diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index c0315c44e3..ef10ad4464 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -2577,7 +2577,6 @@ void Application::setAvatarUpdateThreading(bool isThreaded) {
         return;
     }
 
-    auto myAvatar = getMyAvatar();
     if (_avatarUpdate) {
         _avatarUpdate->terminate(); // Must be before we shutdown anim graph.
     }
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index 39b09fb9de..eca39a0a44 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -232,30 +232,27 @@ void MyAvatar::reset(bool andReload) {
     setThrust(glm::vec3(0.0f));
 
     if (andReload) {
-        // Get fresh data, in case we're really slow and out of wack.
-        _hmdSensorMatrix = qApp->getHMDSensorPose();
-        _hmdSensorPosition = extractTranslation(_hmdSensorMatrix);
-        _hmdSensorOrientation = glm::quat_cast(_hmdSensorMatrix);
-
-        // Reset body position/orientation under the head.
+        // derive the desired body orientation from the *old* hmd orientation, before the sensor reset.
         auto newBodySensorMatrix = deriveBodyFromHMDSensor(); // Based on current cached HMD position/rotation..
+
+        // transform this body into world space
         auto worldBodyMatrix = _sensorToWorldMatrix * newBodySensorMatrix;
-        glm::vec3 worldBodyPos = extractTranslation(worldBodyMatrix);
-        glm::quat worldBodyRot = glm::normalize(glm::quat_cast(worldBodyMatrix));
-
-        // FIXME: Hack to retain the previous behavior wrt height.
-        // I'd like to make the body match head height, but that will have to wait for separate PR.
-        worldBodyPos.y = getPosition().y;
+        auto worldBodyPos = extractTranslation(worldBodyMatrix);
+        auto worldBodyRot = glm::normalize(glm::quat_cast(worldBodyMatrix));
 
+        // this will become our new position.
         setPosition(worldBodyPos);
         setOrientation(worldBodyRot);
-        // If there is any discrepency between positioning and the head (as there is in initial deriveBodyFromHMDSensor),
-        // we can make that right by setting _bodySensorMatrix = newBodySensorMatrix.
-        // However, doing so will make the head want to point to the previous body orientation, as cached above.
-        //_bodySensorMatrix = newBodySensorMatrix;
-        //updateSensorToWorldMatrix(); // Uses updated position/orientation and _bodySensorMatrix changes
 
-        qApp->setRawAvatarUpdateThreading();
+        // now sample the new hmd orientation AFTER sensor reset.
+        updateFromHMDSensorMatrix(qApp->getHMDSensorPose());
+
+        // update the body in sensor space using the new hmd sensor sample
+        _bodySensorMatrix = deriveBodyFromHMDSensor();
+
+        // rebuild the sensor to world matrix such that, the HMD will point in the desired orientation.
+        // i.e. the along avatar's current position and orientation.
+        updateSensorToWorldMatrix();
     }
 }
 
@@ -1808,7 +1805,10 @@ glm::mat4 MyAvatar::deriveBodyFromHMDSensor() const {
     int neckIndex = _rig->indexOfJoint("Neck");
     int hipsIndex = _rig->indexOfJoint("Hips");
 
-    glm::vec3 rigMiddleEyePos = leftEyeIndex != -1 ? _rig->getAbsoluteDefaultPose(leftEyeIndex).trans : DEFAULT_RIG_MIDDLE_EYE_POS;
+    glm::vec3 rigMiddleEyePos = DEFAULT_RIG_MIDDLE_EYE_POS;
+    if (leftEyeIndex >= 0 && rightEyeIndex >= 0) {
+        rigMiddleEyePos = (_rig->getAbsoluteDefaultPose(leftEyeIndex).trans + _rig->getAbsoluteDefaultPose(rightEyeIndex).trans) / 2.0f;
+    }
     glm::vec3 rigNeckPos = neckIndex != -1 ? _rig->getAbsoluteDefaultPose(neckIndex).trans : DEFAULT_RIG_NECK_POS;
     glm::vec3 rigHipsPos = hipsIndex != -1 ? _rig->getAbsoluteDefaultPose(hipsIndex).trans : DEFAULT_RIG_HIPS_POS;
 
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp
index d438e6f528..342f8315e1 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ SkeletonModel::~SkeletonModel() {
 
 void SkeletonModel::initJointStates() {
     const FBXGeometry& geometry = _geometry->getFBXGeometry();
-    glm::mat4 geometryOffset = geometry.offset;
     glm::mat4 modelOffset = glm::scale(_scale) * glm::translate(_offset);
     _rig->initJointStates(geometry, modelOffset);
 
@@ -237,11 +236,6 @@ void SkeletonModel::applyPalmData(int jointIndex, const PalmData& palm) {
     if (parentJointIndex == -1) {
         return;
     }
-
-    // the palm's position must be transformed into the model-frame
-    glm::quat inverseRotation = glm::inverse(_rotation);
-    glm::vec3 palmPosition = inverseRotation * (palm.getPosition() - _translation);
-    glm::quat palmRotation = inverseRotation * palm.getRotation();
 }
 
 bool SkeletonModel::getLeftHandPosition(glm::vec3& position) const {