diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarActionHold.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarActionHold.cpp
index 87990b941e..5b493c4215 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarActionHold.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarActionHold.cpp
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ void AvatarActionHold::prepareForPhysicsSimulation() {
     activateBody(true);
 }
 
-std::shared_ptr<Avatar> AvatarActionHold::getTarget(glm::quat& rotation, glm::vec3& position,
+std::shared_ptr<Avatar> AvatarActionHold::getTarget(float deltaTimeStep, glm::quat& rotation, glm::vec3& position,
                                                     glm::vec3& linearVelocity, glm::vec3& angularVelocity) {
     auto avatarManager = DependencyManager::get<AvatarManager>();
     auto holdingAvatar = std::static_pointer_cast<Avatar>(avatarManager->getAvatarBySessionID(_holderID));
@@ -106,16 +106,16 @@ std::shared_ptr<Avatar> AvatarActionHold::getTarget(glm::quat& rotation, glm::ve
         bool isRightHand = (_hand == "right");
         glm::vec3 palmPosition;
         glm::quat palmRotation;
-        glm::vec3 palmLinearVelocity;
-        glm::vec3 palmAngularVelocity;
 
         PalmData palmData = holdingAvatar->getHand()->getCopyOfPalmData(isRightHand ? HandData::RightHand : HandData::LeftHand);
 
-        // TODO: adjust according to _relativePosition and _relativeRotation?
-        linearVelocity = palmData.getVelocity();
-        angularVelocity = palmData.getAngularVelocity();
+        if (palmData.isValid()) {
+            // TODO: adjust according to _relativePosition and _relativeRotation?
+            linearVelocity = palmData.getVelocity();
+            angularVelocity = palmData.getAngularVelocity();
+        }
 
-        if (_ignoreIK && holdingAvatar->isMyAvatar()) {
+        if (_ignoreIK && holdingAvatar->isMyAvatar() && palmData.isValid()) {
             // We cannot ignore other avatars IK and this is not the point of this option
             // This is meant to make the grabbing behavior more reactive.
             palmPosition = palmData.getPosition();
@@ -153,6 +153,25 @@ std::shared_ptr<Avatar> AvatarActionHold::getTarget(glm::quat& rotation, glm::ve
                 palmPosition = holdingAvatar->getLeftPalmPosition();
                 palmRotation = holdingAvatar->getLeftPalmRotation();
             }
+
+            // In this case we are simulating the grab of another avatar.
+            // Because the hand controller velocity for their palms is not transmitted over the
+            // network, we have to synthesize our own.
+
+            if (_previousSet) {
+                // smooth linear velocity over two frames
+                glm::vec3 positionalDelta = palmPosition - _previousPositionalTarget;
+                linearVelocity = (positionalDelta + _previousPositionalDelta) / (deltaTimeStep + _previousDeltaTimeStep);
+                glm::quat deltaRotation = palmRotation * glm::inverse(_previousRotationalTarget);
+                float rotationAngle = glm::angle(deltaRotation);
+                if (rotationAngle > EPSILON) {
+                    angularVelocity = glm::normalize(glm::axis(deltaRotation));
+                    angularVelocity *= (rotationAngle / deltaTimeStep);
+                }
+
+                _previousPositionalDelta = positionalDelta;
+                _previousDeltaTimeStep = deltaTimeStep;
+            }
         }
 
         rotation = palmRotation * _relativeRotation;
@@ -183,7 +202,7 @@ void AvatarActionHold::updateActionWorker(float deltaTimeStep) {
         glm::quat rotationForAction;
         glm::vec3 positionForAction;
         glm::vec3 linearVelocityForAction, angularVelocityForAction;
-        std::shared_ptr<Avatar> holdingAvatar = holdAction->getTarget(rotationForAction, positionForAction, linearVelocityForAction, angularVelocityForAction);
+        std::shared_ptr<Avatar> holdingAvatar = holdAction->getTarget(deltaTimeStep, rotationForAction, positionForAction,  linearVelocityForAction, angularVelocityForAction);
         if (holdingAvatar) {
             holdCount ++;
             if (holdAction.get() == this) {
@@ -254,6 +273,7 @@ void AvatarActionHold::doKinematicUpdate(float deltaTimeStep) {
 
         _previousPositionalTarget = _positionalTarget;
         _previousRotationalTarget = _rotationalTarget;
+        _previousDeltaTimeStep = deltaTimeStep;
         _previousSet = true;
     });
 
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarActionHold.h b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarActionHold.h
index 1c3a4386bc..0ad9cff257 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarActionHold.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarActionHold.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ public:
     virtual bool shouldSuppressLocationEdits() override { return _active && !_ownerEntity.expired(); }
 
     bool getAvatarRigidBodyLocation(glm::vec3& avatarRigidBodyPosition, glm::quat& avatarRigidBodyRotation);
-    std::shared_ptr<Avatar> getTarget(glm::quat& rotation, glm::vec3& position,
+    std::shared_ptr<Avatar> getTarget(float deltaTimeStep, glm::quat& rotation, glm::vec3& position,
                                       glm::vec3& linearVelocity, glm::vec3& angularVelocity);
 
     virtual void prepareForPhysicsSimulation() override;
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ private:
     glm::vec3 _previousPositionalTarget;
     glm::quat _previousRotationalTarget;
 
+    float _previousDeltaTimeStep { 0.0f };
     glm::vec3 _previousPositionalDelta;
 
     glm::vec3 _palmOffsetFromRigidBody;