diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 48b418b93c..f2d4f9edf1 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -1503,7 +1503,13 @@ void Application::paintGL() {
     // FIXME not needed anymore?
     _offscreenContext->makeCurrent();
 
-    displayPlugin->beginFrameRender(_frameCount);
+    // If a display plugin loses it's underlying support, it 
+    // needs to be able to signal us to not use it
+    if (!displayPlugin->beginFrameRender(_frameCount)) {
+        _inPaint = false;
+        updateDisplayMode();
+        return;
+    }
 
     // update the avatar with a fresh HMD pose
     getMyAvatar()->updateFromHMDSensorMatrix(getHMDSensorPose());
@@ -5098,9 +5104,17 @@ void Application::updateDisplayMode() {
 
         foreach(auto displayPlugin, standard) {
             addDisplayPluginToMenu(displayPlugin, first);
+            auto displayPluginName = displayPlugin->getName();
             QObject::connect(displayPlugin.get(), &DisplayPlugin::recommendedFramebufferSizeChanged, [this](const QSize & size) {
                 resizeGL();
             });
+            QObject::connect(displayPlugin.get(), &DisplayPlugin::outputDeviceLost, [this, displayPluginName] {
+                PluginManager::getInstance()->disableDisplayPlugin(displayPluginName);
+                auto menu = Menu::getInstance();
+                if (menu->menuItemExists(MenuOption::OutputMenu, displayPluginName)) {
+                    menu->removeMenuItem(MenuOption::OutputMenu, displayPluginName);
+                }
+            });
             first = false;
         }
 
@@ -5116,6 +5130,10 @@ void Application::updateDisplayMode() {
     foreach(DisplayPluginPointer displayPlugin, PluginManager::getInstance()->getDisplayPlugins()) {
         QString name = displayPlugin->getName();
         QAction* action = menu->getActionForOption(name);
+        // Menu might have been removed if the display plugin lost
+        if (!action) {
+            continue;
+        }
         if (action->isChecked()) {
             newDisplayPlugin = displayPlugin;
             break;
diff --git a/libraries/plugins/src/plugins/DisplayPlugin.h b/libraries/plugins/src/plugins/DisplayPlugin.h
index 41f380aa86..1f6a16cd46 100644
--- a/libraries/plugins/src/plugins/DisplayPlugin.h
+++ b/libraries/plugins/src/plugins/DisplayPlugin.h
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ public:
     }
 
     // will query the underlying hmd api to compute the most recent head pose
-    virtual void beginFrameRender(uint32_t frameIndex) {}
+    virtual bool beginFrameRender(uint32_t frameIndex) { return true; }
 
     // returns a copy of the most recent head pose, computed via updateHeadPose
     virtual glm::mat4 getHeadPose() const {
@@ -170,6 +170,10 @@ public:
 
 signals:
     void recommendedFramebufferSizeChanged(const QSize & size);
+    // Indicates that this display plugin is no longer valid for use.
+    // For instance if a user exits Oculus Home or Steam VR while 
+    // using the corresponding plugin, that plugin should be disabled.
+    void outputDeviceLost();
 
 protected:
     void incrementPresentCount();
diff --git a/libraries/plugins/src/plugins/PluginManager.cpp b/libraries/plugins/src/plugins/PluginManager.cpp
index 936cb8a7ee..eb6465aab2 100644
--- a/libraries/plugins/src/plugins/PluginManager.cpp
+++ b/libraries/plugins/src/plugins/PluginManager.cpp
@@ -62,11 +62,10 @@ PluginManager::PluginManager() {
 extern DisplayPluginList getDisplayPlugins();
 extern InputPluginList getInputPlugins();
 extern void saveInputPluginSettings(const InputPluginList& plugins);
+static DisplayPluginList displayPlugins;
 
 const DisplayPluginList& PluginManager::getDisplayPlugins() {
-    static DisplayPluginList displayPlugins;
     static std::once_flag once;
-
     std::call_once(once, [&] {
         // Grab the built in plugins
         displayPlugins = ::getDisplayPlugins();
@@ -90,6 +89,16 @@ const DisplayPluginList& PluginManager::getDisplayPlugins() {
     return displayPlugins;
 }
 
