diff --git a/Tactical/Handle Items.cpp b/Tactical/Handle Items.cpp
index 710950cf..c2ce344c 100644
--- a/Tactical/Handle Items.cpp	
+++ b/Tactical/Handle Items.cpp	
@@ -5100,6 +5100,36 @@ void UpdateGear()
 
 					if ( pObj != NULL )													// ... if pointer is not obviously useless ...
 					{
+						// before replacing it, merge ammo in stacks, the not-full mag being the visible one
+						// by doing this we won't have so many used magazines lying around
+						if ( (Item[pObj->usItem].usItemClass & IC_AMMO) && pObj->ubNumberOfObjects > 1 )
+						{
+							UINT32 ammocount = 0;
+							for ( INT16 i = 0; i < pObj->ubNumberOfObjects; ++i )
+								ammocount += (*pObj)[i]->data.ubShotsLeft;
+
+							UINT16 usMagIndex = Item[pObj->usItem].ubClassIndex;
+							UINT16 magsize = Magazine[usMagIndex].ubMagSize;
+
+							if ( magsize )
+							{
+								UINT8 fullmags = ammocount / magsize;
+
+								UINT16 leftover = ammocount - fullmags * magsize;
+
+								UINT8 totalmags = fullmags + (leftover > 0 ? 1 : 0);
+
+								if ( totalmags < pObj->ubNumberOfObjects )
+									pObj->RemoveObjectsFromStack( pObj->ubNumberOfObjects - totalmags );
+								
+								for ( INT16 i = 0; i < totalmags; ++i )
+									(*pObj)[i]->data.ubShotsLeft = magsize;
+
+								if ( leftover > 0 )
+									(*pObj)[0]->data.ubShotsLeft = leftover;
+							}
+						}
+						
 						for ( INT16 i = 0; i < pObj->ubNumberOfObjects; ++i )				// ... there might be multiple items here (item stack), so for each one ...
 						{
 							// we could improve our gear by changing this object with another one
@@ -5169,6 +5199,54 @@ void UpdateGear()
 								}
 							}
 						}
+
+						// if this is an ammo stack that could use more mags, try to fill it up
+						if ( (Item[pObj->usItem].usItemClass & IC_AMMO) )
+						{
+							UINT8 ubSlotLimit = ItemSlotLimit( pObj, bLoop, pSoldier, FALSE );
+							UINT16 usMagIndex = Item[pObj->usItem].ubClassIndex;
+							UINT16 magsize = Magazine[usMagIndex].ubMagSize; 
+							
+							if ( magsize )
+							{
+								while ( pObj->ubNumberOfObjects < ubSlotLimit )
+								{
+									int add = ubSlotLimit - pObj->ubNumberOfObjects;
+
+									UINT8 index = 0;
+									OBJECTTYPE* pObj_Better = GetBetterSectorObject( pObj->usItem, 0, index );
+
+									if ( pObj_Better )
+									{
+										pObj->AddObjectsToStack( *pObj_Better, add );
+									
+										ScreenMsg( FONT_MCOLOR_LTYELLOW, MSG_INTERFACE, TacticalStr[IMPROVEGEARPICKUPMAG_STR], pSoldier->GetName( ), Item[pObj->usItem].szItemName );
+
+										// re-merge the magazines again, in case we picked up not full magazines
+										UINT32 ammocount = 0;
+										for ( INT16 i = 0; i < pObj->ubNumberOfObjects; ++i )
+											ammocount += (*pObj)[i]->data.ubShotsLeft;
+
+										UINT8 fullmags = ammocount / magsize;
+
+										UINT16 leftover = ammocount - fullmags * magsize;
+
+										UINT8 totalmags = fullmags + (leftover > 0 ? 1 : 0);
+
+										if ( totalmags < pObj->ubNumberOfObjects )
+											pObj->RemoveObjectsFromStack( pObj->ubNumberOfObjects - totalmags );
+
+										for ( INT16 i = 0; i < totalmags; ++i )
+											(*pObj)[i]->data.ubShotsLeft = magsize;
+
+										if ( leftover > 0 )
+											(*pObj)[0]->data.ubShotsLeft = leftover;
+									}
+									else
+										break;
+								}
+							}
+						}
 					}
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/Utils/Text.h b/Utils/Text.h
index 2230cd79..cd6ed5d3 100644
--- a/Utils/Text.h
+++ b/Utils/Text.h
@@ -1131,6 +1131,7 @@ enum
 
 	IMPROVEGEARBUTTON_STR,
 	IMPROVEGEARDESCRIBE_STR,
+	IMPROVEGEARPICKUPMAG_STR,
 
 	TEXT_NUM_TACTICAL_STR
 };
diff --git a/Utils/_ChineseText.cpp b/Utils/_ChineseText.cpp
index 660f319b..5110a770 100644
--- a/Utils/_ChineseText.cpp
+++ b/Utils/_ChineseText.cpp
@@ -4002,6 +4002,7 @@ CHAR16 TacticalStr[][ MED_STRING_LENGTH ] =
 
