diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 62b2486555..2c0b05d2d9 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -5429,7 +5429,7 @@ void Application::update(float deltaTime) {
             // process octree stats packets are sent in between full sends of a scene (this isn't currently true).
             // We keep physics disabled until we've received a full scene and everything near the avatar in that
             // scene is ready to compute its collision shape.
-            if (nearbyEntitiesAreReadyForPhysics()) {
+            if (nearbyEntitiesAreReadyForPhysics() && getMyAvatar()->isReadyForPhysics()) {
                 _physicsEnabled = true;
                 getMyAvatar()->updateMotionBehaviorFromMenu();
             }
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index f956bc90c3..7144044246 100755
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -2410,11 +2410,16 @@ void MyAvatar::restrictScaleFromDomainSettings(const QJsonObject& domainSettings
     if (_domainMinimumHeight > _domainMaximumHeight) {
         std::swap(_domainMinimumHeight, _domainMaximumHeight);
     }
+
     // Set avatar current scale
     Settings settings;
     settings.beginGroup("Avatar");
     _targetScale = loadSetting(settings, "scale", 1.0f);
 
+    // clamp the desired _targetScale by the domain limits NOW, don't try to gracefully animate.  Because
+    // this might cause our avatar to become embedded in the terrain.
+    _targetScale = getDomainLimitedScale();
+
     qCDebug(interfaceapp) << "This domain requires a minimum avatar scale of " << _domainMinimumHeight
                           << " and a maximum avatar scale of " << _domainMaximumHeight;
 
@@ -2423,6 +2428,8 @@ void MyAvatar::restrictScaleFromDomainSettings(const QJsonObject& domainSettings
     setModelScale(_targetScale);
     rebuildCollisionShape();
     settings.endGroup();
+
+    _haveReceivedHeightLimitsFromDomain = true;
 }
 
 void MyAvatar::leaveDomain() {
@@ -2440,6 +2447,7 @@ void MyAvatar::saveAvatarScale() {
 void MyAvatar::clearScaleRestriction() {
     _domainMinimumHeight = MIN_AVATAR_HEIGHT;
     _domainMaximumHeight = MAX_AVATAR_HEIGHT;
+    _haveReceivedHeightLimitsFromDomain = false;
 }
 
 void MyAvatar::goToLocation(const QVariant& propertiesVar) {
@@ -2557,8 +2565,12 @@ bool MyAvatar::safeLanding(const glm::vec3& position) {
 
 // If position is not reliably safe from being stuck by physics, answer true and place a candidate better position in betterPositionOut.
 bool MyAvatar::requiresSafeLanding(const glm::vec3& positionIn, glm::vec3& betterPositionOut) {
+
     // We begin with utilities and tests. The Algorithm in four parts is below.
-    auto halfHeight = _characterController.getCapsuleHalfHeight() + _characterController.getCapsuleRadius();
+    // NOTE: we use estimated avatar height here instead of the bullet capsule halfHeight, because
+    // the domain avatar height limiting might not have taken effect yet on the actual bullet shape.
+    auto halfHeight = 0.5f * getHeight();
+
     if (halfHeight == 0) {
         return false; // zero height avatar
     }
@@ -2567,14 +2579,13 @@ bool MyAvatar::requiresSafeLanding(const glm::vec3& positionIn, glm::vec3& bette
         return false; // no entity tree
     }
     // More utilities.
-    const auto offset = getWorldOrientation() *_characterController.getCapsuleLocalOffset();
-    const auto capsuleCenter = positionIn + offset;
+    const auto capsuleCenter = positionIn;
     const auto up = _worldUpDirection, down = -up;
     glm::vec3 upperIntersection, upperNormal, lowerIntersection, lowerNormal;
     EntityItemID upperId, lowerId;
     QVector<EntityItemID> include{}, ignore{};
     auto mustMove = [&] {  // Place bottom of capsule at the upperIntersection, and check again based on the capsule center.
-        betterPositionOut = upperIntersection + (up * halfHeight) - offset;
+        betterPositionOut = upperIntersection + (up * halfHeight);
         return true;
     };
     auto findIntersection = [&](const glm::vec3& startPointIn, const glm::vec3& directionIn, glm::vec3& intersectionOut, EntityItemID& entityIdOut, glm::vec3& normalOut) {
@@ -2594,7 +2605,7 @@ bool MyAvatar::requiresSafeLanding(const glm::vec3& positionIn, glm::vec3& bette
         EntityItemID entityID = entityTree->findRayIntersection(startPointIn, directionIn, include, ignore, visibleOnly, collidableOnly, precisionPicking,
             element, distance, face, normalOut, extraInfo, lockType, accurateResult);
         if (entityID.isNull()) {
-             return false;
+            return false;
         }
         intersectionOut = startPointIn + (directionIn * distance);
         entityIdOut = entityID;
@@ -2620,7 +2631,7 @@ bool MyAvatar::requiresSafeLanding(const glm::vec3& positionIn, glm::vec3& bette
     // I.e., we are in a clearing between two objects.
     if (isDown(upperNormal) && isUp(lowerNormal)) {
         auto spaceBetween = glm::distance(upperIntersection, lowerIntersection);
-        const float halfHeightFactor = 2.5f; // Until case 5003 is fixed (and maybe after?), we need a fudge factor. Also account for content modelers not being precise.
+        const float halfHeightFactor = 2.25f; // Until case 5003 is fixed (and maybe after?), we need a fudge factor. Also account for content modelers not being precise.
         if (spaceBetween > (halfHeightFactor * halfHeight)) {
             // There is room for us to fit in that clearing. If there wasn't, physics would oscilate us between the objects above and below.
             // We're now going to iterate upwards through successive upperIntersections, testing to see if we're contained within the top surface of some entity.
@@ -2871,6 +2882,10 @@ float MyAvatar::getWalkSpeed() const {
     return _walkSpeed.get() * _walkSpeedScalar;
 }
 
+bool MyAvatar::isReadyForPhysics() const {
+    return _haveReceivedHeightLimitsFromDomain;
+}
+
 void MyAvatar::setSprintMode(bool sprint) {
     _walkSpeedScalar = sprint ? AVATAR_SPRINT_SPEED_SCALAR : AVATAR_WALK_SPEED_SCALAR;
 }
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
index 7afb234da4..05d70ee54f 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
@@ -987,6 +987,8 @@ public:
 
     QVector<QString> getScriptUrls();
 
+    bool isReadyForPhysics() const;
+
 public slots:
 
     /**jsdoc
@@ -1568,6 +1570,8 @@ private:
 
     // load avatar scripts once when rig is ready
     bool _shouldLoadScripts { false };
+
+    bool _haveReceivedHeightLimitsFromDomain = { false };
 };
 
 QScriptValue audioListenModeToScriptValue(QScriptEngine* engine, const AudioListenerMode& audioListenerMode);