can't interact with inventory items

I'm encountering an issue where I can't interact with inventory items using the d-pad on Steam deck. It will be working normally for awhile, and then stop. The multiple times it had happened to me in the last few days, it seems to be either related to attempting to use the beefalo bell, going through a wormhole, or using the keyboard to write on a sign.

I can bring up the inventory and drop items with the down arrow. But i cannot use the arrows to equip, use, or drop them when not in inventory. It makes the game pretty much unplayable until i relaunch