diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
index a6750f820c..c7acfd149a 100755
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
@@ -413,7 +413,11 @@ void Avatar::simulate(float deltaTime, Transmitter* transmitter) {
     }
     
     _head.setBodyRotation(glm::vec3(_bodyPitch, _bodyYaw, _bodyRoll));
-    _head.setPosition(_bodyBall[ BODY_BALL_HEAD_BASE ].position);
+    glm::vec3 headPosition;
+    if (!_skeletonModel.getHeadPosition(headPosition)) {
+        headPosition = _bodyBall[BODY_BALL_HEAD_BASE].position;
+    }
+    _head.setPosition(headPosition);
     _head.setSkinColor(glm::vec3(SKIN_COLOR[0], SKIN_COLOR[1], SKIN_COLOR[2]));
     _head.simulate(deltaTime, false);
     _skeletonModel.simulate(deltaTime);
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index 25c202dc45..b7ec4ce4dc 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -318,7 +318,11 @@ void MyAvatar::simulate(float deltaTime, Transmitter* transmitter) {
     }
     
     _head.setBodyRotation(glm::vec3(_bodyPitch, _bodyYaw, _bodyRoll));
-    _head.setPosition(_bodyBall[ BODY_BALL_HEAD_BASE ].position);
+    glm::vec3 headPosition;
+    if (!_skeletonModel.getHeadPosition(headPosition)) {
+        headPosition = _bodyBall[BODY_BALL_HEAD_BASE].position;
+    }
+    _head.setPosition(headPosition);
     _head.setScale(_scale);
     _head.setSkinColor(glm::vec3(SKIN_COLOR[0], SKIN_COLOR[1], SKIN_COLOR[2]));
     _head.simulate(deltaTime, true);
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/FBXReader.cpp b/interface/src/renderer/FBXReader.cpp
index 9378bc6ea7..3a2c2607a0 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/FBXReader.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/FBXReader.cpp
@@ -662,11 +662,13 @@ FBXGeometry extractFBXGeometry(const FBXNode& node, const QVariantHash& mapping)
     QByteArray jointNeckName = joints.value("jointNeck", "jointNeck").toByteArray();
     QByteArray jointRootName = joints.value("jointRoot", "jointRoot").toByteArray();
     QByteArray jointLeanName = joints.value("jointLean", "jointLean").toByteArray();
+    QByteArray jointHeadName = joints.value("jointHead", "jointHead").toByteArray();
     QString jointEyeLeftID;
     QString jointEyeRightID;
     QString jointNeckID;
     QString jointRootID;
     QString jointLeanID;
+    QString jointHeadID;
     
     QVariantHash blendshapeMappings = mapping.value("bs").toHash();
     QHash<QByteArray, QPair<int, float> > blendshapeIndices;
@@ -737,6 +739,9 @@ FBXGeometry extractFBXGeometry(const FBXNode& node, const QVariantHash& mapping)
                         
                     } else if (name == jointLeanName) {
                         jointLeanID = object.properties.at(0).toString();
+                        
+                    } else if (name == jointHeadName) {
+                        jointHeadID = object.properties.at(0).toString();
                     }
                     glm::vec3 translation;
                     glm::vec3 rotationOffset;
@@ -965,6 +970,7 @@ FBXGeometry extractFBXGeometry(const FBXNode& node, const QVariantHash& mapping)
     geometry.neckJointIndex = modelIDs.indexOf(jointNeckID);
     geometry.rootJointIndex = modelIDs.indexOf(jointRootID);
     geometry.leanJointIndex = modelIDs.indexOf(jointLeanID);
+    geometry.headJointIndex = modelIDs.indexOf(jointHeadID);
     
     // extract the translation component of the neck transform
     if (geometry.neckJointIndex != -1) {
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/FBXReader.h b/interface/src/renderer/FBXReader.h
index 9b03f4a475..9f96a67634 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/FBXReader.h
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/FBXReader.h
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ public:
     int neckJointIndex;
     int rootJointIndex;
     int leanJointIndex;
+    int headJointIndex;
     
     glm::vec3 neckPivot;
 };
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp b/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp
index 15dcf92e87..8723c6f3b9 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp
@@ -347,20 +347,17 @@ bool Model::render(float alpha) {
     return true;
 }
 
+bool Model::getHeadPosition(glm::vec3& headPosition) const {
+    return isActive() && getJointPosition(_geometry->getFBXGeometry().headJointIndex, headPosition);
+}
+
 bool Model::getEyePositions(glm::vec3& firstEyePosition, glm::vec3& secondEyePosition) const {
-    if (!isActive() || _jointStates.isEmpty()) {
+    if (!isActive()) {
         return false;
     }
     const FBXGeometry& geometry = _geometry->getFBXGeometry();
-    if (geometry.leftEyeJointIndex != -1) {
-        const glm::mat4& transform = _jointStates[geometry.leftEyeJointIndex].transform;
-        firstEyePosition = glm::vec3(transform[3][0], transform[3][1], transform[3][2]);
-    }
-    if (geometry.rightEyeJointIndex != -1) {
-        const glm::mat4& transform = _jointStates[geometry.rightEyeJointIndex].transform;
-        secondEyePosition = glm::vec3(transform[3][0], transform[3][1], transform[3][2]);
-    }
-    return geometry.leftEyeJointIndex != -1 && geometry.rightEyeJointIndex != -1;
+    return getJointPosition(geometry.leftEyeJointIndex, firstEyePosition) &&
+        getJointPosition(geometry.rightEyeJointIndex, secondEyePosition);
 }
 
 void Model::setURL(const QUrl& url) {
@@ -398,6 +395,15 @@ void Model::updateJointState(int index) {
     }
 }
 
+bool Model::getJointPosition(int jointIndex, glm::vec3& position) const {
+    if (jointIndex == -1 || _jointStates.isEmpty()) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    const glm::mat4& transform = _jointStates[jointIndex].transform;
+    position = glm::vec3(transform[3][0], transform[3][1], transform[3][2]);
+    return true;
+}
+
 void Model::deleteGeometry() {
     foreach (GLuint id, _blendedVertexBufferIDs) {
         glDeleteBuffers(1, &id);
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/Model.h b/interface/src/renderer/Model.h
index c84ecac6f3..8ec1df44d2 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/Model.h
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/Model.h
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ public:
     Q_INVOKABLE void setURL(const QUrl& url);
     const QUrl& getURL() const { return _url; }
     
+    /// Returns the position of the head joint.
+    /// \return whether or not the head was found
+    bool getHeadPosition(glm::vec3& headPosition) const;
+    
     /// Retrieve the positions of up to two eye meshes.
     /// \return whether or not both eye meshes were found
     bool getEyePositions(glm::vec3& firstEyePosition, glm::vec3& secondEyePosition) const;
@@ -83,6 +87,8 @@ protected:
     
 private:
     
+    bool getJointPosition(int jointIndex, glm::vec3& position) const;
+    
     void deleteGeometry();
     
     float _pupilDilation;