diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp
index 0f2bce5ca4..acf7bf81d8 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ void Rig::overrideRoleAnimation(const QString& role, const QString& url, float f
             const float REFERENCE_FRAMES_PER_SECOND = 30.0f;
             float timeScale = fps / REFERENCE_FRAMES_PER_SECOND;
             auto clipNode = std::make_shared<AnimClip>(role, url, firstFrame, lastFrame, timeScale, loop, false);
+            _roleAnimStates[role] = { role, url, fps, loop, firstFrame, lastFrame };
             AnimNode::Pointer parent = node->getParent();
             parent->replaceChild(node, clipNode);
         } else {
@@ -1638,6 +1639,11 @@ void Rig::initAnimGraph(const QUrl& url) {
                 _userAnimState = { UserAnimState::None, "", 30.0f, false, 0.0f, 0.0f };
                 overrideAnimation(origState.url, origState.fps, origState.loop, origState.firstFrame, origState.lastFrame);
             }
+            // restore the role animations we had before reset.
+            for (auto& roleAnimState : _roleAnimStates) {
+                auto roleState = roleAnimState.second;
+                overrideRoleAnimation(roleState.role, roleState.url, roleState.fps, roleState.loop, roleState.firstFrame, roleState.lastFrame);
+            }
             _animLoading = false;
 
             emit onLoadComplete();
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h
index 18d49c5f1e..e9cc444bd4 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h
@@ -335,8 +335,22 @@ protected:
         float firstFrame;
         float lastFrame;
     };
+    
+    struct RoleAnimState {
+       RoleAnimState() {}
+       RoleAnimState(const QString& roleId, const QString& urlIn, float fpsIn, bool loopIn, float firstFrameIn, float lastFrameIn) :
+            role(roleId), url(urlIn), fps(fpsIn), loop(loopIn), firstFrame(firstFrameIn), lastFrame(lastFrameIn) {}
+
+        QString role;
+        QString url;
+        float fps;
+        bool loop;
+        float firstFrame;
+        float lastFrame;
+    };
 
     UserAnimState _userAnimState;
+    std::map<QString, RoleAnimState> _roleAnimStates;
 
     float _leftHandOverlayAlpha { 0.0f };
     float _rightHandOverlayAlpha { 0.0f };