diff --git a/common/net/src/synced_components.rs b/common/net/src/synced_components.rs
index 0db52a0dcb..9f3482c304 100644
--- a/common/net/src/synced_components.rs
+++ b/common/net/src/synced_components.rs
@@ -50,11 +50,14 @@ macro_rules! synced_components {
             // ServerGeneral::InventoryUpdate so we could use that instead
             // or remove the part where it clones the inventory.
             inventory: Inventory,
+            // TODO: this is used in combat rating calculation in voxygen but we can probably
+            // remove it from that and then see if it's used for anything else and try to move
+            // to only being synced for the client's entity.
+            skill_set: SkillSet,
 
             // Synced to the client only for its own entity
 
             combo: Combo,
-            skill_set: SkillSet,
             active_abilities: ActiveAbilities,
             can_build: CanBuild,
         }
@@ -193,16 +196,16 @@ impl NetSync for Inventory {
     const SYNC_FROM: SyncFrom = SyncFrom::AllEntities;
 }
 
+impl NetSync for SkillSet {
+    const SYNC_FROM: SyncFrom = SyncFrom::AllEntities;
+}
+
 // SyncFrom::ClientEntity
 
 impl NetSync for Combo {
     const SYNC_FROM: SyncFrom = SyncFrom::ClientEntity;
 }
 
-impl NetSync for SkillSet {
-    const SYNC_FROM: SyncFrom = SyncFrom::ClientEntity;
-}
-
 impl NetSync for ActiveAbilities {
     const SYNC_FROM: SyncFrom = SyncFrom::ClientEntity;
 }
diff --git a/common/src/comp/energy.rs b/common/src/comp/energy.rs
index 4fad5479f9..6f4c59bfdd 100644
--- a/common/src/comp/energy.rs
+++ b/common/src/comp/energy.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use specs::{Component, DerefFlaggedStorage};
 use specs_idvs::IdvStorage;
 use std::ops::Mul;
 
-#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
 /// Energy is represented by u32s within the module, but treated as a float by
 /// the rest of the game.
 // As a general rule, all input and output values to public functions should be
diff --git a/common/src/states/behavior.rs b/common/src/states/behavior.rs
index 12875e95f3..0c7e21207d 100644
--- a/common/src/states/behavior.rs
+++ b/common/src/states/behavior.rs
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ pub struct JoinStruct<'a> {
     pub vel: &'a mut Vel,
     pub ori: &'a mut Ori,
     pub mass: &'a Mass,
-    pub density: &'a mut Density,
+    pub density: FlaggedAccessMut<'a, &'a mut Density, Density>,
     pub energy: FlaggedAccessMut<'a, &'a mut Energy, Energy>,
     pub inventory: Option<&'a Inventory>,
     pub controller: &'a mut Controller,
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ impl<'a> JoinData<'a> {
             vel: j.vel,
             ori: j.ori,
             mass: j.mass,
-            density: j.density,
+            density: &j.density,
             energy: &j.energy,
             inventory: j.inventory,
             controller: j.controller,
diff --git a/common/systems/src/character_behavior.rs b/common/systems/src/character_behavior.rs
index cfd9e6cc1e..96a01739a5 100644
--- a/common/systems/src/character_behavior.rs
+++ b/common/systems/src/character_behavior.rs
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ impl<'a> System<'a> for Sys {
             vel,
             ori,
             mass,
-            mut density,
+            density,
             energy,
             inventory,
             controller,
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ impl<'a> System<'a> for Sys {
                 vel,
                 ori,
                 mass,
-                density: &mut density,
+                density,
                 energy,
                 inventory,
                 controller,
@@ -241,12 +241,17 @@ impl Sys {
         // TODO: if checking equality is expensive use optional field in StateUpdate
         if *join.char_state != state_update.character {
             *join.char_state = state_update.character
+        }
+        if *join.density != state_update.density {
+            *join.density = state_update.density
+        }
+        if *join.energy != state_update.energy {
+            *join.energy = state_update.energy;
         };
+
         *join.pos = state_update.pos;
         *join.vel = state_update.vel;
         *join.ori = state_update.ori;
-        *join.density = state_update.density;
-        *join.energy = state_update.energy;
         join.controller
             .queued_inputs
             .append(&mut state_update.queued_inputs);