diff --git a/interface/CMakeLists.txt b/interface/CMakeLists.txt
index b4ce53b92a..3e8a6ef92d 100644
--- a/interface/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/interface/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ set(TARGET_NAME interface)
 project(${TARGET_NAME})
 
 # set a default root dir for each of our optional externals if it was not passed
-set(OPTIONAL_EXTERNALS "LeapMotion")
+#set(OPTIONAL_EXTERNALS "LeapMotion")
 
 if(WIN32)
     list(APPEND OPTIONAL_EXTERNALS "3DConnexionClient")
diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/desktop/Desktop.qml b/interface/resources/qml/desktop/Desktop.qml
index b597016b5a..eb80f2a7f4 100644
--- a/interface/resources/qml/desktop/Desktop.qml
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/desktop/Desktop.qml
@@ -18,8 +18,6 @@ FocusScope {
     // The VR version of the primary menu
     property var rootMenu: Menu { objectName: "rootMenu" }
 
-    Component { id: messageDialogBuilder; MessageDialog { } }
-
     QtObject {
         id: d
         readonly property int zBasisNormal: 0
@@ -158,16 +156,22 @@ FocusScope {
         }
     }
 
-    MenuMouseHandler { id: menuPopperUpper }
-
     function raise(item) {
         d.raiseWindow(item);
     }
 
+
+    Component { id: messageDialogBuilder; MessageDialog { } }
     function messageBox(properties) {
         return messageDialogBuilder.createObject(desktop, properties);
     }
 
+    Component { id: queryDialogBuilder; QueryDialog { } }
+    function queryBox(properties) {
+        return queryDialogBuilder.createObject(desktop, properties);
+    }
+
+    MenuMouseHandler { id: menuPopperUpper }
     function popupMenu(point) {
         menuPopperUpper.popup(desktop, rootMenu.items, point);
     }
@@ -213,7 +217,7 @@ FocusScope {
     function onWindowFocusChanged() {
         console.log("Focus item is " + offscreenWindow.activeFocusItem);
         var focusedItem = offscreenWindow.activeFocusItem ;
-        if (DebugQML && focusedItem) {
+        if (DebugQML && focusedItem && false) {
             var rect = desktop.mapFromItem(focusedItem, 0, 0, focusedItem.width, focusedItem.height);
             focusDebugger.visible = true
             focusDebugger.x = rect.x;
diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/dialogs/MessageDialog.qml b/interface/resources/qml/dialogs/MessageDialog.qml
index 5b9a653f2e..35efd4d0d1 100644
--- a/interface/resources/qml/dialogs/MessageDialog.qml
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/dialogs/MessageDialog.qml
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ ModalWindow {
     signal selected(int button);
 
