diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index adb88147e9..e67d938bf1 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -1148,15 +1148,19 @@ void Application::editPreferences() {
     
     // check if the domain server hostname is new 
     if (memcmp(NodeList::getInstance()->getDomainHostname(), newHostname, sizeof(&newHostname)) != 0) {
-        // if so we need to clear the nodelist and delete the local voxels
+        // if so we need to clear the nodelist and delete the existing voxel and environment data
         Node *voxelServer = NodeList::getInstance()->soloNodeOfType(NODE_TYPE_VOXEL_SERVER);
         
         if (voxelServer) {
             voxelServer->lock();
         }
         
+        // kill the local voxels
         _voxels.killLocalVoxels();
         
+        // reset the environment to default
+        _environment.resetToDefault();
+        
         if (voxelServer) {
             voxelServer->unlock();
         }
diff --git a/interface/src/Environment.cpp b/interface/src/Environment.cpp
index 35ed121e38..adfb1cfb3b 100644
--- a/interface/src/Environment.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Environment.cpp
@@ -47,6 +47,11 @@ void Environment::init() {
     _data[getZeroAddress()][0];
 }
 
+void Environment::resetToDefault() {
+    _data.clear();
+    _data[getZeroAddress()][0];
+}
+
 void Environment::renderAtmospheres(Camera& camera) {    
     // get the lock for the duration of the call
     QMutexLocker locker(&_mutex);
diff --git a/interface/src/Environment.h b/interface/src/Environment.h
index f711f0c38c..7bdbfa600b 100644
--- a/interface/src/Environment.h
+++ b/interface/src/Environment.h
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ class Environment {
 public:
 
     void init();
+    void resetToDefault();
     void renderAtmospheres(Camera& camera);
     
     glm::vec3 getGravity (const glm::vec3& position);