diff --git a/assignment-client/src/audio/AudioMixer.cpp b/assignment-client/src/audio/AudioMixer.cpp
index 6c8a4fd1c2..32447d1d61 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/audio/AudioMixer.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/audio/AudioMixer.cpp
@@ -776,25 +776,8 @@ void AudioMixer::run() {
                 // if the stream should be muted, send mute packet
                 if (nodeData->getAvatarAudioStream()
                     && shouldMute(nodeData->getAvatarAudioStream()->getQuietestFrameLoudness())) {
-                    static const int TIME_BETWEEN_MUTES = 5; // in secs
-                    if (usecTimestampNow() - nodeData->getAvatarAudioStream()->getLastMuted() >
-                        TIME_BETWEEN_MUTES * USECS_PER_SECOND) {
-                        int headerSize = numBytesForPacketHeaderGivenPacketType(PacketTypeMuteEnvironment);
-                        int packetSize = headerSize + sizeof(glm::vec3) + sizeof(float);
-                        
-                        // Fake data to force mute
-                        glm::vec3 position = nodeData->getAvatarAudioStream()->getPosition();
-                        float radius = 1.0f;
-                        
-                        char* packet = (char*)malloc(packetSize);
-                        populatePacketHeader(packet, PacketTypeMuteEnvironment);
-                        memcpy(packet + headerSize, &position, sizeof(glm::vec3));
-                        memcpy(packet + headerSize + sizeof(glm::vec3), &radius, sizeof(float));
-                        
-                        nodeList->writeDatagram(packet, packetSize, node);
-                        nodeData->getAvatarAudioStream()->setLastMutedNow();
-                        free(packet);
-                    }
+                    QByteArray packet = byteArrayWithPopulatedHeader(PacketTypeNoisyMute);
+                    nodeList->writeDatagram(packet, node);
                 }
                 
                 if (node->getType() == NodeType::Agent && node->getActiveSocket()
diff --git a/assignment-client/src/audio/AvatarAudioStream.cpp b/assignment-client/src/audio/AvatarAudioStream.cpp
index cd67722a2e..90dcefa09d 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/audio/AvatarAudioStream.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/audio/AvatarAudioStream.cpp
@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@
 #include "AvatarAudioStream.h"
 
 AvatarAudioStream::AvatarAudioStream(bool isStereo, const InboundAudioStream::Settings& settings) :
-    PositionalAudioStream(PositionalAudioStream::Microphone, isStereo, settings),
-    _lastMuted(usecTimestampNow())
+    PositionalAudioStream(PositionalAudioStream::Microphone, isStereo, settings)
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/assignment-client/src/audio/AvatarAudioStream.h b/assignment-client/src/audio/AvatarAudioStream.h
index e1fb6dd486..482c6fd538 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/audio/AvatarAudioStream.h
+++ b/assignment-client/src/audio/AvatarAudioStream.h
@@ -20,17 +20,12 @@ class AvatarAudioStream : public PositionalAudioStream {
 public:
     AvatarAudioStream(bool isStereo, const InboundAudioStream::Settings& settings);
     
-    qint64 getLastMuted() const { return _lastMuted; }
-    void setLastMutedNow() { _lastMuted = usecTimestampNow(); }
-    
 private:
     // disallow copying of AvatarAudioStream objects
     AvatarAudioStream(const AvatarAudioStream&);
     AvatarAudioStream& operator= (const AvatarAudioStream&);
 
     int parseStreamProperties(PacketType type, const QByteArray& packetAfterSeqNum, int& numAudioSamples);
-    
-    qint64 _lastMuted;
 };
 
 #endif // hifi_AvatarAudioStream_h
diff --git a/interface/src/DatagramProcessor.cpp b/interface/src/DatagramProcessor.cpp
index 6f9f4cae68..96680423ed 100644
--- a/interface/src/DatagramProcessor.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/DatagramProcessor.cpp
@@ -141,17 +141,29 @@ void DatagramProcessor::processDatagrams() {
                     AccountManager::getInstance().checkAndSignalForAccessToken();
                     break;
                 }
+                case PacketTypeNoisyMute:
                 case PacketTypeMuteEnvironment: {
-                    glm::vec3 position;
-                    float radius;
+                    bool mute = !Application::getInstance()->getAudio()->getMuted();
                     
-                    int headerSize = numBytesForPacketHeaderGivenPacketType(PacketTypeMuteEnvironment);
-                    memcpy(&position, incomingPacket.constData() + headerSize, sizeof(glm::vec3));
-                    memcpy(&radius, incomingPacket.constData() + headerSize + sizeof(glm::vec3), sizeof(float));
+                    if (incomingType == PacketTypeMuteEnvironment) {
+                        glm::vec3 position;
+                        float radius, distance;
+                        
+                        int headerSize = numBytesForPacketHeaderGivenPacketType(PacketTypeMuteEnvironment);
+                        memcpy(&position, incomingPacket.constData() + headerSize, sizeof(glm::vec3));
+                        memcpy(&radius, incomingPacket.constData() + headerSize + sizeof(glm::vec3), sizeof(float));
+                        distance = glm::distance(Application::getInstance()->getAvatar()->getPosition(), position);
+                        
+                        mute = mute && (distance < radius);
+                    }
                     
-                    if (glm::distance(Application::getInstance()->getAvatar()->getPosition(), position) < radius
-                        && !Application::getInstance()->getAudio()->getMuted()) {
+                    if (mute) {
                         Application::getInstance()->getAudio()->toggleMute();
+                        if (incomingType == PacketTypeMuteEnvironment) {
+                            AudioScriptingInterface::getInstance().environmentMuted();
+                        } else {
+                            AudioScriptingInterface::getInstance().mutedByMixer();
+                        }
                     }
                     break;
                 }
diff --git a/libraries/audio/src/AudioScriptingInterface.h b/libraries/audio/src/AudioScriptingInterface.h
index 0017806b40..5b67666a97 100644
--- a/libraries/audio/src/AudioScriptingInterface.h
+++ b/libraries/audio/src/AudioScriptingInterface.h
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ public slots:
     
     void injectorStopped();
     
+signals:
+    void mutedByMixer();
+    void environmentMuted();
+    
 private:
     AudioScriptingInterface();
     QList< QPointer<AudioInjector> > _activeInjectors;
diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/PacketHeaders.h b/libraries/networking/src/PacketHeaders.h
index d617f2243a..6cca5b505d 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/PacketHeaders.h
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/PacketHeaders.h
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ enum PacketType {
     UNUSED_2,
     UNUSED_3,
     UNUSED_4,
-    UNUSED_5,
+    PacketTypeNoisyMute,
     PacketTypeMetavoxelData,
     PacketTypeAvatarIdentity,
     PacketTypeAvatarBillboard,