diff --git a/examples/controllers/handControllerGrab.js b/examples/controllers/handControllerGrab.js
index 06fde5e002..be5fdd7edb 100644
--- a/examples/controllers/handControllerGrab.js
+++ b/examples/controllers/handControllerGrab.js
@@ -163,12 +163,9 @@ var POINT_HAND_STATES = [STATE_NEAR_TRIGGER, STATE_CONTINUE_NEAR_TRIGGER, STATE_
 var FAR_GRASP_HAND_STATES = [STATE_DISTANCE_HOLDING, STATE_CONTINUE_DISTANCE_HOLDING];
 // otherwise grasp
 
-var COLLISION_GROUP_STATIC = 0x01; // bit 0
-var COLLISION_GROUP_DYNAMIC = 0x02; // bit 1
-var COLLISION_GROUP_KINEMATIC = 0x04; // bit 2
-var COLLISION_GROUP_MY_AVATAR = 0x08; // bit 3
-var COLLISION_GROUP_OTHER_AVATAR = 0x10; // bit 4
-var COLLISION_MASK_WHILE_GRABBED = COLLISION_GROUP_DYNAMIC | COLLISION_GROUP_OTHER_AVATAR;
+// collision masks are specified by comma-separated list of group names
+// the possible list of names is:  static, dynamic, kinematic, myAvatar, otherAvatar
+var COLLISION_MASK_WHILE_GRABBED = "dynamic,otherAvatar";
 
 
 function stateToName(state) {
@@ -1845,7 +1842,7 @@ function MyController(hand) {
                     y: 0,
                     z: 0
                 },
-                collisionMask: COLLISION_MASK_WHILE_GRABBED & grabbedProperties.collisionMask
+                "collisionMask": COLLISION_MASK_WHILE_GRABBED
             };
             Entities.editEntity(entityID, whileHeldProperties);
         }
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItemProperties.cpp b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItemProperties.cpp
index d647896d1f..f8dcb6ee56 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItemProperties.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItemProperties.cpp
@@ -116,6 +116,59 @@ void buildStringToShapeTypeLookup() {
     addShapeType(SHAPE_TYPE_CYLINDER_Z);
 }
 
