diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 8e022183df..4947fb008f 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -117,11 +117,10 @@ Application::Application(int& argc, char** argv, timeval &startup_time) :
         _frameCount(0),
         _fps(120.0f),
         _justStarted(true),
-        _voxelImporter(_window),
+        _voxelImporter(NULL),
         _wantToKillLocalVoxels(false),
         _audioScope(256, 200, true),
-        _avatarManager(),
-        _myAvatar(NULL),
+        _myAvatar(),
         _profile(QString()),
         _mirrorViewRect(QRect(MIRROR_VIEW_LEFT_PADDING, MIRROR_VIEW_TOP_PADDING, MIRROR_VIEW_WIDTH, MIRROR_VIEW_HEIGHT)),
         _mouseX(0),
@@ -1673,7 +1672,12 @@ void Application::exportVoxels() {
 }
 
 void Application::importVoxels() {
-    if (_voxelImporter.exec()) {
+    if (!_voxelImporter) {
+        _voxelImporter = new VoxelImporter(_window);
+        _voxelImporter->init(_settings);
+    }
+    
+    if (_voxelImporter->exec()) {
         qDebug("[DEBUG] Import succeeded.");
     } else {
         qDebug("[DEBUG] Import failed.");
@@ -1813,8 +1817,6 @@ void Application::init() {
     _sharedVoxelSystem.changeTree(&_clipboard);
     delete tmpTree;
 
-    _voxelImporter.init(_settings);
-
     _environment.init();
 
     _glowEffect.init();
diff --git a/interface/src/Application.h b/interface/src/Application.h
index d43b624e59..c83437949c 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.h
+++ b/interface/src/Application.h
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ private:
 
     VoxelSystem _voxels;
     VoxelTree _clipboard; // if I copy/paste
-    VoxelImporter _voxelImporter;
+    VoxelImporter* _voxelImporter;
     VoxelSystem _sharedVoxelSystem;
     ViewFrustum _sharedVoxelSystemViewFrustum;
 
diff --git a/interface/src/ImportDialog.cpp b/interface/src/ImportDialog.cpp
index 28e39f1abd..ac7853629c 100644
--- a/interface/src/ImportDialog.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ImportDialog.cpp
@@ -231,10 +231,6 @@ void ImportDialog::setLayout() {
     widget = findChild<QWidget*>("treeView");
     widget->setAttribute(Qt::WA_MacShowFocusRect, false);
 
-    // remove reference to treeView
-    widget = NULL;
-    widget->deleteLater();
-
     switchToResourcesParentIfRequired();
     QFile styleSheet("resources/styles/import_dialog.qss");
     if (styleSheet.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly)) {
diff --git a/interface/src/VoxelImporter.cpp b/interface/src/VoxelImporter.cpp
index 0011b0abb7..653d04cee4 100644
--- a/interface/src/VoxelImporter.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/VoxelImporter.cpp
@@ -24,15 +24,15 @@ private:
 const QString SETTINGS_GROUP_NAME = "VoxelImport";
 const QString IMPORT_DIALOG_SETTINGS_KEY = "ImportDialogSettings";
 
-VoxelImporter::VoxelImporter(QWidget* parent)
-    : QObject(parent),
-      _voxelTree(true),
-      _importDialog(parent),
-      _currentTask(NULL),
-      _nextTask(NULL) {
-
-    connect(&_importDialog, SIGNAL(currentChanged(QString)), SLOT(preImport()));
-    connect(&_importDialog, SIGNAL(accepted()), SLOT(import()));
+VoxelImporter::VoxelImporter(QWidget* parent) :
+    QObject(parent),
+    _voxelTree(true),
+    _importDialog(parent),
+    _currentTask(NULL),
+    _nextTask(NULL)
+{
+    connect(&_importDialog, &QFileDialog::currentChanged, this, &VoxelImporter::preImport);
+    connect(&_importDialog, &QFileDialog::accepted, this, &VoxelImporter::import);
 }
 
 void VoxelImporter::saveSettings(QSettings* settings) {
diff --git a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
index c337f2ab95..98afa76107 100644
--- a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
+++ b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
@@ -173,8 +173,8 @@ int AvatarData::parseData(const QByteArray& packet) {
     }
     
