diff --git a/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerClientData.cpp b/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerClientData.cpp
index cdd639ed80..361f87a635 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerClientData.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerClientData.cpp
@@ -204,7 +204,10 @@ void AvatarMixerClientData::processSetTraitsMessage(ReceivedMessage& message,
                 if (traitType == AvatarTraits::SkeletonModelURL) {
                     // special handling for skeleton model URL, since we need to make sure it is in the whitelist
                     checkSkeletonURLAgainstWhitelist(slaveSharedData, sendingNode, packetTraitVersion);
+#ifdef AVATAR_POP_CHECK
+                    // Deferred for UX work. With no PoP check, no need to get the .fst.
                     _avatar->fetchAvatarFST();
+#endif
                 }
 
                 anyTraitsChanged = true;