diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarManager.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarManager.cpp
index bd545c64e0..3d48540a64 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarManager.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarManager.cpp
@@ -273,19 +273,15 @@ void AvatarManager::simulateAvatarFades(float deltaTime) {
         return;
     }
 
-    const float SHRINK_RATE = 0.15f;
-    const float MIN_FADE_SCALE = MIN_AVATAR_SCALE;
-
     QReadLocker locker(&_hashLock);
     QVector<AvatarSharedPointer>::iterator avatarItr = _avatarsToFade.begin();
+    const render::ScenePointer& scene = qApp->getMain3DScene();
     while (avatarItr != _avatarsToFade.end()) {
         auto avatar = std::static_pointer_cast<Avatar>(*avatarItr);
-        avatar->setTargetScale(avatar->getUniformScale() * SHRINK_RATE);
-        avatar->animateScaleChanges(deltaTime);
-        if (avatar->getTargetScale() <= MIN_FADE_SCALE) {
+        avatar->updateFadingStatus(scene);
+        if (!avatar->isFading()) {
             // fading to zero is such a rare event we push a unique transaction for each
             if (avatar->isInScene()) {
-                const render::ScenePointer& scene = qApp->getMain3DScene();
                 render::Transaction transaction;
                 avatar->removeFromScene(*avatarItr, scene, transaction);
                 scene->enqueueTransaction(transaction);
@@ -323,6 +319,7 @@ void AvatarManager::handleRemovedAvatar(const AvatarSharedPointer& removedAvatar
         // remove from node sets, if present
         DependencyManager::get<NodeList>()->removeFromIgnoreMuteSets(avatar->getSessionUUID());
         DependencyManager::get<UsersScriptingInterface>()->avatarDisconnected(avatar->getSessionUUID());
+        avatar->fadeOut(qApp->getMain3DScene(), removalReason);
     }
     _avatarsToFade.push_back(removedAvatar);
 }