diff --git a/scripts/system/controllers/controllerDispatcher.js b/scripts/system/controllers/controllerDispatcher.js
index 116abe2c9a..26edc8609c 100644
--- a/scripts/system/controllers/controllerDispatcher.js
+++ b/scripts/system/controllers/controllerDispatcher.js
@@ -196,6 +196,10 @@ Script.include("/~/system/controllers/controllerDispatcherUtils.js");
             RayPick.getPrevRayPickResult(_this.leftControllerRayPick),
             RayPick.getPrevRayPickResult(_this.rightControllerRayPick)
         ];
+        var hudRayPicks = [
+            RayPick.getPrevRayPickResult(_this.leftControllerHudRayPick),
+            RayPick.getPrevRayPickResult(_this.rightControllerHudRayPick)
+        ];
         // if the pickray hit something very nearby, put it into the nearby entities list
         for (h = LEFT_HAND; h <= RIGHT_HAND; h++) {
 
@@ -234,7 +238,8 @@ Script.include("/~/system/controllers/controllerDispatcherUtils.js");
             nearbyEntityProperties: nearbyEntityProperties,
             nearbyEntityPropertiesByID: nearbyEntityPropertiesByID,
             nearbyOverlayIDs: nearbyOverlayIDs,
-            rayPicks: rayPicks
+            rayPicks: rayPicks,
+            hudRayPicks: hudRayPicks
         };
 
         // check for plugins that would like to start.  ask in order of increasing priority value
@@ -298,18 +303,36 @@ Script.include("/~/system/controllers/controllerDispatcherUtils.js");
         enabled: true
     });
 
+    this.mouseHudRayPick = RayPick.createRayPick({
+        joint: "Mouse",
+        filter: RayPick.PICK_HUD,
+        enabled: true
+    });
+
     this.leftControllerRayPick = RayPick.createRayPick({
         joint: "_CONTROLLER_LEFTHAND",
         filter: RayPick.PICK_ENTITIES | RayPick.PICK_OVERLAYS,
         enabled: true,
         maxDistance: DEFAULT_SEARCH_SPHERE_DISTANCE
     });
+    this.leftControllerHudRayPick = RayPick.createRayPick({
+        joint: "_CONTROLLER_LEFTHAND",
+        filter: RayPick.PICK_HUD,
+        enabled: true,
+        maxDistance: DEFAULT_SEARCH_SPHERE_DISTANCE
+    });
     this.rightControllerRayPick = RayPick.createRayPick({
         joint: "_CONTROLLER_RIGHTHAND",
         filter: RayPick.PICK_ENTITIES | RayPick.PICK_OVERLAYS,
         enabled: true,
         maxDistance: DEFAULT_SEARCH_SPHERE_DISTANCE
     });
+    this.rightControllerHudRayPick = RayPick.createRayPick({
+        joint: "_CONTROLLER_RIGHTHAND",
+        filter: RayPick.PICK_HUD,
+        enabled: true,
+        maxDistance: DEFAULT_SEARCH_SPHERE_DISTANCE
+    });
 
 
     this.cleanup = function () {
@@ -318,6 +341,8 @@ Script.include("/~/system/controllers/controllerDispatcherUtils.js");
         // RayPick.removeRayPick(_this.mouseRayPick);
         RayPick.removeRayPick(_this.leftControllerRayPick);
         RayPick.removeRayPick(_this.rightControllerRayPick);
+        RayPick.removeRayPick(_this.rightControllerHudRayPick);
+        RayPick.removeRayPick(_this.leftControllerHudRayPick);
     };
 
     Script.scriptEnding.connect(this.cleanup);
diff --git a/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/farActionGrabEntity.js b/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/farActionGrabEntity.js
index c1b87bc6e8..a82a97b6eb 100644
--- a/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/farActionGrabEntity.js
+++ b/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/farActionGrabEntity.js
@@ -376,6 +376,8 @@ Script.include("/~/system/libraries/controllers.js");
                 }
 
                 var rayPickInfo = controllerData.rayPicks[this.hand];
+                var hudRayPickInfo = controllerData.hudRayPicks[this.hand];
+                var hudPoint2d = HMD.overlayFromWorldPoint(hudRayPickInfo.intersection);
                 if (rayPickInfo.type == RayPick.INTERSECTED_ENTITY) {
                     var entityID = rayPickInfo.objectID;
                     var targetProps = Entities.getEntityProperties(entityID, ["dynamic", "shapeType", "position",
@@ -397,6 +399,10 @@ Script.include("/~/system/libraries/controllers.js");
                             this.startFarGrabAction(controllerData, targetProps);
                         }
                     }
+                } else if (Reticle.pointingAtSystemOverlay || Overlays.getOverlayAtPoint(hudPoint2d || Reticle.position)) {
+                    this.endNearGrabAction();
+                    this.laserPointerOff();
+                    return makeRunningValues(false, [], []);
                 }
             }
             return makeRunningValues(true, [], []);
diff --git a/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/nearTrigger.js b/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/nearTrigger.js
index 8b7ef65710..141244b60b 100644
--- a/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/nearTrigger.js
+++ b/scripts/system/controllers/controllerModules/nearTrigger.js
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ Script.include("/~/system/controllers/controllerDispatcherUtils.js");
         };
 
         this.continueNearTrigger = function (controllerData) {
+            print("-------> continue near trigger <-------");
             var args = [this.hand === RIGHT_HAND ? "right" : "left", MyAvatar.sessionUUID];
             Entities.callEntityMethod(this.targetEntityID, "continueNearTrigger", args);
         };
diff --git a/scripts/system/controllers/handControllerPointer.js b/scripts/system/controllers/handControllerPointer.js
index 538fe0b1e4..fbbb708a92 100644
--- a/scripts/system/controllers/handControllerPointer.js
+++ b/scripts/system/controllers/handControllerPointer.js
@@ -639,6 +639,7 @@ function update() {
 
     // If there's a HUD element at the (newly moved) reticle, just make it visible and bail.
     if (isPointingAtOverlay(hudPoint2d) && isPointerEnabled) {
+        //print("--------> pointing at HUD <--------");
         if (HMD.active) {
             Reticle.depth = hudReticleDistance();