+QString getCollisionGroupAsString(uint8_t group) {
+    switch (group) {
+        case USER_COLLISION_GROUP_DYNAMIC:
+            return "dynamic";
+        case USER_COLLISION_GROUP_STATIC:
+            return "static";
+        case USER_COLLISION_GROUP_KINEMATIC:
+            return "kinematic";
+        case USER_COLLISION_GROUP_MY_AVATAR:
+            return "myAvatar";
+        case USER_COLLISION_GROUP_OTHER_AVATAR:
+            return "otherAvatar";
+    };
+    return "";
+}
+
+uint8_t getCollisionGroupAsBitMask(const QStringRef& name) {
+    if (0 == name.compare("dynamic")) {
+        return USER_COLLISION_GROUP_DYNAMIC;
+    } else if (0 == name.compare("static")) {
+        return USER_COLLISION_GROUP_STATIC;
+    } else if (0 == name.compare("kinematic")) {
+        return USER_COLLISION_GROUP_KINEMATIC;
+    } else if (0 == name.compare("myAvatar")) {
+        return USER_COLLISION_GROUP_MY_AVATAR;
+    } else if (0 == name.compare("otherAvatar")) {
+        return USER_COLLISION_GROUP_OTHER_AVATAR;
+    }
+    return 0;
+}
+
+QString EntityItemProperties::getCollisionMaskAsString() const {
+    QString maskString("");
+    for (int i = 0; i < NUM_USER_COLLISION_GROUPS; ++i) {
+        uint8_t group = 0x01 << i;
+        if (group & _collisionMask) {
+            maskString.append(getCollisionGroupAsString(group));
+            maskString.append(',');
+        }
+    }
+    return maskString;
+}
+
+void EntityItemProperties::setCollisionMaskFromString(const QString& maskString) {
+    QVector<QStringRef> groups = maskString.splitRef(',');
+    uint8_t mask = 0x00;
+    for (auto group : groups) {
+        mask |= getCollisionGroupAsBitMask(group);
+    }
+    _collisionMask = mask;
+    _collisionMaskChanged = true;
+}
+
 QString EntityItemProperties::getShapeTypeAsString() const {
     if (_shapeType < sizeof(shapeTypeNames) / sizeof(char *))
         return QString(shapeTypeNames[_shapeType]);
@@ -318,7 +371,7 @@ QScriptValue EntityItemProperties::copyToScriptValue(QScriptEngine* engine, bool
     COPY_PROPERTY_TO_QSCRIPTVALUE(PROP_ANGULAR_DAMPING, angularDamping);
     COPY_PROPERTY_TO_QSCRIPTVALUE(PROP_VISIBLE, visible);
     COPY_PROPERTY_TO_QSCRIPTVALUE(PROP_IGNORE_FOR_COLLISIONS, ignoreForCollisions);
-    COPY_PROPERTY_TO_QSCRIPTVALUE(PROP_COLLISION_MASK, collisionMask);
+    COPY_PROPERTY_TO_QSCRIPTVALUE_GETTER(PROP_COLLISION_MASK, collisionMask, getCollisionMaskAsString());
     COPY_PROPERTY_TO_QSCRIPTVALUE(PROP_COLLISIONS_WILL_MOVE, collisionsWillMove);
     COPY_PROPERTY_TO_QSCRIPTVALUE(PROP_HREF, href);
     COPY_PROPERTY_TO_QSCRIPTVALUE(PROP_DESCRIPTION, description);
@@ -540,7 +593,7 @@ void EntityItemProperties::copyFromScriptValue(const QScriptValue& object, bool
     COPY_PROPERTY_FROM_QSCRIPTVALUE(glowLevel, float, setGlowLevel);
     COPY_PROPERTY_FROM_QSCRIPTVALUE(localRenderAlpha, float, setLocalRenderAlpha);
     COPY_PROPERTY_FROM_QSCRIPTVALUE(ignoreForCollisions, bool, setIgnoreForCollisions);
-    COPY_PROPERTY_FROM_QSCRIPTVALUE(collisionMask, uint8_t, setCollisionMask);
+    COPY_PROPERTY_FROM_QSCRITPTVALUE_ENUM(collisionMask, CollisionMask);
     COPY_PROPERTY_FROM_QSCRIPTVALUE(collisionsWillMove, bool, setCollisionsWillMove);
     COPY_PROPERTY_FROM_QSCRIPTVALUE(isSpotlight, bool, setIsSpotlight);
     COPY_PROPERTY_FROM_QSCRIPTVALUE(intensity, float, setIntensity);
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItemProperties.h b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItemProperties.h
index 46af6a1da9..087925b139 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItemProperties.h
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItemProperties.h
@@ -274,6 +274,10 @@ public:
     void setJointRotationsDirty() { _jointRotationsSetChanged = true; _jointRotationsChanged = true; }
     void setJointTranslationsDirty() { _jointTranslationsSetChanged = true; _jointTranslationsChanged = true; }
 
+protected:
+    QString getCollisionMaskAsString() const;
+    void setCollisionMaskFromString(const QString& maskString);
+
 private:
     QUuid _id;
     bool _idSet;
diff --git a/libraries/shared/src/PhysicsCollisionGroups.h b/libraries/shared/src/PhysicsCollisionGroups.h
index e7f9d57fef..6d320e69cb 100644
--- a/libraries/shared/src/PhysicsCollisionGroups.h
+++ b/libraries/shared/src/PhysicsCollisionGroups.h
@@ -82,4 +82,6 @@ const uint8_t ENTITY_COLLISION_MASK_DEFAULT =
 
 const uint8_t USER_COLLISION_MASK_AVATARS = USER_COLLISION_GROUP_MY_AVATAR | USER_COLLISION_GROUP_OTHER_AVATAR;
 
+const int NUM_USER_COLLISION_GROUPS = 5;
+
 #endif // hifi_PhysicsCollisionGroups_h