diff --git a/Content.Shared/Cuffs/SharedCuffableSystem.cs b/Content.Shared/Cuffs/SharedCuffableSystem.cs
index 21d09c744c..b323dc6dd1 100644
--- a/Content.Shared/Cuffs/SharedCuffableSystem.cs
+++ b/Content.Shared/Cuffs/SharedCuffableSystem.cs
@@ -461,6 +461,12 @@ namespace Content.Shared.Cuffs
             if (!_interaction.InRangeUnobstructed(handcuff, target))
                 return false;
 
+            // if the amount of hands the target has is equal to or less than the amount of hands that are cuffed
+            // don't apply the new set of cuffs
+            // (how would you even end up with more cuffed hands than actual hands? either way accounting for it)
+            if (TryComp<HandsComponent>(target, out var hands) && hands.Count <= component.CuffedHandCount)
+                return false;
+
             // Success!
             _hands.TryDrop(user, handcuff);