diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h
index a587e69642..8ae4b9fb4d 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h
@@ -186,9 +186,10 @@ public:
 
     virtual void computeShapeInfo(ShapeInfo& shapeInfo);
 
-    friend class AvatarManager;
+    void setMotionState(AvatarMotionState* motionState) { _motionState = motionState; }
+    AvatarMotionState* getMotionState() { return _motionState; }
 
-signals:
+ signals:
     void collisionWithAvatar(const QUuid& myUUID, const QUuid& theirUUID, const CollisionInfo& collision);
 
 protected:
@@ -218,7 +219,7 @@ protected:
     glm::vec3 _worldUpDirection;
     float _stringLength;
     bool _moving; ///< set when position is changing
-    
+
     // protected methods...
     glm::vec3 getBodyRightDirection() const { return getOrientation() * IDENTITY_RIGHT; }
     glm::vec3 getBodyUpDirection() const { return getOrientation() * IDENTITY_UP; }
@@ -243,7 +244,7 @@ protected:
     virtual void updateJointMappings();
 
     render::ItemID _renderItemID;
-    
+
 private:
     bool _initialized;
     NetworkTexturePointer _billboardTexture;
@@ -251,9 +252,9 @@ private:
     bool _isLookAtTarget;
 
     void renderBillboard(RenderArgs* renderArgs);
-    
+
     float getBillboardSize() const;
-    
+
     static int _jointConesID;
 
     int _voiceSphereID;
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarManager.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarManager.cpp
index ead330a41f..ee59a01e07 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarManager.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarManager.cpp
@@ -179,11 +179,11 @@ AvatarSharedPointer AvatarManager::addAvatar(const QUuid& sessionUUID, const QWe
 // protected
 void AvatarManager::removeAvatarMotionState(AvatarSharedPointer avatar) {
     auto rawPointer = std::static_pointer_cast<Avatar>(avatar);
-    AvatarMotionState* motionState= rawPointer->_motionState;
+    AvatarMotionState* motionState = rawPointer->getMotionState();
     if (motionState) {
         // clean up physics stuff
         motionState->clearObjectBackPointer();
-        rawPointer->_motionState = nullptr;
+        rawPointer->setMotionState(nullptr);
         _avatarMotionStates.remove(motionState);
         _motionStatesToAdd.remove(motionState);
         _motionStatesToDelete.push_back(motionState);
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ void AvatarManager::updateAvatarPhysicsShape(const QUuid& id) {
     AvatarHash::iterator avatarItr = _avatarHash.find(id);
     if (avatarItr != _avatarHash.end()) {
         auto avatar = std::static_pointer_cast<Avatar>(avatarItr.value());
-        AvatarMotionState* motionState = avatar->_motionState;
+        AvatarMotionState* motionState = avatar->getMotionState();
         if (motionState) {
             motionState->addDirtyFlags(EntityItem::DIRTY_SHAPE);
         } else {
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ void AvatarManager::updateAvatarPhysicsShape(const QUuid& id) {
             btCollisionShape* shape = ObjectMotionState::getShapeManager()->getShape(shapeInfo);
             if (shape) {
                 AvatarMotionState* motionState = new AvatarMotionState(avatar.get(), shape);
-                avatar->_motionState = motionState;
+                avatar->setMotionState(motionState);
                 _motionStatesToAdd.insert(motionState);
                 _avatarMotionStates.insert(motionState);
             }