diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index e7638cc56d..052b742e89 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -480,6 +480,7 @@ void MyAvatar::saveData(QSettings* settings) {
         const AnimationHandlePointer& pointer = _animationHandles.at(i);
         settings->setValue("url", pointer->getURL());
         settings->setValue("fps", pointer->getFPS());
+        settings->setValue("priority", pointer->getPriority());
     }
     settings->endArray();
     
@@ -545,6 +546,7 @@ void MyAvatar::loadData(QSettings* settings) {
         const AnimationHandlePointer& handle = _animationHandles.at(i);
         handle->setURL(settings->value("url").toUrl());
         handle->setFPS(loadSetting(settings, "fps", 30.0f));
+        handle->setPriority(loadSetting(settings, "priority", 1.0f));
     }
     settings->endArray();
     
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp b/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp
index 199932af80..caf3b92a07 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp
@@ -1651,13 +1651,33 @@ void Model::renderMeshes(float alpha, RenderMode mode, bool translucent) {
 }
 
 void AnimationHandle::setURL(const QUrl& url) {
-    _animation = Application::getInstance()->getAnimationCache()->getAnimation(_url = url);
-    _jointMappings.clear();
+    if (_url != url) {
+        _animation = Application::getInstance()->getAnimationCache()->getAnimation(_url = url);
+        _jointMappings.clear();
+    }
+}
+
+static void insertSorted(QList<AnimationHandlePointer>& handles, const AnimationHandlePointer& handle) {
+    for (QList<AnimationHandlePointer>::iterator it = handles.begin(); it != handles.end(); it++) {
+        if (handle->getPriority() < (*it)->getPriority()) {
+            handles.insert(it, handle);
+            return;
+        } 
+    }
+    handles.append(handle);
+}
+
+void AnimationHandle::setPriority(float priority) {
+    if (_priority != priority) {
+        _priority = priority;
+        _model->_runningAnimations.removeOne(_self);
+        insertSorted(_model->_runningAnimations, _self);
+    }
 }
 
 void AnimationHandle::start() {
     if (!_model->_runningAnimations.contains(_self)) {
-        _model->_runningAnimations.append(_self);
+        insertSorted(_model->_runningAnimations, _self);
     }
     _frameIndex = 0.0f;
 }
@@ -1670,6 +1690,7 @@ AnimationHandle::AnimationHandle(Model* model) :
     QObject(model),
     _model(model),
     _fps(30.0f),
+    _priority(1.0f),
     _loop(false) {
 }
 
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/Model.h b/interface/src/renderer/Model.h
index 4d9d8d5010..63a1e5e435 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/Model.h
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/Model.h
@@ -384,6 +384,9 @@ public:
     
     void setFPS(float fps) { _fps = fps; }
     float getFPS() const { return _fps; }
+
+    void setPriority(float priority);
+    float getPriority() const { return _priority; }
     
     void setLoop(bool loop) { _loop = loop; }
     bool getLoop() const { return _loop; }
@@ -404,6 +407,7 @@ private:
     AnimationPointer _animation;
     QUrl _url;
     float _fps;
+    float _priority;
     bool _loop;
     QVector<int> _jointMappings;
     float _frameIndex;
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/AnimationsDialog.cpp b/interface/src/ui/AnimationsDialog.cpp
index 2beea24578..a9341fa283 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/AnimationsDialog.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/AnimationsDialog.cpp
@@ -93,6 +93,13 @@ AnimationPanel::AnimationPanel(AnimationsDialog* dialog, const AnimationHandlePo
     _fps->setValue(handle->getFPS());
     connect(_fps, SIGNAL(valueChanged(double)), SLOT(updateHandle()));
     
+    layout->addRow("Priority:", _priority = new QDoubleSpinBox());
+    _priority->setSingleStep(0.01);
+    _priority->setMinimum(-FLT_MAX);
+    _priority->setMaximum(FLT_MAX);
+    _priority->setValue(handle->getPriority());
+    connect(_priority, SIGNAL(valueChanged(double)), SLOT(updateHandle()));
+    
     QPushButton* remove = new QPushButton("Delete");
     layout->addRow(remove);
     connect(remove, SIGNAL(clicked(bool)), SLOT(removeHandle()));
@@ -114,6 +121,7 @@ void AnimationPanel::chooseURL() {
 void AnimationPanel::updateHandle() {
     _handle->setURL(_url->text());
     _handle->setFPS(_fps->value());
+    _handle->setPriority(_priority->value());
 }
 
 void AnimationPanel::removeHandle() {
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/AnimationsDialog.h b/interface/src/ui/AnimationsDialog.h
index d53b3dd6a5..5491418f6d 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/AnimationsDialog.h
+++ b/interface/src/ui/AnimationsDialog.h
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ private:
     AnimationHandlePointer _handle;
     QLineEdit* _url;
     QDoubleSpinBox* _fps;
+    QDoubleSpinBox* _priority;
     bool _applying;
 };