diff --git a/common/shareddb.cpp b/common/shareddb.cpp
index 10b087ec7..3f2c95dab 100644
--- a/common/shareddb.cpp
+++ b/common/shareddb.cpp
@@ -932,6 +932,8 @@ bool SharedDatabase::LoadItems(const std::string &prefix) {
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	m_shared_items_count = GetItemsCount();
+
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -1782,6 +1784,9 @@ 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;
 }
 
@@ -2367,3 +2372,35 @@ void SharedDatabase::SaveCharacterInspectMessage(uint32 character_id, const Insp
 	const std::string query = StringFormat("REPLACE INTO `character_inspect_messages` (id, inspect_message) VALUES (%u, '%s')", character_id, Strings::Escape(message->text).c_str());
 	auto results = QueryDatabase(query);
 }
+
+uint32 SharedDatabase::GetSpellsCount()
+{
+	auto results = QueryDatabase("SELECT count(*) FROM spells_new");
+	if (!results.Success() || !results.RowCount()) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	auto& row = results.begin();
+
+	if (row[0]) {
+		return atoul(row[0]);
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+uint32 SharedDatabase::GetItemsCount()
+{
+	auto results = QueryDatabase("SELECT count(*) FROM items");
+	if (!results.Success() || !results.RowCount()) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	auto& row = results.begin();
+
+	if (row[0]) {
+		return atoul(row[0]);
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/common/shareddb.h b/common/shareddb.h
index 165cbe380..1124a0ab4 100644
--- a/common/shareddb.h
+++ b/common/shareddb.h
@@ -146,6 +146,8 @@ public:
 	const EQ::ItemData *IterateItems(uint32 *id) const;
 	const EQ::ItemData *GetItem(uint32 id) const;
 	const EvolveInfo *GetEvolveInfo(uint32 loregroup);
+	uint32 GetSharedItemsCount() { return m_shared_items_count; }
+	uint32 GetItemsCount();
 
 	/**
 	 * faction
@@ -181,6 +183,8 @@ public:
 	bool LoadSpells(const std::string &prefix, int32 *records, const SPDat_Spell_Struct **sp);
 	void LoadSpells(void *data, int max_spells);
 	void LoadDamageShieldTypes(SPDat_Spell_Struct *sp, int32 iMaxSpellID);
+	uint32 GetSharedSpellsCount() { return m_shared_spells_count; }
+	uint32 GetSpellsCount();
 
 	/**
 	 * basedata
@@ -212,6 +216,9 @@ protected:
 	std::unique_ptr<EQ::FixedMemoryVariableHashSet<LootDrop_Struct>>  loot_drop_hash;
 	std::unique_ptr<EQ::MemoryMappedFile>                             base_data_mmf;
 	std::unique_ptr<EQ::MemoryMappedFile>                             spells_mmf;
+
+	uint32 m_shared_items_count = 0;
+	uint32 m_shared_spells_count = 0;
 };
 
 #endif /*SHAREDDB_H_*/
diff --git a/zone/command.cpp b/zone/command.cpp
index 8883d3de2..13c697f98 100755
--- a/zone/command.cpp
+++ b/zone/command.cpp
@@ -752,6 +752,46 @@ void command_findaliases(Client *c, const Seperator *sep)
 
 void command_hotfix(Client *c, const Seperator *sep)
 {
+	auto items_count = database.GetItemsCount();
+	auto shared_items_count = database.GetSharedItemsCount();
+	if (items_count != shared_items_count) {
+		c->Message(Chat::Yellow, "Your database does not have the same item count as your shared memory.");
+
+		c->Message(
+			Chat::Yellow,
+			fmt::format(
+				"Database Count: {} Shared Memory Count: {}",
+				items_count,
+				shared_items_count
+			).c_str()
+		);
+
+		c->Message(Chat::Yellow, "If you want to be able to add new items to your server while it is online, you need to create placeholder entries in the database ahead of time and do not add or remove rows/entries. Only modify the existing placeholder rows/entries to safely use #hotfix.");
+
+		return;
+	}
+
+	auto spells_count = database.GetSpellsCount();
+	auto shared_spells_count = database.GetSharedSpellsCount();
+	if (spells_count != shared_spells_count) {
+		c->Message(Chat::Yellow, "Your database does not have the same spell count as your shared memory.");
+
+		c->Message(
+			Chat::Yellow,
+			fmt::format(
+				"Database Count: {} Shared Memory Count: {}",
+				spells_count,
+				shared_spells_count
+			).c_str()
+		);
+
+		c->Message(Chat::Yellow, "If you want to be able to add new spells to your server while it is online, you need to create placeholder entries in the database ahead of time and do not add or remove rows/entries. Only modify the existing placeholder rows/entries to safely use #hotfix.");
+
+		c->Message(Chat::Yellow, "Note: You may still have to distribute a spell file, even with dynamic changes.");
+
+		return;
+	}
+
 	std::string hotfix;
 	database.GetVariable("hotfix_name", hotfix);