diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
index 6e1f44f5ac..626719b42e 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
@@ -348,6 +348,8 @@ void Avatar::simulate(float deltaTime, bool inView) {
         PROFILE_RANGE(simulation, "updateJoints");
         if (inView && _hasNewJointData) {
             _skeletonModel->getRig()->copyJointsFromJointData(_jointData);
+            glm::mat4 rootTransform = glm::scale(_skeletonModel->getScale()) * glm::translate(_skeletonModel->getOffset());
+            _skeletonModel->getRig()->computeExternalPoses(rootTransform);
             _jointDataSimulationRate.increment();
 
             _skeletonModel->simulate(deltaTime, true);
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp
index 88590a6f69..476abf8d4b 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp
@@ -179,7 +179,9 @@ void SkeletonModel::updateRig(float deltaTime, glm::mat4 parentTransform) {
 
         _rig->updateFromEyeParameters(eyeParams);
     } else {
-        Model::updateRig(deltaTime, parentTransform);
+        // no need to call Model::updateRig() because otherAvatars get their joint state
+        // copied directly from AvtarData::_jointData (there are no Rig animations to blend)
+        _needsUpdateClusterMatrices = true;
 
         // This is a little more work than we really want.
         //
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp
index 84e34adec7..b70d28fc30 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp
@@ -1346,8 +1346,13 @@ void Rig::copyJointsFromJointData(const QVector<JointData>& jointDataVec) {
             _internalPoseSet._relativePoses[i].trans() = relativeDefaultPoses[i].trans();
         }
     }
+}
+
+void Rig::computeExternalPoses(const glm::mat4& modelOffsetMat) {
+    _modelOffset = AnimPose(modelOffsetMat);
+    _geometryToRigTransform = _modelOffset * _geometryOffset;
+    _rigToGeometryTransform = glm::inverse(_geometryToRigTransform);
 
-    // build absolute poses and copy to externalPoseSet
     buildAbsoluteRigPoses(_internalPoseSet._relativePoses, _internalPoseSet._absolutePoses);
     QWriteLocker writeLock(&_externalPoseSetLock);
     _externalPoseSet = _internalPoseSet;
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h
index f1c87d0d3e..b2cc877460 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h
@@ -210,6 +210,7 @@ public:
 
     void copyJointsIntoJointData(QVector<JointData>& jointDataVec) const;
     void copyJointsFromJointData(const QVector<JointData>& jointDataVec);
+    void computeExternalPoses(const glm::mat4& modelOffsetMat);
 
     void computeAvatarBoundingCapsule(const FBXGeometry& geometry, float& radiusOut, float& heightOut, glm::vec3& offsetOut) const;