diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.cpp b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.cpp
index b771279efa..512687d224 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.cpp
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ EntityItem::EntityItem(const EntityItemID& entityItemID) {
     _changedOnServer = 0;
     _element = NULL;
     _simulatorIDChangedTime = 0;
+    _shouldClaimSimulationOwnership = false;
     initFromEntityItemID(entityItemID);
 }
 
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h
index 96186b4c91..3a6a00d2ba 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h
@@ -259,6 +259,8 @@ public:
     QUuid getSimulatorID() const { return _simulatorID; }
     void setSimulatorID(const QUuid& value);
     quint64 getSimulatorIDChangedTime() const { return _simulatorIDChangedTime; }
+    void setShouldClaimSimulationOwnership(bool value) { _shouldClaimSimulationOwnership = value; }
+    bool getShouldClaimSimulationOwnership() { return _shouldClaimSimulationOwnership; }
     
     const QString& getMarketplaceID() const { return _marketplaceID; }
     void setMarketplaceID(const QString& value) { _marketplaceID = value; }
@@ -355,6 +357,7 @@ protected:
     QString _userData;
     QUuid _simulatorID; // id of Node which is currently responsible for simulating this Entity
     quint64 _simulatorIDChangedTime; // when was _simulatorID last updated?
+    bool _shouldClaimSimulationOwnership;
     QString _marketplaceID;
 
     // NOTE: Damping is applied like this:  v *= pow(1 - damping, dt)
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp
index 7c2f41ed2c..85caccbf34 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp
@@ -147,6 +147,8 @@ bool EntityTree::updateEntityWithElement(EntityItem* entity, const EntityItemPro
                 properties.setPositionChanged(false);
                 properties.setVelocityChanged(false);
                 properties.setAccelerationChanged(false);
+            } else {
+                qCDebug(entities) << "allowing simulatorID change";
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/libraries/physics/src/EntityMotionState.cpp b/libraries/physics/src/EntityMotionState.cpp
index 37472695c6..74a3d3220c 100644
--- a/libraries/physics/src/EntityMotionState.cpp
+++ b/libraries/physics/src/EntityMotionState.cpp
@@ -191,6 +191,10 @@ bool EntityMotionState::shouldSendUpdate(uint32_t simulationFrame) {
         return false;
     }
 
+    if (_entity->getShouldClaimSimulationOwnership()) {
+        return true;
+    }
+
     auto nodeList = DependencyManager::get<NodeList>();
     const QUuid& myNodeID = nodeList->getSessionUUID();
     const QUuid& simulatorID = _entity->getSimulatorID();
@@ -262,7 +266,12 @@ void EntityMotionState::sendUpdate(OctreeEditPacketSender* packetSender, uint32_
         QUuid myNodeID = nodeList->getSessionUUID();
         QUuid simulatorID = _entity->getSimulatorID();
 
-        if (simulatorID.isNull() && !(zeroSpeed && zeroSpin)) {
+        if (_entity->getShouldClaimSimulationOwnership()) {
+            _entity->setSimulatorID(myNodeID);
+            properties.setSimulatorID(myNodeID);
+            _entity->setShouldClaimSimulationOwnership(false);
+        }
+        else if (simulatorID.isNull() && !(zeroSpeed && zeroSpin)) {
             // The object is moving and nobody thinks they own the motion.  set this Node as the simulator
             _entity->setSimulatorID(myNodeID);
             properties.setSimulatorID(myNodeID);
diff --git a/libraries/physics/src/PhysicsEngine.cpp b/libraries/physics/src/PhysicsEngine.cpp
index 88b3a1362c..c3ed870375 100644
--- a/libraries/physics/src/PhysicsEngine.cpp
+++ b/libraries/physics/src/PhysicsEngine.cpp
@@ -397,20 +397,19 @@ void PhysicsEngine::computeCollisionEvents() {
                 _contactMap[ContactKey(a, b)].update(_numContactFrames, contactManifold->getContactPoint(0), _originOffset);
 
                 // if our character capsule is colliding with something dynamic, claim simulation ownership.
-                // do this by setting the entity's simulator-id to NULL, thereby causing EntityMotionState::sendUpdate
-                // to set ownership to us.
+                // see EntityMotionState::sendUpdate
                 if (objectA == characterCollisionObject && !objectB->isStaticOrKinematicObject() && b) {
                     EntityItem* entityB = static_cast<EntityMotionState*>(b)->getEntity();
-                    if (!entityB->getSimulatorID().isNull() && entityB->getSimulatorID() != myNodeID) {
+                    if (entityB->getSimulatorID() != myNodeID && !entityB->getShouldClaimSimulationOwnership()) {
                         qDebug() << "CLAIMING B";
-                        entityB->setSimulatorID(NULL);
+                        entityB->setShouldClaimSimulationOwnership(true);
                     }
                 }
                 if (objectB == characterCollisionObject && !objectA->isStaticOrKinematicObject() && a) {
                     EntityItem* entityA = static_cast<EntityMotionState*>(a)->getEntity();
-                    if (!entityA->getSimulatorID().isNull() && entityA->getSimulatorID() != myNodeID) {
+                    if (entityA->getSimulatorID() != myNodeID && !entityA->getShouldClaimSimulationOwnership()) {
                         qDebug() << "CLAIMING A";
-                        entityA->setSimulatorID(NULL);
+                        entityA->setShouldClaimSimulationOwnership(true);
                     }
                 }
             }