diff --git a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
index 95e0cfe7d5..482cd7564a 100644
--- a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
+++ b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@ AvatarData::AvatarData() :
     _handData(NULL), 
     _displayNameBoundingRect(), 
     _displayNameTargetAlpha(0.0f), 
-    _displayNameAlpha(0.0f)
+    _displayNameAlpha(0.0f),
+    _billboard()
 {
     
 }
@@ -388,8 +389,10 @@ void AvatarData::sendIdentityPacket() {
 }
 
 void AvatarData::sendBillboardPacket() {
-    QByteArray billboardPacket = byteArrayWithPopulatedHeader(PacketTypeAvatarBillboard);
-    billboardPacket.append(_billboard);
-    
-    NodeList::getInstance()->broadcastToNodes(billboardPacket, NodeSet() << NodeType::AvatarMixer);
+    if (!_billboard.isEmpty()) {
+        QByteArray billboardPacket = byteArrayWithPopulatedHeader(PacketTypeAvatarBillboard);
+        billboardPacket.append(_billboard);
+        
+        NodeList::getInstance()->broadcastToNodes(billboardPacket, NodeSet() << NodeType::AvatarMixer);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/libraries/script-engine/src/ScriptEngine.cpp b/libraries/script-engine/src/ScriptEngine.cpp
index 076f941222..c1b122b523 100644
--- a/libraries/script-engine/src/ScriptEngine.cpp
+++ b/libraries/script-engine/src/ScriptEngine.cpp
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ ScriptEngine::ScriptEngine(const QString& scriptContents, bool wantMenuItems, co
                            AbstractControllerScriptingInterface* controllerScriptingInterface) :
     _isAvatar(false),
     _avatarIdentityTimer(NULL),
+    _avatarBillboardTimer(NULL),
     _avatarData(NULL)
 {
     _scriptContents = scriptContents;
@@ -79,14 +80,17 @@ void ScriptEngine::setIsAvatar(bool isAvatar) {
     _isAvatar = isAvatar;
     
     if (_isAvatar && !_avatarIdentityTimer) {
-        // set up the avatar identity timer
+        // set up the avatar timers
         _avatarIdentityTimer = new QTimer(this);
+        _avatarBillboardTimer = new QTimer(this);
         
         // connect our slot
         connect(_avatarIdentityTimer, &QTimer::timeout, this, &ScriptEngine::sendAvatarIdentityPacket);
+        connect(_avatarBillboardTimer, &QTimer::timeout, this, &ScriptEngine::sendAvatarBillboardPacket);
         
-        // start the timer
+        // start the timers
         _avatarIdentityTimer->start(AVATAR_IDENTITY_PACKET_SEND_INTERVAL_MSECS);
+        _avatarBillboardTimer->start(AVATAR_BILLBOARD_PACKET_SEND_INTERVAL_MSECS);
     }
 }
 
@@ -196,6 +200,12 @@ void ScriptEngine::sendAvatarIdentityPacket() {
     }
 }
 
+void ScriptEngine::sendAvatarBillboardPacket() {
+    if (_isAvatar && _avatarData) {
+        _avatarData->sendBillboardPacket();
+    }
+}
+
 void ScriptEngine::run() {
     if (!_isInitialized) {
         init();
diff --git a/libraries/script-engine/src/ScriptEngine.h b/libraries/script-engine/src/ScriptEngine.h
index cf5ad1a68b..72ac848bff 100644
--- a/libraries/script-engine/src/ScriptEngine.h
+++ b/libraries/script-engine/src/ScriptEngine.h
@@ -85,10 +85,12 @@ protected:
     QScriptEngine _engine;
     bool _isAvatar;
     QTimer* _avatarIdentityTimer;
+    QTimer* _avatarBillboardTimer;
     QHash<QTimer*, QScriptValue> _timerFunctionMap;
 
 private:
     void sendAvatarIdentityPacket();
+    void sendAvatarBillboardPacket();
     
     QObject* setupTimerWithInterval(const QScriptValue& function, int intervalMS, bool isSingleShot);
     void stopTimer(QTimer* timer);