.Select))
+                        {
+                            focusedItem = null;
+                            focusedCharacter = null;
+                        }
+                        var closestEntity = FindEntityByID(memInput[memInput.Count - 1].interact);
                         if (closestEntity is Item)
                         {
-                            focusedItem = (Item)closestEntity;
-                            focusedCharacter = null;
+                            if (CanInteractWith((Item)closestEntity))
+                            {
+                                focusedItem = (Item)closestEntity;
+                                focusedCharacter = null;
+                            }
                         }
                         else if (closestEntity is Character)
                         {
-                            focusedCharacter = (Character)closestEntity;
-                            focusedItem = null;
+                            if (CanInteractWith((Character)closestEntity))
+                            {
+                                focusedCharacter = (Character)closestEntity;
+                                focusedItem = null;
+                            }
                         }
-                        
+
                         memInput.RemoveAt(memInput.Count - 1);
 
                         TransformCursorPos();