diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarActionHold.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarActionHold.cpp
index 3bbdf9f099..32905361dd 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarActionHold.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarActionHold.cpp
@@ -222,22 +222,20 @@ void AvatarActionHold::doKinematicUpdate(float deltaTimeStep) {
             // of the most recent.
             //
             // if _measuredLinearVelocitiesIndex is
-            //     0 -- ignore i of 4 5
-            //     1 -- ignore i of 5 0
-            //     2 -- ignore i of 0 1
-            //     3 -- ignore i of 1 2
-            //     4 -- ignore i of 2 3
-            //     5 -- ignore i of 3 4
+            //     0 -- ignore i of 3 4 5
+            //     1 -- ignore i of 4 5 0
+            //     2 -- ignore i of 5 0 1
+            //     3 -- ignore i of 0 1 2
+            //     4 -- ignore i of 1 2 3
+            //     5 -- ignore i of 2 3 4
             if ((i + 1) % 6 == _measuredLinearVelocitiesIndex ||
-                (i + 2) % 6 == _measuredLinearVelocitiesIndex) {
+                (i + 2) % 6 == _measuredLinearVelocitiesIndex ||
+                (i + 3) % 6 == _measuredLinearVelocitiesIndex) {
                 continue;
             }
-
             measuredLinearVelocity += _measuredLinearVelocities[i];
         }
-        measuredLinearVelocity /= (float)(AvatarActionHold::velocitySmoothFrames - 2);
-
-
+        measuredLinearVelocity /= (float)(AvatarActionHold::velocitySmoothFrames - 3);
 
         if (_kinematicSetVelocity) {
             // rigidBody->setLinearVelocity(glmToBullet(_linearVelocityTarget));
diff --git a/scripts/system/controllers/handControllerGrab.js b/scripts/system/controllers/handControllerGrab.js
index 2cef48290c..36cef8ec2d 100644
--- a/scripts/system/controllers/handControllerGrab.js
+++ b/scripts/system/controllers/handControllerGrab.js
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ var TRIGGER_ON_VALUE = 0.4; //  Squeezed just enough to activate search or near
 var TRIGGER_GRAB_VALUE = 0.85; //  Squeezed far enough to complete distant grab
 var TRIGGER_OFF_VALUE = 0.15;
 
+var COLLIDE_WITH_AV_AFTER_RELEASE_DELAY = 0.25; // seconds
+
 var BUMPER_ON_VALUE = 0.5;
 
 var THUMB_ON_VALUE = 0.5;
@@ -263,6 +265,17 @@ function propsArePhysical(props) {
     return isPhysical;
 }
 
+function removeMyAvatarFromCollidesWith(origCollidesWith) {
+    var collidesWithSplit = origCollidesWith.split(",");
+    // remove myAvatar from the array
+    for (var i = collidesWithSplit.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+        if (collidesWithSplit[i] === "myAvatar") {
+            collidesWithSplit.splice(i, 1);
+        }
+    }
+    return collidesWithSplit.join();
+}
+
 // If another script is managing the reticle (as is done by HandControllerPointer), we should not be setting it here,
 // and we should not be showing lasers when someone else is using the Reticle to indicate a 2D minor mode.
 var EXTERNALLY_MANAGED_2D_MINOR_MODE = true;
@@ -2128,13 +2141,20 @@ function MyController(hand) {
             if (data["refCount"] < 1) {
                 deactiveProps = {
                     gravity: data["gravity"],
-                    collidesWith: data["collidesWith"],
+                    // don't set collidesWith back right away, because thrown things tend to bounce off the
+                    // avatar's capsule.
+                    collidesWith: removeMyAvatarFromCollidesWith(data["collidesWith"]),
                     collisionless: data["collisionless"],
                     dynamic: data["dynamic"],
                     parentID: data["parentID"],
                     parentJointIndex: data["parentJointIndex"]
                 };
 
+                Script.setTimeout(function () {
+                    // set collidesWith back to original value a bit later than the rest
+                    Entities.editEntity(entityID, { collidesWith: data["collidesWith"] });
+                }, COLLIDE_WITH_AV_AFTER_RELEASE_DELAY);
+
                 // things that are held by parenting and dropped with no velocity will end up as "static" in bullet.  If
                 // it looks like the dropped thing should fall, give it a little velocity.
                 var props = Entities.getEntityProperties(entityID, ["parentID", "velocity", "dynamic", "shapeType"]);