diff --git a/src/game/systems.cpp b/src/game/systems.cpp
index 73ac99f..a1dcf26 100644
--- a/src/game/systems.cpp
+++ b/src/game/systems.cpp
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ void System::collision() {
   for(auto entity : nearby) {
     if(world.has<Combat>(entity)) {
       auto combat = world.get<Combat>(entity);
-      if(!combat.is_dead()) {
+      if(!combat.has_died) {
         combat_count++;
         world.send<game::Event>(game::Event::COMBAT_START, entity, entity);
       }
@@ -603,34 +603,22 @@ void System::render_map(Matrix& tiles, EntityGrid& entity_map, sf::RenderTexture
   render.display();
 }
 
-bool System::use_item(const string& slot_name) {
+void System::use_item(const string& slot_name) {
   auto& level = GameDB::current_level();
   auto& world = *level.world;
   auto& inventory = world.get<inventory::Model>(level.player);
   auto& player_combat = world.get<Combat>(level.player);
 
-  if(player_combat.hp >= player_combat.max_hp) return false;
-  if(!inventory.has(slot_name)) return false;
+  if(!(player_combat.can_heal() && inventory.has(slot_name))) return;
 
   auto what = inventory.get(slot_name);
 
   if(auto curative = world.get_if<Curative>(what)) {
     inventory.remove(what);
-
-    player_combat.hp += curative->hp;
-
-    if(player_combat.hp > player_combat.max_hp) {
-      player_combat.hp = player_combat.max_hp;
-    }
-
-    dbc::log($F("player health now {}",
-          player_combat.hp));
-
+    player_combat.apply_healing(*curative);
     world.remove<Curative>(what);
-    return true;
   } else {
     dbc::log($F("no usable item at {}", what));
-    return false;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/game/systems.hpp b/src/game/systems.hpp
index e557a31..abfb5c0 100644
--- a/src/game/systems.hpp
+++ b/src/game/systems.hpp
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ namespace System {
   void render_map(Matrix& tiles, EntityGrid& entity_map, sf::RenderTexture& render, int compass_dir, wchar_t player_display);
 
   void set_position(DinkyECS::World& world, SpatialMap& collision, Entity entity, Position pos);
-  bool use_item(const std::string& slot_name);
+  void use_item(const std::string& slot_name);
 
   game::Event shortest_rotate(Point player_at, Point aiming_at, Point turning_to);
 
diff --git a/src/gui/fsm.cpp b/src/gui/fsm.cpp
index 9f44431..84f05c3 100644
--- a/src/gui/fsm.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/fsm.cpp
@@ -193,9 +193,8 @@ namespace gui {
         auto gui_id = std::any_cast<guecs::Entity>(data);
         auto& slot_name = $status_ui.$gui.name_for(gui_id);
 
-        if(System::use_item(slot_name)) {
-          $status_ui.update();
-        }
+        System::use_item(slot_name);
+        $status_ui.update();
        } break;
       case MOUSE_CLICK:
         mouse_action(guecs::NO_MODS);