     function click(button) {
-        console.log("User clicked " + button)
         clickedButton = button;
         selected(button);
         destroy();
diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/dialogs/QueryDialog.qml b/interface/resources/qml/dialogs/QueryDialog.qml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..52fde34271
--- /dev/null
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/dialogs/QueryDialog.qml
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+import QtQuick 2.5
+import QtQuick.Controls 1.2
+import QtQuick.Dialogs 1.2 as OriginalDialogs
+
+import "../controls" as VrControls
+import "../styles"
+import "../windows"
+
+ModalWindow {
+    id: root
+    HifiConstants { id: hifi }
+    implicitWidth: 640
+    implicitHeight: 320
+    visible: true
+
+    signal selected(var result);
+    signal canceled();
+
+    property alias result: textResult.text
+    property alias placeholderText: textResult.placeholderText
+    property alias text: mainTextContainer.text
+
+    Rectangle {
+        clip: true
+        anchors.fill: parent
+        radius: 4
+        color: "white"
+
+        QtObject {
+            id: d
+            readonly property real spacing: hifi.layout.spacing
+            readonly property real outerSpacing: hifi.layout.spacing * 2
+            readonly property int minWidth: 480
+            readonly property int maxWdith: 1280
+            readonly property int minHeight: 120
+            readonly property int maxHeight: 720
+
+            function resize() {
+                var targetWidth = mainTextContainer.width + d.spacing * 6
+                var targetHeight = mainTextContainer.implicitHeight + textResult.height + d.spacing  + buttons.height
+                root.width = (targetWidth < d.minWidth) ? d.minWidth : ((targetWidth > d.maxWdith) ? d.maxWidth : targetWidth)
+                root.height = (targetHeight < d.minHeight) ? d.minHeight: ((targetHeight > d.maxHeight) ? d.maxHeight : targetHeight)
+            }
+        }
+
+        Text {
+            id: mainTextContainer
+            onHeightChanged: d.resize(); onWidthChanged: d.resize();
+            wrapMode: Text.WordWrap
+            font { pointSize: 14; weight: Font.Bold }
+            anchors { left: parent.left; top: parent.top; margins: d.spacing }
+        }
+
+        Item {
+            anchors { top: mainTextContainer.bottom; bottom: buttons.top; left: parent.left; right: parent.right; margins: d.spacing }
+            // FIXME make a text field type that can be bound to a history for autocompletion
+            TextField {
+                focus: true
+                id: textResult
+                anchors { left: parent.left; right: parent.right; verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter }
+            }
+        }
+
+        Flow {
+            id: buttons
+            focus: true
+            spacing: d.spacing
+            onHeightChanged: d.resize(); onWidthChanged: d.resize();
+            layoutDirection: Qt.RightToLeft
+            anchors { bottom: parent.bottom; right: parent.right; margins: d.spacing; }
+            Button { action: acceptAction }
+            Button { action: cancelAction }
+        }
+
+        Action {
+            id: cancelAction
+            text: qsTr("Cancel")
+            shortcut: Qt.Key_Escape
+            onTriggered: {
+                root.canceled();
+                root.destroy();
+            }
+        }
+        Action {
+            id: acceptAction
+            text: qsTr("OK")
+            shortcut: Qt.Key_Return
+            onTriggered: {
+                root.selected(root.result);
+                root.destroy();
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    Keys.onPressed: {
+        if (!visible) {
+            return
+        }
+
+        switch (event.key) {
+        case Qt.Key_Escape:
+        case Qt.Key_Back:
+            cancelAction.trigger()
+            event.accepted = true;
+            break;
+
+        case Qt.Key_Return:
+        case Qt.Key_Enter:
+            acceptAction.trigger()
+            event.accepted = true;
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/windows/DefaultFrame.qml b/interface/resources/qml/windows/DefaultFrame.qml
index d3b7434990..1b8404f17b 100644
--- a/interface/resources/qml/windows/DefaultFrame.qml
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/windows/DefaultFrame.qml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ Frame {
 
     // FIXME needed?
     Rectangle {
-        anchors { margins: -iconSize; topMargin: -iconSize * (window.closable ? 2 : 1); }
+        anchors { margins: -iconSize; topMargin: -iconSize * ((window && window.closable) ? 2 : 1); }
         anchors.fill: parent;
         color: "#7f7f7f7f";
         radius: 3;
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ Frame {
                 }
             }
             FontAwesome {
-                visible: window.closable
+                visible: window ? window.closable : false
                 text: closeClickArea.containsMouse ? "\uf057" : "\uf05c"
                 style: Text.Outline;
                 styleColor: "white"
diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/windows/Frame.qml b/interface/resources/qml/windows/Frame.qml
index dfffde4ad4..4bcf3998f4 100644
--- a/interface/resources/qml/windows/Frame.qml
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/windows/Frame.qml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ Item {
     Text {
         id: debugZ
         visible: DebugQML
-        text: "Z: " + window.z
+        text: window ? "Z: " + window.z : ""
         y: -height
     }
 
@@ -41,21 +41,21 @@ Item {
 
     Rectangle {
         id: sizeOutline
-        width: window.width
-        height: window.height
+        width: window ? window.width : 0
+        height: window ? window.height : 0
         color: "#00000000"
         border.width: 4
         radius: 10
-        visible: !window.content.visible
+        visible: window ? !window.content.visible : false
     }
 
     MouseArea {
         id: sizeDrag
         width: iconSize
         height: iconSize
-        enabled: window.resizable
-        x: window.width
-        y: window.height
+        enabled: window ? window.resizable : false
+        x: window ? window.width : 0
+        y: window ? window.height : 0
         property vector2d pressOrigin
         property vector2d sizeOrigin
         property bool hid: false
diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/windows/ModalWindow.qml b/interface/resources/qml/windows/ModalWindow.qml
index eb45273ff4..32443e70e3 100644
--- a/interface/resources/qml/windows/ModalWindow.qml
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/windows/ModalWindow.qml
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ Window {
     id: root
     anchors.centerIn: parent
     modality: Qt.ApplicationModal
+    destroyOnCloseButton: true
+    destroyOnInvisible: true
     frame: ModalFrame{}
 }
 
diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index ddc90886c9..22bc4effcb 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -4554,22 +4554,8 @@ void Application::loadDialog() {
 }
 
 void Application::loadScriptURLDialog() {
-    // To be migratd to QML
-    QInputDialog scriptURLDialog(getWindow());
-    scriptURLDialog.setWindowTitle("Open and Run Script URL");
-    scriptURLDialog.setLabelText("Script:");
-    scriptURLDialog.setWindowFlags(Qt::Sheet);
-    const float DIALOG_RATIO_OF_WINDOW = 0.30f;
-    scriptURLDialog.resize(scriptURLDialog.parentWidget()->size().width() * DIALOG_RATIO_OF_WINDOW,
-                        scriptURLDialog.size().height());
-
-    int dialogReturn = scriptURLDialog.exec();
-    QString newScript;
-    if (dialogReturn == QDialog::Accepted) {
-        if (scriptURLDialog.textValue().size() > 0) {
-            // the user input a new hostname, use that
-            newScript = scriptURLDialog.textValue();
-        }
+    auto newScript = OffscreenUi::getText(nullptr, "Open and Run Script", "Script URL");
+    if (!newScript.isEmpty()) {
         DependencyManager::get<ScriptEngines>()->loadScript(newScript);
     }
 }
diff --git a/libraries/ui/src/OffscreenUi.cpp b/libraries/ui/src/OffscreenUi.cpp
index 70a07db664..4f7336e599 100644
--- a/libraries/ui/src/OffscreenUi.cpp
+++ b/libraries/ui/src/OffscreenUi.cpp
@@ -10,9 +10,10 @@
 //
 #include "OffscreenUi.h"
 
-#include <QtQml/QtQml>
-#include <QtQuick/QQuickWindow>
+#include <QtCore/QVariant>
 #include <QtGui/QGuiApplication>
+#include <QtQuick/QQuickWindow>
+#include <QtQml/QtQml>
 
 #include <AbstractUriHandler.h>
 #include <AccountManager.h>
@@ -132,47 +133,64 @@ void OffscreenUi::toggle(const QUrl& url, const QString& name, std::function<voi
     }
 }
 
-class MessageBoxListener : public QObject {
+class ModalDialogListener : public QObject {
     Q_OBJECT
-
     friend class OffscreenUi;
 
-    MessageBoxListener(QQuickItem* messageBox) : _messageBox(messageBox) {
-        if (!_messageBox) {
+protected:
+    ModalDialogListener(QQuickItem* dialog) : _dialog(dialog) {
+        if (!dialog) {
             _finished = true;
             return;
-        } 
-        connect(_messageBox, SIGNAL(selected(int)), this, SLOT(onSelected(int)));
-        connect(_messageBox, SIGNAL(destroyed()), this, SLOT(onDestroyed()));
+        }
+        connect(_dialog, SIGNAL(destroyed()), this, SLOT(onDestroyed()));
     }
 
-    ~MessageBoxListener() {
-        disconnect(_messageBox);
+    ~ModalDialogListener() {
+        disconnect(_dialog);
     }
 
-    QMessageBox::StandardButton waitForResult() {
+    virtual QVariant waitForResult() {
         while (!_finished) {
             QCoreApplication::processEvents();
         }
         return _result;
     }
 
-private slots:
-    void onSelected(int button) {
-        _result = static_cast<QMessageBox::StandardButton>(button);
-        _finished = true;
-        disconnect(_messageBox);
-    }
-
+protected slots:
     void onDestroyed() {
         _finished = true;
-        disconnect(_messageBox);
+        disconnect(_dialog);
     }
 
-private:
+protected:
+    QQuickItem* const _dialog;
     bool _finished { false };
-    QMessageBox::StandardButton _result { QMessageBox::StandardButton::NoButton };
-    QQuickItem* const _messageBox;
+    QVariant _result;
+};
+
+class MessageBoxListener : public ModalDialogListener {
+    Q_OBJECT
+
+    friend class OffscreenUi;
+    MessageBoxListener(QQuickItem* messageBox) : ModalDialogListener(messageBox) {
+        if (_finished) {
+            return;
+        }
+        connect(_dialog, SIGNAL(selected(int)), this, SLOT(onSelected(int)));
+    }
+
+    virtual QMessageBox::StandardButton waitForButtonResult() {
+        ModalDialogListener::waitForResult();
+        return static_cast<QMessageBox::StandardButton>(_result.toInt());
+    }
+
+private slots:
+    void onSelected(int button) {
+        _result = button;
+        _finished = true;
+        disconnect(_dialog);
+    }
 };
 