+void PluginManager::disableDisplayPlugin(const QString& name) {
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < displayPlugins.size(); ++i) {
+        if (displayPlugins[i]->getName() == name) {
+            displayPlugins.erase(displayPlugins.begin() + i);
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+
 const InputPluginList& PluginManager::getInputPlugins() {
     static InputPluginList inputPlugins;
     static std::once_flag once;
diff --git a/libraries/plugins/src/plugins/PluginManager.h b/libraries/plugins/src/plugins/PluginManager.h
index 2e056414ec..cf0b8efe64 100644
--- a/libraries/plugins/src/plugins/PluginManager.h
+++ b/libraries/plugins/src/plugins/PluginManager.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ public:
   PluginManager();
 
   const DisplayPluginList& getDisplayPlugins();
+  void disableDisplayPlugin(const QString& name);
   const InputPluginList& getInputPlugins();
   void saveSettings();
 };
diff --git a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusBaseDisplayPlugin.cpp b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusBaseDisplayPlugin.cpp
index 3b6545ae96..e9f8545cff 100644
--- a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusBaseDisplayPlugin.cpp
+++ b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusBaseDisplayPlugin.cpp
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ void OculusBaseDisplayPlugin::resetSensors() {
     _currentRenderFrameInfo.renderPose = glm::mat4(); // identity
 }
 
-void OculusBaseDisplayPlugin::beginFrameRender(uint32_t frameIndex) {
+bool OculusBaseDisplayPlugin::beginFrameRender(uint32_t frameIndex) {
     _currentRenderFrameInfo = FrameInfo();
     _currentRenderFrameInfo.sensorSampleTime = ovr_GetTimeInSeconds();;
     _currentRenderFrameInfo.predictedDisplayTime = ovr_GetPredictedDisplayTime(_session, frameIndex);
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ void OculusBaseDisplayPlugin::beginFrameRender(uint32_t frameIndex) {
     _currentRenderFrameInfo.presentPose = _currentRenderFrameInfo.renderPose;
     Lock lock(_mutex);
     _frameInfos[frameIndex] = _currentRenderFrameInfo;
+    return true;
 }
 
 bool OculusBaseDisplayPlugin::isSupported() const {
diff --git a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusBaseDisplayPlugin.h b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusBaseDisplayPlugin.h
index ed6f1a36b3..3e2c223908 100644
--- a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusBaseDisplayPlugin.h
+++ b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusBaseDisplayPlugin.h
@@ -16,11 +16,11 @@
 class OculusBaseDisplayPlugin : public HmdDisplayPlugin {
     using Parent = HmdDisplayPlugin;
 public:
-    virtual bool isSupported() const override;
+    bool isSupported() const override;
 
     // Stereo specific methods
-    virtual void resetSensors() override final;
-    virtual void beginFrameRender(uint32_t frameIndex) override;
+    void resetSensors() override final;
+    bool beginFrameRender(uint32_t frameIndex) override;
     float getTargetFrameRate() const override { return _hmdDesc.DisplayRefreshRate; }
     
 
diff --git a/plugins/oculusLegacy/src/OculusLegacyDisplayPlugin.cpp b/plugins/oculusLegacy/src/OculusLegacyDisplayPlugin.cpp
index 753ff923dd..f89e71b829 100644
--- a/plugins/oculusLegacy/src/OculusLegacyDisplayPlugin.cpp
+++ b/plugins/oculusLegacy/src/OculusLegacyDisplayPlugin.cpp
@@ -40,13 +40,14 @@ void OculusLegacyDisplayPlugin::resetSensors() {
     ovrHmd_RecenterPose(_hmd);
 }
 
-void OculusLegacyDisplayPlugin::beginFrameRender(uint32_t frameIndex) {
+bool OculusLegacyDisplayPlugin::beginFrameRender(uint32_t frameIndex) {
     _currentRenderFrameInfo = FrameInfo();
     _currentRenderFrameInfo.predictedDisplayTime = _currentRenderFrameInfo.sensorSampleTime = ovr_GetTimeInSeconds();
     _trackingState = ovrHmd_GetTrackingState(_hmd, _currentRenderFrameInfo.predictedDisplayTime);
     _currentRenderFrameInfo.rawRenderPose = _currentRenderFrameInfo.renderPose = toGlm(_trackingState.HeadPose.ThePose);
     Lock lock(_mutex);
     _frameInfos[frameIndex] = _currentRenderFrameInfo;
+    return true;
 }
 
