diff --git a/common/shareddb.cpp b/common/shareddb.cpp
index 3f2c95dab..35cedb324 100644
--- a/common/shareddb.cpp
+++ b/common/shareddb.cpp
@@ -932,8 +932,6 @@ bool SharedDatabase::LoadItems(const std::string &prefix) {
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	m_shared_items_count = GetItemsCount();
-
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -1784,8 +1782,6 @@ bool SharedDatabase::LoadSpells(const std::string &prefix, int32 *records, const
 		LogError("Error Loading Spells: {}", ex.what());
 		return false;
 	}
-	
-	m_shared_spells_count = GetSpellsCount();
 
 	return true;
 }
@@ -2403,4 +2399,14 @@ uint32 SharedDatabase::GetItemsCount()
 	}
 
 	return 0;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+void SharedDatabase::SetSharedItemsCount(uint32 shared_items_count)
+{
+	SharedDatabase::m_shared_items_count = shared_items_count;
+}
+
+void SharedDatabase::SetSharedSpellsCount(uint32 shared_spells_count)
+{
+	SharedDatabase::m_shared_spells_count = shared_spells_count;
+}
diff --git a/common/shareddb.h b/common/shareddb.h
index 1124a0ab4..f8b0ce6b7 100644
--- a/common/shareddb.h
+++ b/common/shareddb.h
@@ -217,6 +217,10 @@ protected:
 	std::unique_ptr<EQ::MemoryMappedFile>                             base_data_mmf;
 	std::unique_ptr<EQ::MemoryMappedFile>                             spells_mmf;
 
+public:
+	void SetSharedItemsCount(uint32 shared_items_count);
+	void SetSharedSpellsCount(uint32 shared_spells_count);
+protected:
 	uint32 m_shared_items_count = 0;
 	uint32 m_shared_spells_count = 0;
 };
diff --git a/zone/main.cpp b/zone/main.cpp
index 3273db791..627f9e9b4 100644
--- a/zone/main.cpp
+++ b/zone/main.cpp
@@ -333,6 +333,10 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
 		return 1;
 	}
 
+	// load these here for now until spells and items can be truly repointed to "content_db"
+	database.SetSharedItemsCount(content_db.GetItemsCount());
+	database.SetSharedSpellsCount(content_db.GetSpellsCount());
+
 	LogInfo("Loading base data");
 	if (!database.LoadBaseData(hotfix_name)) {
 		LogError("Loading base data failed!");