 QMessageBox::StandardButton OffscreenUi::messageBox(QMessageBox::Icon icon, const QString& title, const QString& text, QMessageBox::StandardButtons buttons, QMessageBox::StandardButton defaultButton) {
@@ -204,7 +222,7 @@ QMessageBox::StandardButton OffscreenUi::messageBox(QMessageBox::Icon icon, cons
         return QMessageBox::StandardButton::NoButton;
     }
     
-    auto resultButton = MessageBoxListener(qvariant_cast<QQuickItem*>(result)).waitForResult();
+    QMessageBox::StandardButton resultButton = MessageBoxListener(qvariant_cast<QQuickItem*>(result)).waitForButtonResult();
     qDebug() << "Message box got a result of " << resultButton;
     return resultButton;
 }
@@ -226,6 +244,66 @@ QMessageBox::StandardButton OffscreenUi::warning(const QString& title, const QSt
     return DependencyManager::get<OffscreenUi>()->messageBox(QMessageBox::Icon::Critical, title, text, buttons, defaultButton);
 }
 
+
+
+class InputDialogListener : public ModalDialogListener {
+    Q_OBJECT
+
+    friend class OffscreenUi;
+    InputDialogListener(QQuickItem* queryBox) : ModalDialogListener(queryBox) {
+        if (_finished) {
+            return;
+        }
+        connect(_dialog, SIGNAL(selected(QVariant)), this, SLOT(onSelected(const QVariant&)));
+    }
+
+private slots:
+    void onSelected(const QVariant& result) {
+        _result = result;
+        _finished = true;
+        disconnect(_dialog);
+    }
+};
+
+// FIXME many input parameters currently ignored
+QString OffscreenUi::getText(void* ignored, const QString & title, const QString & label, QLineEdit::EchoMode mode, const QString & text, bool * ok, Qt::WindowFlags flags, Qt::InputMethodHints inputMethodHints) {
+    QVariant result = DependencyManager::get<OffscreenUi>()->inputDialog(title, label, text).toString();
+    if (ok && result.isValid()) {
+        *ok = true;
+    }
+    return result.toString();
+}
+
+
+QVariant OffscreenUi::inputDialog(const QString& query, const QString& placeholderText, const QString& currentValue) {
+    if (QThread::currentThread() != thread()) {
+        QVariant result;
+        QMetaObject::invokeMethod(this, "queryBox", Qt::BlockingQueuedConnection,
+            Q_RETURN_ARG(QVariant, result),
+            Q_ARG(QString, query),
+            Q_ARG(QString, placeholderText),
+            Q_ARG(QString, currentValue));
+        return result;
+    }
+
+    QVariantMap map;
+    map.insert("text", query);
+    map.insert("placeholderText", placeholderText);
+    map.insert("result", currentValue);
+    QVariant result;
+    bool invokeResult = QMetaObject::invokeMethod(_desktop, "queryBox",
+        Q_RETURN_ARG(QVariant, result),
+        Q_ARG(QVariant, QVariant::fromValue(map)));
+
+    if (!invokeResult) {
+        qWarning() << "Failed to create message box";
+        return QVariant();
+    }
+
+    return InputDialogListener(qvariant_cast<QQuickItem*>(result)).waitForResult();
+}
+
+
 bool OffscreenUi::navigationFocused() {
     return offscreenFlags->isNavigationFocused();
 }
diff --git a/libraries/ui/src/OffscreenUi.h b/libraries/ui/src/OffscreenUi.h
index fd54bc6c2b..73307b38f7 100644
--- a/libraries/ui/src/OffscreenUi.h
+++ b/libraries/ui/src/OffscreenUi.h
@@ -13,9 +13,11 @@
 #define hifi_OffscreenUi_h
 
 #include <QtCore/QVariant>
-#include <gl/OffscreenQmlSurface.h>
+#include <QtWidgets/QFileDialog>
+#include <QtWidgets/QMessageBox>
+#include <QtWidgets/QInputDialog>
 
-#include <QMessageBox>
+#include <gl/OffscreenQmlSurface.h>
 #include <DependencyManager.h>
 