 bool OculusLegacyDisplayPlugin::isSupported() const {
diff --git a/plugins/oculusLegacy/src/OculusLegacyDisplayPlugin.h b/plugins/oculusLegacy/src/OculusLegacyDisplayPlugin.h
index 5900ad4c58..453a6f9168 100644
--- a/plugins/oculusLegacy/src/OculusLegacyDisplayPlugin.h
+++ b/plugins/oculusLegacy/src/OculusLegacyDisplayPlugin.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ public:
 
     // Stereo specific methods
     void resetSensors() override;
-    void beginFrameRender(uint32_t frameIndex) override;
+    bool beginFrameRender(uint32_t frameIndex) override;
 
     float getTargetFrameRate() const override;
 
diff --git a/plugins/openvr/src/OpenVrDisplayPlugin.cpp b/plugins/openvr/src/OpenVrDisplayPlugin.cpp
index dba8fca208..2e0bebeadd 100644
--- a/plugins/openvr/src/OpenVrDisplayPlugin.cpp
+++ b/plugins/openvr/src/OpenVrDisplayPlugin.cpp
@@ -121,7 +121,12 @@ void OpenVrDisplayPlugin::resetSensors() {
 }
 
 
-void OpenVrDisplayPlugin::beginFrameRender(uint32_t frameIndex) {
+bool OpenVrDisplayPlugin::beginFrameRender(uint32_t frameIndex) {
+    handleOpenVrEvents();
+    if (openVrQuitRequested()) {
+        emit outputDeviceLost();
+        return false;
+    }
     double displayFrequency = _system->GetFloatTrackedDeviceProperty(vr::k_unTrackedDeviceIndex_Hmd, vr::Prop_DisplayFrequency_Float);
     double frameDuration = 1.f / displayFrequency;
     double vsyncToPhotons = _system->GetFloatTrackedDeviceProperty(vr::k_unTrackedDeviceIndex_Hmd, vr::Prop_SecondsFromVsyncToPhotons_Float);
@@ -148,6 +153,7 @@ void OpenVrDisplayPlugin::beginFrameRender(uint32_t frameIndex) {
 
     Lock lock(_mutex);
     _frameInfos[frameIndex] = _currentRenderFrameInfo;
+    return true;
 }
 
 void OpenVrDisplayPlugin::hmdPresent() {
diff --git a/plugins/openvr/src/OpenVrDisplayPlugin.h b/plugins/openvr/src/OpenVrDisplayPlugin.h
index 75193c5c98..fda5e37c2a 100644
--- a/plugins/openvr/src/OpenVrDisplayPlugin.h
+++ b/plugins/openvr/src/OpenVrDisplayPlugin.h
@@ -18,16 +18,16 @@ const float TARGET_RATE_OpenVr = 90.0f;  // FIXME: get from sdk tracked device p
 class OpenVrDisplayPlugin : public HmdDisplayPlugin {
     using Parent = HmdDisplayPlugin;
 public:
-    virtual bool isSupported() const override;
-    virtual const QString& getName() const override { return NAME; }
+    bool isSupported() const override;
+    const QString& getName() const override { return NAME; }
 
-    virtual float getTargetFrameRate() const override { return TARGET_RATE_OpenVr; }
+    float getTargetFrameRate() const override { return TARGET_RATE_OpenVr; }
 
-    virtual void customizeContext() override;
+    void customizeContext() override;
 
     // Stereo specific methods
-    virtual void resetSensors() override;
-    virtual void beginFrameRender(uint32_t frameIndex) override;
+    void resetSensors() override;
+    bool beginFrameRender(uint32_t frameIndex) override;
     void cycleDebugOutput() override { _lockCurrentTexture = !_lockCurrentTexture; }
 
 protected:
diff --git a/plugins/openvr/src/OpenVrHelpers.cpp b/plugins/openvr/src/OpenVrHelpers.cpp
index 8536ffd5d9..155bc9f079 100644
--- a/plugins/openvr/src/OpenVrHelpers.cpp
+++ b/plugins/openvr/src/OpenVrHelpers.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@ using Lock = std::unique_lock<Mutex>;
 static int refCount { 0 };
 static Mutex mutex;
 static vr::IVRSystem* activeHmd { nullptr };
+static bool _openVrQuitRequested { false };
+
+bool openVrQuitRequested() {
+    return _openVrQuitRequested;
+}
 
 static const uint32_t RELEASE_OPENVR_HMD_DELAY_MS = 5000;
 
