diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 60ae1843d6..e5d5e696a1 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -3963,9 +3963,14 @@ void Application::calibrateEyeTracker5Points() {
 }
 #endif
 
-bool Application::exportEntities(const QString& filename, const QVector<EntityItemID>& entityIDs, const glm::vec3* givenOffset) {
+bool Application::exportEntities(const QString& filename,
+                                 const QVector<EntityItemID>& entityIDs,
+                                 const glm::vec3* givenOffset) {
     QHash<EntityItemID, EntityItemPointer> entities;
 
+    auto nodeList = DependencyManager::get<NodeList>();
+    const QUuid myAvatarID = nodeList->getSessionUUID();
+
     auto entityTree = getEntities()->getTree();
     auto exportTree = std::make_shared<EntityTree>();
     exportTree->createRootElement();
@@ -3981,8 +3986,12 @@ bool Application::exportEntities(const QString& filename, const QVector<EntityIt
 
             if (!givenOffset) {
                 EntityItemID parentID = entityItem->getParentID();
-                if (parentID.isInvalidID() || !entityIDs.contains(parentID) || !entityTree->findEntityByEntityItemID(parentID)) {
-                    auto position = entityItem->getPosition(); // If parent wasn't selected, we want absolute position, which isn't in properties.
+                bool parentIsAvatar = (parentID == AVATAR_SELF_ID || parentID == myAvatarID);
+                if (!parentIsAvatar && (parentID.isInvalidID() ||
+                                        !entityIDs.contains(parentID) ||
+                                        !entityTree->findEntityByEntityItemID(parentID))) {
+                    // If parent wasn't selected, we want absolute position, which isn't in properties.
+                    auto position = entityItem->getPosition();
                     root.x = glm::min(root.x, position.x);
                     root.y = glm::min(root.y, position.y);
                     root.z = glm::min(root.z, position.z);
@@ -4002,12 +4011,16 @@ bool Application::exportEntities(const QString& filename, const QVector<EntityIt
         for (EntityItemPointer& entityDatum : entities) {
             auto properties = entityDatum->getProperties();
             EntityItemID parentID = properties.getParentID();
-            if (parentID.isInvalidID()) {
-                properties.setPosition(properties.getPosition() - root);
+            bool parentIsAvatar = (parentID == AVATAR_SELF_ID || parentID == myAvatarID);
+            if (parentIsAvatar) {
+                properties.setParentID(AVATAR_SELF_ID);
+            } else {
+                if (parentID.isInvalidID()) {
+                    properties.setPosition(properties.getPosition() - root);
+                } else if (!entities.contains(parentID)) {
+                    entityDatum->globalizeProperties(properties, "Parent %3 of %2 %1 is not selected for export.", -root);
+                } // else valid parent -- don't offset
             }
-            else if (!entities.contains(parentID)) {
-                entityDatum->globalizeProperties(properties, "Parent %3 of %2 %1 is not selected for export.", -root);
-            } // else valid parent -- don't offset
             exportTree->addEntity(entityDatum->getEntityItemID(), properties);
         }
     });
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index 10e2202553..5d82405aee 100755
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -3238,3 +3238,9 @@ void MyAvatar::setModelScale(float scale) {
         emit sensorToWorldScaleChanged(sensorToWorldScale);
     }
 }
+
+SpatialParentTree* MyAvatar::getParentTree() const {
+    auto entityTreeRenderer = qApp->getEntities();
+    EntityTreePointer entityTree = entityTreeRenderer ? entityTreeRenderer->getTree() : nullptr;
+    return entityTree.get();
+}
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
index 9620d61a49..952315a85f 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
@@ -544,6 +544,8 @@ public:
     float getUserHeight() const;
     float getUserEyeHeight() const;
 
+    virtual SpatialParentTree* getParentTree() const override;
+
 public slots:
     void increaseSize();
     void decreaseSize();
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Base3DOverlay.cpp b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Base3DOverlay.cpp
index a34240483b..42425932df 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Base3DOverlay.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Base3DOverlay.cpp
@@ -305,3 +305,9 @@ Transform Base3DOverlay::evalRenderTransform() {
 void Base3DOverlay::setRenderTransform(const Transform& transform) {
     _renderTransform = transform;
 }
+
+SpatialParentTree* Base3DOverlay::getParentTree() const {
+    auto entityTreeRenderer = qApp->getEntities();
+    EntityTreePointer entityTree = entityTreeRenderer ? entityTreeRenderer->getTree() : nullptr;
+    return entityTree.get();
+}
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Base3DOverlay.h b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Base3DOverlay.h
index d90caf5c4d..436cfbf97b 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Base3DOverlay.h
+++ b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Base3DOverlay.h
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ public:
     virtual AABox getBounds() const override = 0;
 
     void update(float deltatime) override;
-    
+
     void notifyRenderTransformChange() const;
 
     void setProperties(const QVariantMap& properties) override;
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ public:
         return findRayIntersection(origin, direction, distance, face, surfaceNormal);
     }
 
