diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 45fa27db78..6845524631 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -1200,7 +1200,6 @@ void Application::initializeUi() {
     // OffscreenUi is a subclass of OffscreenQmlSurface specifically designed to
     // support the window management and scripting proxies for VR use
     offscreenUi->createDesktop(QString("hifi/Desktop.qml"));
-    connect(offscreenUi.data(), &OffscreenUi::showDesktop, this, &Application::showDesktop);
 
     // FIXME either expose so that dialogs can set this themselves or
     // do better detection in the offscreen UI of what has focus
@@ -2435,6 +2434,17 @@ void Application::idle(uint64_t now) {
     if (_aboutToQuit) {
         return; // bail early, nothing to do here.
     }
+
+    Stats::getInstance()->updateStats();
+    AvatarInputs::getInstance()->update();
+
+    static bool firstIdle = true;
+    if (firstIdle) {
+        firstIdle = false;
+        auto offscreenUi = DependencyManager::get<OffscreenUi>();
+        connect(offscreenUi.data(), &OffscreenUi::showDesktop, this, &Application::showDesktop);
+    }
+
     
     auto displayPlugin = getActiveDisplayPlugin();
     // depending on whether we're throttling or not.
@@ -2998,6 +3008,10 @@ void Application::toggleOverlays() {
     _overlayConductor.setEnabled(overlaysVisible);
 }
 
+void Application::setOverlaysVisible(bool visible) {
+    _overlayConductor.setEnabled(visible);
+}
+
 void Application::cycleCamera() {
     auto menu = Menu::getInstance();
     if (menu->isOptionChecked(MenuOption::FullscreenMirror)) {
diff --git a/interface/src/Application.h b/interface/src/Application.h
index 13dab6137e..aacf0b5b08 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.h
+++ b/interface/src/Application.h
@@ -272,6 +272,7 @@ public slots:
     void cycleCamera();
     void cameraMenuChanged();
     void toggleOverlays();
+    void setOverlaysVisible(bool visible);
 
     void reloadResourceCaches();
 
diff --git a/interface/src/Menu.cpp b/interface/src/Menu.cpp
index bf8cd2e61e..a5795c5a3b 100644
--- a/interface/src/Menu.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Menu.cpp
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ Menu::Menu() {
 
     // View > Overlays
     addCheckableActionToQMenuAndActionHash(viewMenu, MenuOption::Overlays, 0, true,
-        qApp, SLOT(toggleOverlays()));
+        qApp, SLOT(setOverlaysVisible(bool)));
 
     // Navigate menu ----------------------------------
     MenuWrapper* navigateMenu = addMenu("Navigate");
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/ApplicationCompositor.h b/interface/src/ui/ApplicationCompositor.h
index 7bdb97727f..b94afd2cce 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/ApplicationCompositor.h
+++ b/interface/src/ui/ApplicationCompositor.h
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ private:
     float _textureAspectRatio { 1.0f };
     int _hemiVerticesID { GeometryCache::UNKNOWN_ID };
 
-    float _alpha { 1.0f };
+    float _alpha { 0.0f }; // hidden by default
     float _prevAlpha { 1.0f };
     float _fadeInAlpha { true };
     float _oculusUIRadius { 1.0f };
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/ApplicationOverlay.cpp b/interface/src/ui/ApplicationOverlay.cpp
index 67b5135e0c..998a64d81a 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/ApplicationOverlay.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/ApplicationOverlay.cpp
@@ -58,10 +58,6 @@ void ApplicationOverlay::renderOverlay(RenderArgs* renderArgs) {
     CHECK_GL_ERROR();
     PerformanceWarning warn(Menu::getInstance()->isOptionChecked(MenuOption::PipelineWarnings), "ApplicationOverlay::displayOverlay()");
 
-    // TODO move to Application::idle()?
-    Stats::getInstance()->updateStats();
-    AvatarInputs::getInstance()->update();
-
     buildFramebufferObject();
     
     if (!_overlayFramebuffer) {
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/OverlayConductor.cpp b/interface/src/ui/OverlayConductor.cpp
index 4cc5e6d534..21b1aa879e 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/OverlayConductor.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/OverlayConductor.cpp
@@ -110,9 +110,12 @@ void OverlayConductor::setEnabled(bool enabled) {
         return;
     }
 
+    qDebug() << "OverlayConductor::setEnabled() enabled:" << enabled;
     Menu::getInstance()->setIsOptionChecked(MenuOption::Overlays, enabled);
 
-    if (_enabled) {
+    _enabled = enabled; // set the new value
+
+    if (!_enabled) {
         // alpha fadeOut the overlay mesh.
         qApp->getApplicationCompositor().fadeOut();
 
@@ -122,8 +125,6 @@ void OverlayConductor::setEnabled(bool enabled) {
         // disable QML events
         auto offscreenUi = DependencyManager::get<OffscreenUi>();
         offscreenUi->getRootItem()->setEnabled(false);
-
-        _enabled = false;
     } else {
         // alpha fadeIn the overlay mesh.
         qApp->getApplicationCompositor().fadeIn();
@@ -144,8 +145,6 @@ void OverlayConductor::setEnabled(bool enabled) {
             t.setRotation(glm::quat_cast(camMat));
             qApp->getApplicationCompositor().setModelTransform(t);
         }
-
-        _enabled = true;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/OverlayConductor.h b/interface/src/ui/OverlayConductor.h
index 4b8c0134b5..b94c5be7dd 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/OverlayConductor.h
+++ b/interface/src/ui/OverlayConductor.h
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ private:
         STANDING
     };
 
-    Mode _mode = FLAT;
-    bool _enabled = true;
+    Mode _mode { FLAT };
+    bool _enabled { false };
 };
 
 #endif