@@ -56,17 +61,17 @@ vr::IVRSystem* acquireOpenVrSystem() {
     if (hmdPresent) {
         Lock lock(mutex);
         if (!activeHmd) {
-            qCDebug(displayplugins) << "openvr: No vr::IVRSystem instance active, building";
+            qCDebug(displayplugins) << "OpenVR: No vr::IVRSystem instance active, building";
             vr::EVRInitError eError = vr::VRInitError_None;
             activeHmd = vr::VR_Init(&eError, vr::VRApplication_Scene);
-            qCDebug(displayplugins) << "openvr display: HMD is " << activeHmd << " error is " << eError;
+            qCDebug(displayplugins) << "OpenVR display: HMD is " << activeHmd << " error is " << eError;
         }
         if (activeHmd) {
-            qCDebug(displayplugins) << "openvr: incrementing refcount";
+            qCDebug(displayplugins) << "OpenVR: incrementing refcount";
             ++refCount;
         }
     } else {
-        qCDebug(displayplugins) << "openvr: no hmd present";
+        qCDebug(displayplugins) << "OpenVR: no hmd present";
     }
     return activeHmd;
 }
@@ -74,12 +79,38 @@ vr::IVRSystem* acquireOpenVrSystem() {
 void releaseOpenVrSystem() {
     if (activeHmd) {
         Lock lock(mutex);
-        qCDebug(displayplugins) << "openvr: decrementing refcount";
+        qCDebug(displayplugins) << "OpenVR: decrementing refcount";
         --refCount;
         if (0 == refCount) {
-            qCDebug(displayplugins) << "openvr: zero refcount, deallocate VR system";
+            qCDebug(displayplugins) << "OpenVR: zero refcount, deallocate VR system";
             vr::VR_Shutdown();
+            _openVrQuitRequested = false;
             activeHmd = nullptr;
         }
     }
 }
+
+void handleOpenVrEvents() {
+    if (!activeHmd) {
+        return;
+    }
+    Lock lock(mutex);
+    if (!activeHmd) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    vr::VREvent_t event;
+    while (activeHmd->PollNextEvent(&event, sizeof(event))) {
+        switch (event.eventType) {
+            case vr::VREvent_Quit:
+                _openVrQuitRequested = true;
+                activeHmd->AcknowledgeQuit_Exiting();
+                break;
+
+            default:
+                break;
+        }
+        qDebug() << "OpenVR: Event " << event.eventType;
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/plugins/openvr/src/OpenVrHelpers.h b/plugins/openvr/src/OpenVrHelpers.h
index 4b06ca0813..1e5914844c 100644
--- a/plugins/openvr/src/OpenVrHelpers.h
+++ b/plugins/openvr/src/OpenVrHelpers.h
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ bool openVrSupported();
 
 vr::IVRSystem* acquireOpenVrSystem();
 void releaseOpenVrSystem();
+void handleOpenVrEvents();
+bool openVrQuitRequested();
 
 template<typename F>
 void openvr_for_each_eye(F f) {
diff --git a/plugins/openvr/src/ViveControllerManager.cpp b/plugins/openvr/src/ViveControllerManager.cpp
index 6e75454b5f..953501ccec 100644
--- a/plugins/openvr/src/ViveControllerManager.cpp
+++ b/plugins/openvr/src/ViveControllerManager.cpp
@@ -214,6 +214,11 @@ void ViveControllerManager::renderHand(const controller::Pose& pose, gpu::Batch&
 
 void ViveControllerManager::pluginUpdate(float deltaTime, const controller::InputCalibrationData& inputCalibrationData) {
     auto userInputMapper = DependencyManager::get<controller::UserInputMapper>();
+    handleOpenVrEvents();
+    if (openVrQuitRequested()) {
+        deactivate();
+        return;
+    }
 
     // because update mutates the internal state we need to lock
     userInputMapper->withLock([&, this]() {