diff --git a/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerSlave.cpp b/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerSlave.cpp
index bff34d9751..ca2db55cdd 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerSlave.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerSlave.cpp
@@ -361,9 +361,12 @@ void AvatarMixerSlave::broadcastAvatarData(const SharedNodePointer& node) {
                                 QVector<JointData>& lastSentJointsForOther = nodeData->getLastOtherAvatarSentJoints(otherNode->getUUID());
                                 bool distanceAdjust = true;
                                 glm::vec3 viewerPosition = myPosition;
+                                AvatarDataPacket::HasFlags hasFlagsOut; // the result of the toByteArray
+                                bool dropFaceTracking = true; // this is a hack for now... always drop face tracking
 
                                 quint64 start = usecTimestampNow();
-                                QByteArray bytes = otherAvatar.toByteArray(detail, lastEncodeForOther, lastSentJointsForOther, distanceAdjust, viewerPosition, &lastSentJointsForOther);
+                                QByteArray bytes = otherAvatar.toByteArray(detail, lastEncodeForOther, lastSentJointsForOther, 
+                                                                hasFlagsOut, dropFaceTracking, distanceAdjust, viewerPosition, &lastSentJointsForOther);
                                 quint64 end = usecTimestampNow();
                                 _stats.toByteArrayElapsedTime += (end - start);
 
diff --git a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
index cbd5d42263..66d1fb39bf 100644
--- a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
+++ b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ float AvatarData::getDistanceBasedMinTranslationDistance(glm::vec3 viewerPositio
 
 
 QByteArray AvatarData::toByteArray(AvatarDataDetail dataDetail, quint64 lastSentTime, const QVector<JointData>& lastSentJointData,
-                        bool distanceAdjust, glm::vec3 viewerPosition, QVector<JointData>* sentJointDataOut) {
+                                    bool distanceAdjust, glm::vec3 viewerPosition, QVector<JointData>* sentJointDataOut) {
 
     // if no timestamp was included, then assume the avatarData is single instance 
     // and is tracking its own last encoding time.
@@ -575,7 +575,7 @@ QByteArray AvatarData::toByteArray(AvatarDataDetail dataDetail, quint64 lastSent
 }
 
 QByteArray AvatarData::toByteArray(AvatarDataDetail dataDetail, quint64 lastSentTime, const QVector<JointData>& lastSentJointData,
-    bool distanceAdjust, glm::vec3 viewerPosition, QVector<JointData>* sentJointDataOut) const {
+    AvatarDataPacket::HasFlags& hasFlagsOut, bool dropFaceTracking, bool distanceAdjust, glm::vec3 viewerPosition, QVector<JointData>* sentJointDataOut) const {
 
     bool cullSmallChanges = (dataDetail == CullSmallData);
     bool sendAll = (dataDetail == SendAllData);
@@ -625,7 +625,7 @@ QByteArray AvatarData::toByteArray(AvatarDataDetail dataDetail, quint64 lastSent
         tranlationChangedSince(lastSentTime) ||
         parentInfoChangedSince(lastSentTime));
 
-    bool hasFaceTrackerInfo = hasFaceTracker() && (sendAll || faceTrackerInfoChangedSince(lastSentTime));
+    bool hasFaceTrackerInfo = !dropFaceTracking && hasFaceTracker() && (sendAll || faceTrackerInfoChangedSince(lastSentTime));
     bool hasJointData = sendAll || !sendMinimum;
 
     // Leading flags, to indicate how much data is actually included in the packet...
diff --git a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h
index 45e62d4045..64c0e11577 100644
--- a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h
+++ b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ public:
 
     // FIXME
     virtual QByteArray toByteArray(AvatarDataDetail dataDetail, quint64 lastSentTime, const QVector<JointData>& lastSentJointData,
-        bool distanceAdjust, glm::vec3 viewerPosition, QVector<JointData>* sentJointDataOut) const;
+        AvatarDataPacket::HasFlags& hasFlagsOut, bool dropFaceTracking, bool distanceAdjust, glm::vec3 viewerPosition, QVector<JointData>* sentJointDataOut) const;
 
     virtual void doneEncoding(bool cullSmallChanges);