Picking up an object with ObjectReference.Activate() causes stackable items not to stack?

[Kahenraz]

I am experimenting with the Activation Perk Entry Point. I am using this entry point to manipulate how an object is interacted with and to block interaction if necessary. To do this, I apply the perk with the option "Replace Default". If I do not need to do any processing on the object, I activate it with Activate(). This works fine... except that items activated (picked up) in this way do not stack.

For example, with a fragment script that does only this:

Function Fragment_8(ObjectReference akTargetRef, Actor akActor)
    akTargetRef.Activate(akActor)
EndFunction

Items stack in my inventory, but when dropped they are "unstacked".

Here is a video of the default behavior. When I pickup a bunch of cabbages and drop them as a stack, they drop as a Cabbage (6) stack.

Instead, if I drop cabbages picked up with ObjectReference.Activate(), they drop as individual cabbages and not as a stack.

How do I manipulate object activation in the way that I want? I want to be able to override (block) activation but also allow the default behavior when I want it to continue with its normal processing.