     // increment to push past the packet header
-    const unsigned char* sourceBuffer = reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char*>(packet.data());
-    const unsigned char* startPosition = sourceBuffer + numBytesForPacketHeader(packet);
+    const unsigned char* startPosition = reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char*>(packet.data());
+    const unsigned char* sourceBuffer = startPosition + numBytesForPacketHeader(packet);
     
     // Body world position
     memcpy(&_position, sourceBuffer, sizeof(float) * 3);
diff --git a/libraries/avatars/src/HandData.cpp b/libraries/avatars/src/HandData.cpp
index d947b894aa..cca8ad45cb 100644
--- a/libraries/avatars/src/HandData.cpp
+++ b/libraries/avatars/src/HandData.cpp
@@ -162,29 +162,21 @@ int HandData::encodeRemoteData(unsigned char* destinationBuffer) {
 int HandData::decodeRemoteData(const QByteArray& dataByteArray) {
     QDataStream packetStream(dataByteArray);
     
-    quint8 numHands;
-    packetStream >> numHands;
+    const unsigned char* startPosition;
+    const unsigned char* sourceBuffer = startPosition = reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char*>(dataByteArray.data());
+    unsigned int numHands = *sourceBuffer++;
     
     for (unsigned int handIndex = 0; handIndex < numHands; ++handIndex) {
         if (handIndex >= getNumPalms())
             addNewPalm();
         PalmData& palm = getPalms()[handIndex];
-
+        
         glm::vec3 handPosition;
         glm::vec3 handNormal;
-        qint16 twoByteHolder;
+        sourceBuffer += unpackFloatVec3FromSignedTwoByteFixed(sourceBuffer, handPosition, fingerVectorRadix);
+        sourceBuffer += unpackFloatVec3FromSignedTwoByteFixed(sourceBuffer, handNormal, fingerVectorRadix);
+        unsigned int numFingers = *sourceBuffer++;
         
-        packetStream >> twoByteHolder;
-        unpackFloatVec3FromSignedTwoByteFixed(reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char*>(&twoByteHolder),
-                                              handPosition, fingerVectorRadix);
-        
-        packetStream >> twoByteHolder;
-        unpackFloatVec3FromSignedTwoByteFixed(reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char*>(&twoByteHolder),
-                                              handNormal, fingerVectorRadix);
-        
-        quint8 numFingers;
-        packetStream >> numFingers;
-
         palm.setRawPosition(handPosition);
         palm.setRawNormal(handNormal);
         palm.setActive(true);
@@ -195,18 +187,12 @@ int HandData::decodeRemoteData(const QByteArray& dataByteArray) {
         for (unsigned int fingerIndex = 0; fingerIndex < numFingers; ++fingerIndex) {
             if (fingerIndex < palm.getNumFingers()) {
                 FingerData& finger = palm.getFingers()[fingerIndex];
-
+                
                 glm::vec3 tipPosition;
                 glm::vec3 rootPosition;
+                sourceBuffer += unpackFloatVec3FromSignedTwoByteFixed(sourceBuffer, tipPosition, fingerVectorRadix);
+                sourceBuffer += unpackFloatVec3FromSignedTwoByteFixed(sourceBuffer, rootPosition, fingerVectorRadix);
                 
-                packetStream >> twoByteHolder;
-                unpackFloatVec3FromSignedTwoByteFixed(reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char*>(&twoByteHolder), tipPosition,
-                                                        fingerVectorRadix);
-                
-                packetStream >> twoByteHolder;
-                unpackFloatVec3FromSignedTwoByteFixed(reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char*>(&twoByteHolder), rootPosition,
-                                                      fingerVectorRadix);
-
                 finger.setRawTipPosition(tipPosition);
                 finger.setRawRootPosition(rootPosition);
                 finger.setActive(true);
@@ -225,14 +211,11 @@ int HandData::decodeRemoteData(const QByteArray& dataByteArray) {
     }
     
     // One byte for error checking safety.
-    unsigned char requiredLength = packetStream.device()->pos();
-    
-    unsigned char checkLength;
-    packetStream >> checkLength;
-    
+    unsigned char requiredLength = (unsigned char)(sourceBuffer - startPosition);
+    unsigned char checkLength = *sourceBuffer++;
     assert(checkLength == requiredLength);
-
-    return packetStream.device()->pos();
+    
+    return sourceBuffer - startPosition;
 }
 
 void HandData::setFingerTrailLength(unsigned int length) {