 #include "OffscreenQmlElement.h"
@@ -78,7 +80,18 @@ public:
         QMessageBox::StandardButtons buttons = QMessageBox::Ok,
         QMessageBox::StandardButton defaultButton = QMessageBox::NoButton);
 
-    QMessageBox::StandardButton messageBox(QMessageBox::Icon icon, const QString& title, const QString& text, QMessageBox::StandardButtons buttons, QMessageBox::StandardButton defaultButton);
+    Q_INVOKABLE QMessageBox::StandardButton messageBox(QMessageBox::Icon icon, const QString& title, const QString& text, QMessageBox::StandardButtons buttons, QMessageBox::StandardButton defaultButton);
+    Q_INVOKABLE QVariant inputDialog(const QString& query, const QString& placeholderText = QString(), const QString& currentValue = QString());
+
+    // FIXME implement
+    static QVariant query(const QString& query, const QString& placeholderText = QString(), const QString& currentValue = QString());
+
+    // FIXME implement
+    // Compatibility with QFileDialog::getOpenFileName
+    static QString getOpenFileName(void* ignored, const QString &caption = QString(), const QString &dir = QString(), const QString &filter = QString(), QString *selectedFilter = 0, QFileDialog::Options options = 0);
+
+    // Compatibility with QInputDialog::getText
+    static QString getText(void* ignored, const QString & title, const QString & label, QLineEdit::EchoMode mode = QLineEdit::Normal, const QString & text = QString(), bool * ok = 0, Qt::WindowFlags flags = 0, Qt::InputMethodHints inputMethodHints = Qt::ImhNone);
 
 private:
     QQuickItem* _desktop { nullptr };
diff --git a/tests/ui/qml/main.qml b/tests/ui/qml/main.qml
index b6a6b47814..b343d2404e 100644
--- a/tests/ui/qml/main.qml
+++ b/tests/ui/qml/main.qml
@@ -72,10 +72,30 @@ ApplicationWindow {
             Button {
                 text: "Show Error"
                 onClicked: {
-                    desktop.messageBox({
-                                           text: "Diagnostic cycle will be complete in 30 seconds",
-                                           icon: OriginalDialogs.StandardIcon.Critical,
-                                       });
+                    var messageBox = desktop.messageBox({
+                                                            text: "Diagnostic cycle will be complete in 30 seconds",
+                                                            icon: OriginalDialogs.StandardIcon.Critical,
+                                                        });
+                    messageBox.selected.connect(function(button) {
+                        console.log("You clicked " + button)
+                    })
+                }
+            }
+            Button {
+                text: "Show Query"
+                onClicked: {
+                    var queryBox = desktop.queryBox({
+                                                          text: "Have you stopped beating your wife?",
+                                                          placeholderText: "Are you sure?",
+                                                         // icon: OriginalDialogs.StandardIcon.Critical,
+                                                      });
+                    queryBox.selected.connect(function(result) {
+                        console.log("User responded with " + result);
+                    });
+
+                    queryBox.canceled.connect(function() {
+                        console.log("User cancelled query box ");
+                    })
                 }
             }
             Button {
@@ -118,7 +138,7 @@ ApplicationWindow {
                 }
             }
         }
-/*
+
         Window {
             id: blue
             closable: true
@@ -143,7 +163,7 @@ ApplicationWindow {
                 Component.onDestruction: console.log("Blue destroyed")
             }
         }
-
+        /*
         Window {
             id: green
             alwaysOnTop: true
diff --git a/tests/ui/qmlscratch.pro b/tests/ui/qmlscratch.pro
index 81974ffee8..584a724c14 100644
--- a/tests/ui/qmlscratch.pro
+++ b/tests/ui/qmlscratch.pro
@@ -100,7 +100,8 @@ DISTFILES += \
     ../../interface/resources/qml/hifi/dialogs/preferences/CheckBox.qml \
     ../../interface/resources/qml/dialogs/fileDialog/FileTableView.qml \
     ../../interface/resources/qml/hifi/dialogs/preferences/Avatar.qml \
-    ../../interface/resources/qml/hifi/dialogs/preferences/AvatarBrowser.qml
+    ../../interface/resources/qml/hifi/dialogs/preferences/AvatarBrowser.qml \
+    ../../interface/resources/qml/dialogs/QueryDialog.qml
 
 HEADERS += \
     ../../libraries/ui/src/FileDialogHelper.h