diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 53e40b5bd3..d33f752cfe 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -1055,6 +1055,9 @@ void Application::paintGL() {
     displayPlugin->preRender();
     _offscreenContext->makeCurrent();
 
+    // update the avatar with a fresh HMD pose
+    _myAvatar->updateFromHMDSensorMatrix(getHMDSensorPose());
+
     auto lodManager = DependencyManager::get<LODManager>();
 
 
@@ -2895,9 +2898,6 @@ void Application::update(float deltaTime) {
             userInputMapper->getActionState(UserInputMapper::SHIFT), RIGHT_HAND_INDEX);
     }
 
-    // update the avatar with a fresh HMD pose
-    _myAvatar->updateFromHMDSensorMatrix(getHMDSensorPose(), deltaTime);
-
     updateThreads(deltaTime); // If running non-threaded, then give the threads some time to process...
 
     updateCamera(deltaTime); // handle various camera tweaks like off axis projection
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index 4cf1b69ce4..4fe9140b76 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -272,7 +272,15 @@ glm::mat4 MyAvatar::getSensorToWorldMatrix() const {
 
 // best called at start of main loop just after we have a fresh hmd pose.
 // update internal body position from new hmd pose.
-void MyAvatar::updateFromHMDSensorMatrix(const glm::mat4& hmdSensorMatrix, float deltaTime) {
+void MyAvatar::updateFromHMDSensorMatrix(const glm::mat4& hmdSensorMatrix) {
+
+    auto now = usecTimestampNow();
+    auto deltaUsecs = now - _lastUpdateFromHMDTime;
+    _lastUpdateFromHMDTime = now;
+    double actualDeltaTime = (double)deltaUsecs / (double)USECS_PER_SECOND;
+    const float BIGGEST_DELTA_TIME_SECS = 0.25f;
+    float deltaTime = glm::clamp((float)actualDeltaTime, 0.0f, BIGGEST_DELTA_TIME_SECS);
+
     // update the sensorMatrices based on the new hmd pose
     _hmdSensorMatrix = hmdSensorMatrix;
     _hmdSensorPosition = extractTranslation(hmdSensorMatrix);
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
index c1a6ada751..daa4424928 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ public:
 
     // best called at start of main loop just after we have a fresh hmd pose.
     // update internal body position from new hmd pose.
-    void updateFromHMDSensorMatrix(const glm::mat4& hmdSensorMatrix, float deltaTime);
+    void updateFromHMDSensorMatrix(const glm::mat4& hmdSensorMatrix);
 
     // best called at end of main loop, just before rendering.
     // update sensor to world matrix from current body position and hmd sensor.
@@ -361,6 +361,8 @@ private:
 
     bool _straightingLean = false;
     float _straightingLeanAlpha = 0.0f;
+
+    quint64 _lastUpdateFromHMDTime = usecTimestampNow();
 };
 
 QScriptValue audioListenModeToScriptValue(QScriptEngine* engine, const AudioListenerMode& audioListenerMode);