diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index 4b7f64cb6f..abe9975a50 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -347,14 +347,19 @@ void MyAvatar::updateFromGyrosAndOrWebcam(bool gyroLook,
     } else if (webcam->isActive()) {
         estimatedRotation = webcam->getEstimatedRotation();
     
-    } else if (_leadingAvatar) {
-        _head.getFace().clearFrame();
-        return;
-    
     } else {
-        _head.setMousePitch(pitchFromTouch);
-        _head.setPitch(pitchFromTouch);
+        if (!_leadingAvatar) {
+            _head.setMousePitch(pitchFromTouch);
+            _head.setPitch(pitchFromTouch);
+        }
         _head.getFace().clearFrame();
+        
+        // restore rotation, lean to neutral positions
+        const float RESTORE_RATE = 0.5f;
+        _head.setYaw(glm::mix(_head.getYaw(), 0.0f, RESTORE_RATE));
+        _head.setRoll(glm::mix(_head.getRoll(), 0.0f, RESTORE_RATE));
+        _head.setLeanSideways(glm::mix(_head.getLeanSideways(), 0.0f, RESTORE_RATE));
+        _head.setLeanForward(glm::mix(_head.getLeanForward(), 0.0f, RESTORE_RATE));
         return;
     }
     _head.setMousePitch(pitchFromTouch);
diff --git a/interface/src/devices/Faceshift.cpp b/interface/src/devices/Faceshift.cpp
index 399369cdd3..991a406cc7 100644
--- a/interface/src/devices/Faceshift.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/devices/Faceshift.cpp
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ void Faceshift::connectSocket() {
     
         const quint16 FACESHIFT_PORT = 33433;
         _socket.connectToHost("localhost", FACESHIFT_PORT);
+        _tracking = false;
     }
 }
 
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ void Faceshift::readFromSocket() {
         switch (msg->id()) {
             case fsMsg::MSG_OUT_TRACKING_STATE: {
                 const fsTrackingData& data = static_cast<fsMsgTrackingState*>(msg.get())->tracking_data();
-                if (data.m_trackingSuccessful) {
+                if ((_tracking = data.m_trackingSuccessful)) {
                     _headRotation = glm::quat(data.m_headRotation.w, -data.m_headRotation.x,
                         data.m_headRotation.y, -data.m_headRotation.z);
                     const float TRANSLATION_SCALE = 0.02f;
diff --git a/interface/src/devices/Faceshift.h b/interface/src/devices/Faceshift.h
index 408513e5d7..586f336c04 100644
--- a/interface/src/devices/Faceshift.h
+++ b/interface/src/devices/Faceshift.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ public:
 
     Faceshift();
 
-    bool isActive() const { return _socket.state() == QAbstractSocket::ConnectedState; }
+    bool isActive() const { return _socket.state() == QAbstractSocket::ConnectedState && _tracking; }
 
     const glm::quat& getHeadRotation() const { return _headRotation; }
     const glm::vec3& getHeadTranslation() const { return _headTranslation; }
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ private:
     QTcpSocket _socket;
     fs::fsBinaryStream _stream;
     bool _enabled;
+    bool _tracking;
     
     glm::quat _headRotation;
     glm::vec3 _headTranslation;