diff --git a/internal/app/game_view.go b/internal/app/game_view.go
index e1eba8e..ab43b74 100644
--- a/internal/app/game_view.go
+++ b/internal/app/game_view.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/gdamore/tcell/v2"
 	"github.com/jordanorelli/astro-domu/internal/math"
 	"github.com/jordanorelli/astro-domu/internal/sim"
+	"github.com/jordanorelli/astro-domu/internal/wire"
 	"github.com/jordanorelli/blammo"
 )
 
@@ -225,19 +226,24 @@ func (p pickup) exec(ui *UI) {
 	go func() {
 		res, err := ui.client.Send(sim.Pickup{p.x, p.y})
 		if err != nil {
-			ui.Error("look error: %v", err)
-			return
-		}
-
-		pickedup, ok := res.Body.(*sim.Pickedup)
-		if !ok {
-			ui.Error("pickup response is not pickedup: %v", res.Body)
+			ui.state.detail = textView(err.Error())
 			return
 		}
 
-		ui.misc <- func(ui *UI) {
-			ui.state.detail = textView(fmt.Sprintf("you picked up: %s", pickedup.Name))
-			ui.state.inventory.items = append(ui.state.inventory.items, item{name: pickedup.Name})
+		switch v := res.Body.(type) {
+		case *sim.Pickedup:
+			ui.misc <- func(ui *UI) {
+				ui.state.detail = textView(fmt.Sprintf("you picked up: %s", v.Name))
+				ui.state.inventory.items = append(ui.state.inventory.items, item{name: v.Name})
+			}
+		case wire.Error:
+			ui.misc <- func(ui *UI) {
+				ui.state.detail = textView(v.Error())
+			}
+		default:
+			ui.misc <- func(ui *UI) {
+				ui.state.detail = textView(fmt.Sprintf("unexpected pickup response type: %T", res.Body))
+			}
 		}
 	}()
 }
diff --git a/internal/sim/entity.go b/internal/sim/entity.go
index 16a22c8..1faa833 100644
--- a/internal/sim/entity.go
+++ b/internal/sim/entity.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ type entity struct {
 	description string
 	solid       bool `json:"-"`
 	overlapped  map[int]*entity
+	pickupable  bool
 	behavior
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/sim/player.go b/internal/sim/player.go
index 11979ea..a5e4169 100644
--- a/internal/sim/player.go
+++ b/internal/sim/player.go
@@ -258,6 +258,9 @@ func (pu *Pickup) exec(w *world, r *room, pl *player, seq int) result {
 	nextTile := r.getTile(target)
 	if len(nextTile.here) == 1 {
 		e := nextTile.here[0]
+		if !e.pickupable {
+			return result{reply: wire.Errorf("the %s cannot be picked up", e.name)}
+		}
 		nextTile.here = nextTile.here[0:0]
 		return result{reply: Pickedup{Name: e.name}}
 	}
diff --git a/internal/sim/world.go b/internal/sim/world.go
index ab33dd6..5dc4cc8 100644
--- a/internal/sim/world.go
+++ b/internal/sim/world.go
@@ -40,28 +40,15 @@ func newWorld(log *blammo.Log) *world {
 	}
 
 	foyer.addEntity(&entity{
-		ID:       -1,
-		Position: math.Vec{5, 4},
-		Glyph:    'o',
-		solid:    true,
-		name:     "a rock",
-		behavior: doNothing{},
+		ID:         -1,
+		Position:   math.Vec{5, 4},
+		Glyph:      'o',
+		solid:      true,
+		pickupable: true,
+		name:       "a rock",
+		behavior:   doNothing{},
 	})
 
-	// foyer.addEntity(&entity{
-	// 	ID:       -2,
-	// 	Position: math.Vec{9, 0},
-	// 	Glyph:    '+',
-	// 	behavior: doNothing{},
-	// })
-
-	// foyer.addEntity(&entity{
-	// 	ID:       -3,
-	// 	Position: math.Vec{9, 1},
-	// 	Glyph:    '-',
-	// 	behavior: doNothing{},
-	// })
-
 	foyer.addEntity(&entity{
 		ID:       -4,
 		Position: math.Vec{9, 5},