diff --git a/src/game/Player.cpp b/src/game/Player.cpp
index d6c0ad626..11cc7251b 100644
--- a/src/game/Player.cpp
+++ b/src/game/Player.cpp
@@ -10116,10 +10116,42 @@ uint8 Player::CanUseItem( Item *pItem, bool not_loading ) const
             if ((pProto->AllowableClass & getClassMask()) == 0 || (pProto->AllowableRace & getRaceMask()) == 0)
                 return EQUIP_ERR_YOU_CAN_NEVER_USE_THAT_ITEM;
 
-            if (pItem->GetSkill() != 0)
+            if (uint32 item_use_skill = pItem->GetSkill())
             {
-                if (GetSkillValue( pItem->GetSkill() ) == 0)
-                    return EQUIP_ERR_NO_REQUIRED_PROFICIENCY;
+                if (GetSkillValue(item_use_skill) == 0)
+                {
+                    // armor items with scaling stats can downgrade armor skill reqs if related class can learn armor use at some level
+                    if (pProto->Class != ITEM_CLASS_ARMOR)
+                        return EQUIP_ERR_NO_REQUIRED_PROFICIENCY;
+
+                    ScalingStatDistributionEntry const *ssd = pProto->ScalingStatDistribution ? sScalingStatDistributionStore.LookupEntry(pProto->ScalingStatDistribution) : NULL;
+                    if (!ssd)
+                        return EQUIP_ERR_NO_REQUIRED_PROFICIENCY;
+
+                    bool allowScaleSkill = false;
+                    for (uint32 i = 0; i < sSkillLineAbilityStore.GetNumRows(); ++i)
+                    {
+                        SkillLineAbilityEntry const *skillInfo = sSkillLineAbilityStore.LookupEntry(i);
+                        if (!skillInfo)
+                            continue;
+
+                        if (skillInfo->skillId != item_use_skill)
+                            continue;
+
+                        // can't learn
+                        if (skillInfo->classmask && (skillInfo->classmask & getClassMask()) == 0)
+                            continue;
+
+                        if (skillInfo->racemask && (skillInfo->racemask & getRaceMask()) == 0)
+                            continue;
+
+                        allowScaleSkill = true;
+                        break;
+                    }
+
+                    if (!allowScaleSkill)
+                        return EQUIP_ERR_NO_REQUIRED_PROFICIENCY;
+                }
             }
 
             if (pProto->RequiredSkill != 0)
diff --git a/src/shared/revision_nr.h b/src/shared/revision_nr.h
index 3978d0357..d0b3bd387 100644
--- a/src/shared/revision_nr.h
+++ b/src/shared/revision_nr.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 #ifndef __REVISION_NR_H__
 #define __REVISION_NR_H__
- #define REVISION_NR "8580"
+ #define REVISION_NR "8581"
 #endif // __REVISION_NR_H__