diff --git a/examples/away.js b/examples/away.js
index 82b9c881c6..643edbd149 100644
--- a/examples/away.js
+++ b/examples/away.js
@@ -152,9 +152,19 @@ function maybeMoveOverlay() {
 
 // MAIN CONTROL
 var wasMuted, isAway;
+var wasOverlaysVisible = Menu.isOptionChecked("Overlays");
 var eventMappingName = "io.highfidelity.away"; // goActive on hand controller button events, too.
 var eventMapping = Controller.newMapping(eventMappingName);
 
+// backward compatible version of getting HMD.mounted, so it works in old clients
+function safeGetHMDMounted() {
+    if (HMD.mounted === undefined) {
+        return true;
+    }
+    return HMD.mounted;
+}
+var wasHmdMounted = safeGetHMDMounted();
+
 function goAway() {
     if (isAway) {
         return;
@@ -169,12 +179,20 @@ function goAway() {
     playAwayAnimation(); // animation is still seen by others
     showOverlay();
 
+    // remember the View > Overlays state...
+    wasOverlaysVisible = Menu.isOptionChecked("Overlays");
+
+    // show overlays so that people can see the "Away" message
+    Menu.setIsOptionChecked("Overlays", true);
+
     // tell the Reticle, we want to stop capturing the mouse until we come back
     Reticle.allowMouseCapture = false;
     if (HMD.active) {
         Reticle.visible = false;
     }
+    wasHmdMounted = safeGetHMDMounted(); // always remember the correct state
 }
+
 function goActive() {
     if (!isAway) {
         return;
@@ -188,12 +206,16 @@ function goActive() {
     stopAwayAnimation();
     hideOverlay();
 
+    // restore overlays state to what it was when we went "away"
+    Menu.setIsOptionChecked("Overlays", wasOverlaysVisible);
+
     // tell the Reticle, we are ready to capture the mouse again and it should be visible
     Reticle.allowMouseCapture = true;
     Reticle.visible = true;
     if (HMD.active) {
         Reticle.position = HMD.getHUDLookAtPosition2D();
     }
+    wasHmdMounted = safeGetHMDMounted(); // always remember the correct state
 }
 
 function maybeGoActive(event) {
@@ -206,6 +228,7 @@ function maybeGoActive(event) {
         goActive();
     }
 }
+
 var wasHmdActive = HMD.active;
 var wasMouseCaptured = Reticle.mouseCaptured;
 
@@ -225,6 +248,13 @@ function maybeGoAway() {
             goAway();
         }
     }
+
+    // If you've removed your HMD from your head, and we can detect it, we will also go away...
+    var hmdMounted = safeGetHMDMounted();
+    if (HMD.active && !hmdMounted && wasHmdMounted) {
+        wasHmdMounted = hmdMounted;
+        goAway();
+    }
 }
 
 Script.update.connect(maybeMoveOverlay);
diff --git a/libraries/ui/src/ui/Menu.cpp b/libraries/ui/src/ui/Menu.cpp
index a5d801869d..1e6cfb1846 100644
--- a/libraries/ui/src/ui/Menu.cpp
+++ b/libraries/ui/src/ui/Menu.cpp
@@ -222,8 +222,11 @@ void Menu::setIsOptionChecked(const QString& menuOption, bool isChecked) {
         return;
     }
     QAction* menu = _actionHash.value(menuOption);
-    if (menu) {
-        menu->setChecked(isChecked);
+    if (menu && menu->isCheckable()) {
+        auto wasChecked = menu->isChecked();
+        if (wasChecked != isChecked) {
+            menu->trigger();
+        }
     }
 }