diff --git a/Items/Inventory.cs b/Items/Inventory.cs
index 8c5f876..825c5bf 100644
--- a/Items/Inventory.cs
+++ b/Items/Inventory.cs
@@ -11,10 +11,11 @@ public partial class Inventory : Node2D, IItemCollection<ItemMetadata>
     [Export]
     public Array<Item> Hotbar { get; private set; }
 
-    [Export]
-    public Array<ItemMetadata> Items { get; private set; }
+    public Array<int> HotbarToItemIndexMap { get; set; } = new();
 
     [Export]
+    public Array<ItemMetadata> Items { get; set; }
+
     public Dictionary<string, int> InventoryMap { get; set; }
 
     [Signal]
@@ -62,6 +63,12 @@ public partial class Inventory : Node2D, IItemCollection<ItemMetadata>
 
     public bool IsUsingItem => SelectedItem?.IsUsing ?? false;
 
+    public Inventory()
+    {
+        HotbarToItemIndexMap.Resize(HotbarCapacity);
+        HotbarToItemIndexMap.Fill(-1);
+    }
+
     public override void _Ready()
     {
         if (Hotbar is null)
@@ -155,7 +162,19 @@ public partial class Inventory : Node2D, IItemCollection<ItemMetadata>
         return item;
     }
 
-    public Item SetHotbarIndexToItem(int index, ItemMetadata metadata)
+    public Item SetHotbarIndexToItemIndex(int hotbarIndex, int itemIndex)
+    {
+        HotbarToItemIndexMap[hotbarIndex] = itemIndex;
+
+        if (itemIndex >= 0)
+        {
+            return SetHotbarIndexToItem(hotbarIndex, Items[itemIndex]);
+        }
+
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    private Item SetHotbarIndexToItem(int index, ItemMetadata metadata)
     {
         var oldItem = Hotbar[index];
         Item newItem = null;
diff --git a/State/Global/GlobalState.cs b/State/Global/GlobalState.cs
index 8c56b17..734b861 100644
--- a/State/Global/GlobalState.cs
+++ b/State/Global/GlobalState.cs
@@ -76,6 +76,19 @@ public partial class GlobalState : Node
         Progression = save.Progression;
         MapState = save.MapState;
         Stats = save.Stats;
+
+        var inventory = World.Instance.CurrentPlayer.Inventory;
+        inventory.Items = Stats.Items;
+
+        for (int i = 0; i < Stats.HotbarToItemIndexMap.Count; i++)
+        {
+            int itemIndex = Stats.HotbarToItemIndexMap[i];
+
+            if (itemIndex >= 0)
+            {
+                inventory.SetHotbarIndexToItemIndex(i, itemIndex);
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     public void ExportToSave(Save save)
@@ -83,5 +96,9 @@ public partial class GlobalState : Node
         save.Progression = Progression;
         save.MapState = MapState;
         save.Stats = Stats;
+
+        var inventory = World.Instance.CurrentPlayer.Inventory;
+        Stats.Items = inventory.Items;
+        Stats.HotbarToItemIndexMap = inventory.HotbarToItemIndexMap;
     }
 }
diff --git a/State/Global/Stats.cs b/State/Global/Stats.cs
index a78c222..993ef13 100644
--- a/State/Global/Stats.cs
+++ b/State/Global/Stats.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 using Godot;
+using Godot.Collections;
 
 namespace SupaLidlGame.State.Global;
 
@@ -13,4 +14,10 @@ public partial class Stats : Resource
 
     [Export]
     public int DeathCount { get; set; } = 0;
+
+    [Export]
+    public Array<Items.ItemMetadata> Items { get; set; } = new();
+
+    [Export]
+    public Array<int> HotbarToItemIndexMap { get; set; } = new();
 }
diff --git a/UI/Inventory/InventoryGrid.cs b/UI/Inventory/InventoryGrid.cs
index fc33d54..7589919 100644
--- a/UI/Inventory/InventoryGrid.cs
+++ b/UI/Inventory/InventoryGrid.cs
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ public partial class InventoryGrid : GridContainer
 
                 ItemMetadata item = items.Current;
                 slot.Item = item;
+                slot.Index = i;
             }
 
             // make remaining slots display empty
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@ public partial class InventoryGrid : GridContainer
                 InventorySlot slot = children[i] as InventorySlot;
 
                 slot.Item = null;
+                slot.Index = i;
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/UI/Inventory/InventoryMenu.cs b/UI/Inventory/InventoryMenu.cs
index 1a27612..304f247 100644
--- a/UI/Inventory/InventoryMenu.cs
+++ b/UI/Inventory/InventoryMenu.cs
@@ -76,6 +76,6 @@ public partial class InventoryMenu : BaseMenu, IModal
     {
         int slot = button.GetMeta("slot").AsInt32();
         GD.Print("Equipping item at slot " + slot);
-        Source.SetHotbarIndexToItem(slot, _selected.Item);
+        Source.SetHotbarIndexToItemIndex(slot, _selected.Index);
     }
 }
diff --git a/UI/Inventory/InventorySlot.cs b/UI/Inventory/InventorySlot.cs
index 8d9bda6..e29e13a 100644
--- a/UI/Inventory/InventorySlot.cs
+++ b/UI/Inventory/InventorySlot.cs
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ public partial class InventorySlot : Button
 
     private static Texture2D _placeholderTexture;
 
+    public int Index { get; set; }
+
     private Items.ItemMetadata _item;
 
     public Items.ItemMetadata Item
diff --git a/Utils/ScenePath.cs b/Utils/ScenePath.cs
index 5e2a236..7cc938c 100644
--- a/Utils/ScenePath.cs
+++ b/Utils/ScenePath.cs
@@ -21,7 +21,12 @@ public partial class ScenePath : ResourcePath
 
         // add scene to loaded to not have to reload scene when called again
         var scene = base.Load<PackedScene>();
-        _loaded.Add(Path, scene);
+
+        if (useCached)
+        {
+            _loaded.Add(Path, scene);
+        }
+
         return scene;
     }