+    virtual SpatialParentTree* getParentTree() const override;
+
 protected:
     virtual void locationChanged(bool tellPhysics = true) override;
     virtual void parentDeleted() override;
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityEditPacketSender.cpp b/libraries/entities/src/EntityEditPacketSender.cpp
index ee0fcf8218..f93b6a49ec 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityEditPacketSender.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityEditPacketSender.cpp
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ void EntityEditPacketSender::queueEditAvatarEntityMessage(PacketType type,
     }
     EntityItemPointer entity = entityTree->findEntityByEntityItemID(entityItemID);
     if (!entity) {
-        qCDebug(entities) << "EntityEditPacketSender::queueEditEntityMessage can't find entity.";
+        qCDebug(entities) << "EntityEditPacketSender::queueEditAvatarEntityMessage can't find entity: " << entityItemID;
         return;
     }
 
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp
index fa386ae090..d16aeaa6e1 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp
@@ -1848,7 +1848,13 @@ bool EntityTree::sendEntitiesOperation(const OctreeElementPointer& element, void
 
         QHash<EntityItemID, EntityItemID>::iterator iter = args->map->find(oldID);
         if (iter == args->map->end()) {
-            EntityItemID newID = QUuid::createUuid();
+            EntityItemID newID;
+            if (oldID == AVATAR_SELF_ID) {
+                auto nodeList = DependencyManager::get<NodeList>();
+                newID = EntityItemID(nodeList->getSessionUUID());
+            } else {
+                newID = QUuid::createUuid();
+            }
             args->map->insert(oldID, newID);
             return newID;
         }
@@ -1865,8 +1871,8 @@ bool EntityTree::sendEntitiesOperation(const OctreeElementPointer& element, void
             properties.setPosition(properties.getPosition() + args->root);
         } else {
             EntityItemPointer parentEntity = args->ourTree->findEntityByEntityItemID(oldParentID);
-            if (parentEntity) { // map the parent
-                properties.setParentID(getMapped(parentEntity->getID()));
+            if (parentEntity || oldParentID == AVATAR_SELF_ID) { // map the parent
+                properties.setParentID(getMapped(oldParentID));
                 // But do not add root offset in this case.
             } else { // Should not happen, but let's try to be helpful...
                 item->globalizeProperties(properties, "Cannot find %3 parent of %2 %1", args->root);
@@ -1941,6 +1947,12 @@ bool EntityTree::readFromMap(QVariantMap& map) {
             entityItemID = EntityItemID(QUuid::createUuid());
         }
 
+        if (properties.getClientOnly()) {
+            auto nodeList = DependencyManager::get<NodeList>();
+            const QUuid myNodeID = nodeList->getSessionUUID();
+            properties.setOwningAvatarID(myNodeID);
+        }
+
         EntityItemPointer entity = addEntity(entityItemID, properties);
         if (!entity) {
             qCDebug(entities) << "adding Entity failed:" << entityItemID << properties.getType();
diff --git a/libraries/shared/src/SpatiallyNestable.cpp b/libraries/shared/src/SpatiallyNestable.cpp
index 8ea38f5f13..8c43632456 100644
--- a/libraries/shared/src/SpatiallyNestable.cpp
+++ b/libraries/shared/src/SpatiallyNestable.cpp
@@ -102,8 +102,11 @@ SpatiallyNestablePointer SpatiallyNestable::getParentPointer(bool& success) cons
     if (parent && parent->getID() == parentID) {
         // parent pointer is up-to-date
         if (!_parentKnowsMe) {
-            parent->beParentOfChild(getThisPointer());
-            _parentKnowsMe = true;
+            SpatialParentTree* parentTree = parent->getParentTree();
+            if (!parentTree || parentTree == getParentTree()) {
+                parent->beParentOfChild(getThisPointer());
+                _parentKnowsMe = true;
+            }
         }
         success = true;
         return parent;
@@ -129,8 +132,15 @@ SpatiallyNestablePointer SpatiallyNestable::getParentPointer(bool& success) cons
 
     parent = _parent.lock();
     if (parent) {
-        parent->beParentOfChild(getThisPointer());
-        _parentKnowsMe = true;
+
+        // it's possible for an entity with a parent of AVATAR_SELF_ID can be imported into a side-tree
+        // such as the clipboard's.  if this is the case, we don't want the parent to consider this a
+        // child.
+        SpatialParentTree* parentTree = parent->getParentTree();
+        if (!parentTree || parentTree == getParentTree()) {
+            parent->beParentOfChild(getThisPointer());
+            _parentKnowsMe = true;
+        }
     }
 
     success = (parent || parentID.isNull());
diff --git a/scripts/system/libraries/controllerDispatcherUtils.js b/scripts/system/libraries/controllerDispatcherUtils.js
index e9e25b058b..d6d80541ee 100644
--- a/scripts/system/libraries/controllerDispatcherUtils.js
+++ b/scripts/system/libraries/controllerDispatcherUtils.js
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ getControllerJointIndex = function (hand) {
         return controllerJointIndex;
     }
 
-    return MyAvatar.getJointIndex("Head");
+    return -1;
 };
 
 propsArePhysical = function (props) {