diff --git a/Content.Shared/Movement/Pulling/Systems/PullingSystem.cs b/Content.Shared/Movement/Pulling/Systems/PullingSystem.cs
index edc8ad516172be..f563440af04882 100644
--- a/Content.Shared/Movement/Pulling/Systems/PullingSystem.cs
+++ b/Content.Shared/Movement/Pulling/Systems/PullingSystem.cs
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ public bool IsPulling(EntityUid puller, PullerComponent? component = null)
 
     private void OnReleasePulledObject(ICommonSession? session)
     {
-        if (session?.AttachedEntity is not {Valid: true} player)
+        if (session?.AttachedEntity is not { Valid: true } player)
         {
             return;
         }
@@ -447,6 +447,9 @@ public bool TryStartPull(EntityUid pullerUid, EntityUid pullableUid,
         pullerComp.Pulling = pullableUid;
         pullableComp.Puller = pullerUid;
 
+        // store the pulled entity's physics FixedRotation setting in case we change it
+        pullableComp.PrevFixedRotation = pullablePhysics.FixedRotation;
+
         // joint state handling will manage its own state
         if (!_timing.ApplyingState)
         {
@@ -465,8 +468,6 @@ public bool TryStartPull(EntityUid pullerUid, EntityUid pullableUid,
             _physics.SetFixedRotation(pullableUid, pullableComp.FixedRotationOnPull, body: pullablePhysics);
         }
 
-        pullableComp.PrevFixedRotation = pullablePhysics.FixedRotation;
-
         // Messaging
         var message = new PullStartedMessage(pullerUid, pullableUid);
         _modifierSystem.RefreshMovementSpeedModifiers(pullerUid);