diff --git a/src/game/client/tf/vgui/tf_playermodelpanel.cpp b/src/game/client/tf/vgui/tf_playermodelpanel.cpp
index 53715b62e66..2119007a2ec 100644
--- a/src/game/client/tf/vgui/tf_playermodelpanel.cpp
+++ b/src/game/client/tf/vgui/tf_playermodelpanel.cpp
@@ -999,7 +999,14 @@ void CTFPlayerModelPanel::EquipItem( CEconItemView *pItem )
 
 		if ( iAnimSlot == -1 )
 		{
-			iAnimSlot = pItemDef->GetLoadoutSlot( m_iCurrentClassIndex );
+			if ( strcmp( pItemDef->GetItemClass(), "tf_weapon_katana" ) == 0 && m_iCurrentClassIndex == TF_CLASS_DEMOMAN )
+			{
+				iAnimSlot = TF_WPN_TYPE_ITEM1;
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				iAnimSlot = pItemDef->GetLoadoutSlot(m_iCurrentClassIndex);
+			}
 		}
 
 		const CUtlVector<const char *>& vecWeaponTypeSubstrings = GetItemSchema()->GetWeaponTypeSubstrings();