diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
index 7fd24ea6b7..c88afe5a34 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ void Avatar::init() {
     getHead()->init();
     _skeletonModel.init();
     _initialized = true;
-    _shouldRenderBillboard = (getLODDistance() >= BILLBOARD_LOD_DISTANCE);
+    _shouldRenderBillboard = false;
 }
 
 glm::vec3 Avatar::getChestPosition() const {
@@ -141,7 +141,8 @@ glm::quat Avatar::getWorldAlignedOrientation () const {
 }
 
 AABox Avatar::getBounds() const {
-    return AABox();
+    // Our skeleton models are rigged, and this method call safely produces the static bounds of the model.
+    return _skeletonModel.getPartBounds(0, 0, getPosition(), getOrientation());
 }
 
 float Avatar::getLODDistance() const {
@@ -176,16 +177,18 @@ void Avatar::simulate(float deltaTime) {
     }
     animateScaleChanges(deltaTime);
 
-    // update the billboard render flag
-    const float BILLBOARD_HYSTERESIS_PROPORTION = 0.1f;
+    // update the billboard render flag. Currently used only for whether or not we animate: we do so IFF we will render the avatar.
+    const float MINIMUM_VISIBILITY_FOR_ON = 0.4f;
+    const float MAXIMUM_VISIBILITY_FOR_OFF = 0.6f;
+    float visibility = qApp->getViewFrustum()->calculateRenderAccuracy(getBounds(), DependencyManager::get<LODManager>()->getOctreeSizeScale());
     if (_shouldRenderBillboard) {
-        if (getLODDistance() < BILLBOARD_LOD_DISTANCE * (1.0f - BILLBOARD_HYSTERESIS_PROPORTION)) {
+        if (visibility > MINIMUM_VISIBILITY_FOR_ON) {
             _shouldRenderBillboard = false;
-            qCDebug(interfaceapp) << "Unbillboarding" << (isMyAvatar() ? "myself" : getSessionUUID()) << "for LOD" << getLODDistance();
+            qCDebug(interfaceapp) << "Restoring" << (isMyAvatar() ? "myself" : getSessionUUID()) << "for visibility" << visibility;
         }
-    } else if (getLODDistance() > BILLBOARD_LOD_DISTANCE * (1.0f + BILLBOARD_HYSTERESIS_PROPORTION)) {
+    } else if (visibility < MAXIMUM_VISIBILITY_FOR_OFF) {
         _shouldRenderBillboard = true;
-        qCDebug(interfaceapp) << "Billboarding" << (isMyAvatar() ? "myself" : getSessionUUID()) << "for LOD" << getLODDistance();
+        qCDebug(interfaceapp) << "Optimizing" << (isMyAvatar() ? "myself" : getSessionUUID()) << "for visibility" << visibility;
     }
 
     // simple frustum check
diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp b/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp
index e2d0d02af7..91c9ec623d 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp
@@ -1113,7 +1113,7 @@ void Model::deleteGeometry() {
     _blendedBlendshapeCoefficients.clear();
 }
 
-AABox Model::getPartBounds(int meshIndex, int partIndex, glm::vec3 modelPosition, glm::quat modelOrientation) {
+AABox Model::getPartBounds(int meshIndex, int partIndex, glm::vec3 modelPosition, glm::quat modelOrientation) const {
 
     if (!_geometry || !_geometry->isLoaded()) {
         return AABox();
diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.h b/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.h
index 157c6dbf70..2c138fa7be 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.h
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.h
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ public:
     bool isVisible() const { return _isVisible; }
 
     void updateRenderItems();
-    AABox getPartBounds(int meshIndex, int partIndex, glm::vec3 modelPosition, glm::quat modelOrientation);
+    AABox getPartBounds(int meshIndex, int partIndex, glm::vec3 modelPosition, glm::quat modelOrientation) const;
 
     bool maybeStartBlender();