diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index 5920543dca..7d0f9edaa0 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -524,6 +524,42 @@ void MyAvatar::updateFromTrackers(float deltaTime) {
 }
 
 
+// FIXME - this is super duper dumb... but this is how master works. When you have
+// hydras plugged in, you'll get 4 "palms" but only the number of controllers lifted
+// of the base station are considered active. So when you ask for "left" you get the
+// first active controller. If you have both controllers held up or just the left, that
+// will be correct. But if you lift the right controller, then it will be reported
+// as "left"... you also see this in the avatars hands. 
+const PalmData* MyAvatar::getActivePalm(int palmIndex) const {
+    const HandData* handData = DependencyManager::get<AvatarManager>()->getMyAvatar()->getHandData();
+    int numberOfPalms = handData->getNumPalms();
+    int numberOfActivePalms = 0;
+    for (int i = 0; i < numberOfPalms; i++) {
+        auto palm = handData->getPalms()[i];
+        if (palm.isActive()) {
+            // if we've reached the requested "active" palm, then we will return it
+            if (numberOfActivePalms == palmIndex) {
+                return &handData->getPalms()[i];
+            }
+            numberOfActivePalms++;
+        }
+    }
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+
+glm::vec3 MyAvatar::getLeftHandPosition() const {
+    const int LEFT_HAND = 0;
+    auto palmData = getActivePalm(LEFT_HAND);
+    return palmData ? palmData->getPosition() : glm::vec3(0.0f);
+}
+
+glm::vec3 MyAvatar::getRightHandPosition() const {
+    const int RIGHT_HAND = 1;
+    auto palmData = getActivePalm(RIGHT_HAND);
+    return palmData ? palmData->getPosition() : glm::vec3(0.0f);
+}
+
 // virtual
 void MyAvatar::render(RenderArgs* renderArgs, const glm::vec3& cameraPosition) {
     // don't render if we've been asked to disable local rendering
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
index 7347419fee..d9ac2db271 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ enum AudioListenerMode {
 };
 Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(AudioListenerMode);
 
-
 class MyAvatar : public Avatar {
     Q_OBJECT
     Q_PROPERTY(bool shouldRenderLocally READ getShouldRenderLocally WRITE setShouldRenderLocally)
@@ -50,6 +49,10 @@ class MyAvatar : public Avatar {
     Q_PROPERTY(AudioListenerMode CUSTOM READ getAudioListenerModeCustom)
     //TODO: make gravity feature work Q_PROPERTY(glm::vec3 gravity READ getGravity WRITE setGravity)
 
+
+    Q_PROPERTY(glm::vec3 leftHandPosition  READ getLeftHandPosition)
+    Q_PROPERTY(glm::vec3 rightHandPosition  READ getRightHandPosition)
+
 public:
     MyAvatar(RigPointer rig);
     ~MyAvatar();
@@ -136,6 +139,9 @@ public:
 
     Q_INVOKABLE glm::vec3 getTargetAvatarPosition() const { return _targetAvatarPosition; }
 
+    Q_INVOKABLE glm::vec3 getLeftHandPosition() const;
+    Q_INVOKABLE glm::vec3 getRightHandPosition() const;
+
     AvatarWeakPointer getLookAtTargetAvatar() const { return _lookAtTargetAvatar; }
     void updateLookAtTargetAvatar();
     void clearLookAtTargetAvatar();
@@ -274,6 +280,9 @@ private:
 
     void setVisibleInSceneIfReady(Model* model, render::ScenePointer scene, bool visiblity);
 
+    const PalmData* getActivePalm(int palmIndex) const;
+
+
     // derive avatar body position and orientation from the current HMD Sensor location.
     // results are in sensor space
     glm::mat4 deriveBodyFromHMDSensor() const;