 	L"改进装备", //L"Improve gear",
 	L"%s 改变 %s 对高级版本", //L"%s changed %s for superior version",
+	L"%s picked up %s",	// TODO.Translate
 };
 
 //Varying helptext explains (for the "Go to Sector/Map" checkbox) what will happen given different circumstances in the "exiting sector" interface.
diff --git a/Utils/_DutchText.cpp b/Utils/_DutchText.cpp
index 847f9a2d..133261f2 100644
--- a/Utils/_DutchText.cpp
+++ b/Utils/_DutchText.cpp
@@ -4001,6 +4001,7 @@ CHAR16 TacticalStr[][ MED_STRING_LENGTH ] =
 
 	L"Improve gear",
 	L"%s changed %s for superior version",
+	L"%s picked up %s",	// TODO.Translate
 };
 
 //Varying helptext explains (for the "Go to Sector/Map" checkbox) what will happen given different circumstances in the "exiting sector" interface.
diff --git a/Utils/_EnglishText.cpp b/Utils/_EnglishText.cpp
index 65ed555d..f123a3a5 100644
--- a/Utils/_EnglishText.cpp
+++ b/Utils/_EnglishText.cpp
@@ -3999,6 +3999,7 @@ CHAR16 TacticalStr[][ MED_STRING_LENGTH ] =
 
 	L"Improve gear",
 	L"%s changed %s for superior version",
+	L"%s picked up %s",
 };
 
 //Varying helptext explains (for the "Go to Sector/Map" checkbox) what will happen given different circumstances in the "exiting sector" interface.
diff --git a/Utils/_FrenchText.cpp b/Utils/_FrenchText.cpp
index c38b34ce..fbeba069 100644
--- a/Utils/_FrenchText.cpp
+++ b/Utils/_FrenchText.cpp
@@ -4005,6 +4005,7 @@ CHAR16 TacticalStr[][ MED_STRING_LENGTH ] =
 
 	L"Improve gear",
 	L"%s changed %s for superior version",
+	L"%s picked up %s",	// TODO.Translate
 };
 
 //Varying helptext explains (for the "Go to Sector/Map" checkbox) what will happen given different circumstances in the "exiting sector" interface.
diff --git a/Utils/_GermanText.cpp b/Utils/_GermanText.cpp
index 53de67bb..733f4077 100644
--- a/Utils/_GermanText.cpp
+++ b/Utils/_GermanText.cpp
@@ -4007,6 +4007,7 @@ CHAR16 TacticalStr[][ MED_STRING_LENGTH ] =
 
 	L"Improve gear",
 	L"%s changed %s for superior version",
+	L"%s picked up %s",	// TODO.Translate
 };
 
 //Varying helptext explains (for the "Go to Sector/Map" checkbox) what will happen given different circumstances in the "exiting sector" interface.
diff --git a/Utils/_ItalianText.cpp b/Utils/_ItalianText.cpp
index d32ce54e..3a380855 100644
--- a/Utils/_ItalianText.cpp
+++ b/Utils/_ItalianText.cpp
@@ -3995,6 +3995,7 @@ CHAR16 TacticalStr[][ MED_STRING_LENGTH ] =
 
 	L"Improve gear",
 	L"%s changed %s for superior version",
+	L"%s picked up %s",	// TODO.Translate
 };
 
 //Varying helptext explains (for the "Go to Sector/Map" checkbox) what will happen given different circumstances in the "exiting sector" interface.
diff --git a/Utils/_PolishText.cpp b/Utils/_PolishText.cpp
index de49f284..d05005bb 100644
--- a/Utils/_PolishText.cpp
+++ b/Utils/_PolishText.cpp
@@ -4006,6 +4006,7 @@ CHAR16 TacticalStr[][ MED_STRING_LENGTH ] =
 
 	L"Improve gear",
 	L"%s changed %s for superior version",
+	L"%s picked up %s",	// TODO.Translate
 };
 
 //Varying helptext explains (for the "Go to Sector/Map" checkbox) what will happen given different circumstances in the "exiting sector" interface.
diff --git a/Utils/_RussianText.cpp b/Utils/_RussianText.cpp
index add4275c..89be38c5 100644
--- a/Utils/_RussianText.cpp
+++ b/Utils/_RussianText.cpp
@@ -3999,6 +3999,7 @@ CHAR16 TacticalStr[][ MED_STRING_LENGTH ] =
 
 	L"Improve gear",
 	L"%s changed %s for superior version",
+	L"%s picked up %s",	// TODO.Translate
 };
 
 //Varying helptext explains (for the "Go to Sector/Map" checkbox) what will happen given different circumstances in the "exiting sector" interface.