diff --git a/Content.Client/Clothing/ClothingVisualsSystem.cs b/Content.Client/Clothing/ClothingVisualsSystem.cs
index aecf94eabd..304a3cc5c7 100644
--- a/Content.Client/Clothing/ClothingVisualsSystem.cs
+++ b/Content.Client/Clothing/ClothingVisualsSystem.cs
@@ -172,7 +172,8 @@ public sealed class ClothingVisualsSystem : EntitySystem
 
     public void InitClothing(EntityUid uid, ClientInventoryComponent? component = null, SpriteComponent? sprite = null)
     {
-        if (!_inventorySystem.TryGetSlots(uid, out var slots, component) || !Resolve(uid, ref sprite, ref component)) return;
+        if (!Resolve(uid, ref sprite, ref component) || !_inventorySystem.TryGetSlots(uid, out var slots, component))
+            return;
 
         foreach (var slot in slots)
         {
diff --git a/Content.Client/Inventory/ClientInventorySystem.cs b/Content.Client/Inventory/ClientInventorySystem.cs
index 99eccc52de..4db601abea 100644
--- a/Content.Client/Inventory/ClientInventorySystem.cs
+++ b/Content.Client/Inventory/ClientInventorySystem.cs
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ namespace Content.Client.Inventory
             SubscribeLocalEvent<ClientInventoryComponent, PlayerAttachedEvent>(OnPlayerAttached);
             SubscribeLocalEvent<ClientInventoryComponent, PlayerDetachedEvent>(OnPlayerDetached);
 
-            SubscribeLocalEvent<ClientInventoryComponent, ComponentInit>(OnInit);
             SubscribeLocalEvent<ClientInventoryComponent, ComponentShutdown>(OnShutdown);
 
             SubscribeLocalEvent<ClientInventoryComponent, DidEquipEvent>((_, comp, args) =>
@@ -145,16 +144,17 @@ namespace Content.Client.Inventory
             base.Shutdown();
         }
 
-        private void OnInit(EntityUid uid, ClientInventoryComponent component, ComponentInit args)
+        protected override void OnInit(EntityUid uid, InventoryComponent component, ComponentInit args)
         {
-            _clothingVisualsSystem.InitClothing(uid, component);
+            base.OnInit(uid, component, args);
+            _clothingVisualsSystem.InitClothing(uid, (ClientInventoryComponent) component);
 
             if (!_prototypeManager.TryIndex(component.TemplateId, out InventoryTemplatePrototype? invTemplate))
                 return;
 
             foreach (var slot in invTemplate.Slots)
             {
-                TryAddSlotDef(uid, component, slot);
+                TryAddSlotDef(uid, (ClientInventoryComponent)component, slot);
             }
         }
 
@@ -191,7 +191,6 @@ namespace Content.Client.Inventory
             if (!component.SlotData.TryAdd(newSlotDef.Name, newSlotData))
                 return false;
 
-
             if (owner == _playerManager.LocalPlayer?.ControlledEntity)
                 OnSlotAdded?.Invoke(newSlotData);
             return true;
@@ -283,6 +282,8 @@ namespace Content.Client.Inventory
             public EntityUid? HeldEntity => Container?.ContainedEntity;
             public bool Blocked;
             public bool Highlighted;
+
+            [ViewVariables]
             public ContainerSlot? Container;
             public bool HasSlotGroup => SlotDef.SlotGroup != "Default";
             public Vector2i ButtonOffset => SlotDef.UIWindowPosition;
diff --git a/Content.IntegrationTests/Tests/DeleteInventoryTest.cs b/Content.IntegrationTests/Tests/DeleteInventoryTest.cs
index 0bc69de7ea..5efc6912da 100644
--- a/Content.IntegrationTests/Tests/DeleteInventoryTest.cs
+++ b/Content.IntegrationTests/Tests/DeleteInventoryTest.cs
@@ -33,11 +33,11 @@ namespace Content.IntegrationTests.Tests
 
                 var entMgr = IoCManager.Resolve<IEntityManager>();
                 var container = entMgr.SpawnEntity(null, MapCoordinates.Nullspace);
-                entMgr.AddComponent<ServerInventoryComponent>(container);
-                entMgr.AddComponent<ContainerManagerComponent>(container);
+                entMgr.EnsureComponent<ServerInventoryComponent>(container);
+                entMgr.EnsureComponent<ContainerManagerComponent>(container);
 
                 var child = entMgr.SpawnEntity(null, MapCoordinates.Nullspace);
-                var item = entMgr.AddComponent<ClothingComponent>(child);
+                var item = entMgr.EnsureComponent<ClothingComponent>(child);
 
                 IoCManager.Resolve<IEntitySystemManager>().GetEntitySystem<ClothingSystem>().SetSlots(item.Owner, SlotFlags.HEAD, item);
 
diff --git a/Content.Shared/Inventory/InventorySystem.Slots.cs b/Content.Shared/Inventory/InventorySystem.Slots.cs
index 571988bcce..b251720046 100644
--- a/Content.Shared/Inventory/InventorySystem.Slots.cs
+++ b/Content.Shared/Inventory/InventorySystem.Slots.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-using System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis;
+using System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis;
 using Robust.Shared.Containers;
 using Robust.Shared.Prototypes;
 
@@ -8,6 +8,22 @@ public partial class InventorySystem : EntitySystem
 {
     [Dependency] private readonly IPrototypeManager _prototypeManager = default!;
 
+    private void InitializeSlots()
+    {
+        SubscribeLocalEvent<InventoryComponent, ComponentInit>(OnInit);
+    }
+
+    protected virtual void OnInit(EntityUid uid, InventoryComponent component, ComponentInit args)
+    {
+        if (!_prototypeManager.TryIndex(component.TemplateId, out InventoryTemplatePrototype? invTemplate))
+            return;
+
+        foreach (var slot in invTemplate.Slots)
+        {
+            _containerSystem.EnsureContainer<ContainerSlot>(uid, slot.Name).OccludesLight = false;
+        }
+    }
+
     public bool TryGetSlotContainer(EntityUid uid, string slot, [NotNullWhen(true)] out ContainerSlot? containerSlot, [NotNullWhen(true)] out SlotDefinition? slotDefinition,
         InventoryComponent? inventory = null, ContainerManagerComponent? containerComp = null)
     {
@@ -21,9 +37,9 @@ public partial class InventorySystem : EntitySystem
 
         if (!containerComp.TryGetContainer(slotDefinition.Name, out var container))
         {
-            containerSlot = containerComp.MakeContainer<ContainerSlot>(slotDefinition.Name);
-            containerSlot.OccludesLight = false;
-            return true;
+            if (inventory.LifeStage >= ComponentLifeStage.Initialized)
+                Logger.Error($"Missing inventory container {slot} on entity {ToPrettyString(uid)}");
+            return false;
         }
 
         if (container is not ContainerSlot containerSlotChecked) return false;
diff --git a/Content.Shared/Inventory/InventorySystem.cs b/Content.Shared/Inventory/InventorySystem.cs
index 906133e5ad..b50f17c2d1 100644
--- a/Content.Shared/Inventory/InventorySystem.cs
+++ b/Content.Shared/Inventory/InventorySystem.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-namespace Content.Shared.Inventory;
+namespace Content.Shared.Inventory;
 
 public partial class InventorySystem
 {
@@ -8,5 +8,6 @@ public partial class InventorySystem
         base.Initialize();
         InitializeEquip();
         InitializeRelay();
+        InitializeSlots();
     }
 }