diff --git a/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixer.cpp b/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixer.cpp
index df89194247..3064a5cd14 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixer.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixer.cpp
@@ -752,6 +752,7 @@ void AvatarMixer::sendStatsPacket() {
     slavesAggregatObject["sent_4_averageDataBytes"] = TIGHT_LOOP_STAT(aggregateStats.numDataBytesSent);
     slavesAggregatObject["sent_5_averageTraitsBytes"] = TIGHT_LOOP_STAT(aggregateStats.numTraitsBytesSent);
     slavesAggregatObject["sent_6_averageIdentityBytes"] = TIGHT_LOOP_STAT(aggregateStats.numIdentityBytesSent);
+    slavesAggregatObject["sent_7_averageHeroAvatars"] = TIGHT_LOOP_STAT(aggregateStats.numHeroesIncluded);
 
     slavesAggregatObject["timing_1_processIncomingPackets"] = TIGHT_LOOP_STAT_UINT64(aggregateStats.processIncomingPacketsElapsedTime);
     slavesAggregatObject["timing_2_ignoreCalculation"] = TIGHT_LOOP_STAT_UINT64(aggregateStats.ignoreCalculationElapsedTime);
diff --git a/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerClientData.cpp b/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerClientData.cpp
index 9ba1ea82ca..1fe6d7e13c 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerClientData.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerClientData.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 #include <EntityTree.h>
 #include <ZoneEntityItem.h>
 
+#include "AvatarLogging.h"
+
 #include "AvatarMixerSlave.h"
 
 AvatarMixerClientData::AvatarMixerClientData(const QUuid& nodeID, Node::LocalID nodeLocalID) : 
@@ -132,10 +134,21 @@ int AvatarMixerClientData::parseData(ReceivedMessage& message, const SlaveShared
 
     auto newPosition = getPosition();
     if (newPosition != oldPosition) {
+//#define AVATAR_HERO_TEST_HACK
+#ifdef AVATAR_HERO_TEST_HACK
+        {
+            const static QString heroKey { "HERO" };
+            _avatar->setPriorityAvatar(_avatar->getDisplayName().contains(heroKey));
+        }
+#else
         EntityTree& entityTree = *slaveSharedData.entityTree;
         FindPriorityZone findPriorityZone { newPosition, false } ;
         entityTree.recurseTreeWithOperation(&FindPriorityZone::operation, &findPriorityZone);
         _avatar->setPriorityAvatar(findPriorityZone.isInPriorityZone);
+        if (findPriorityZone.isInPriorityZone) {
+            qCWarning(avatars) << "Avatar" << _avatar->getDisplayName() << "in hero zone";
+        }
+#endif
     }
 
     return true;
diff --git a/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerSlave.cpp b/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerSlave.cpp
index 9ad3cff7e1..5d2efdf830 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerSlave.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerSlave.cpp
@@ -596,6 +596,9 @@ void AvatarMixerSlave::broadcastAvatarDataToAgent(const SharedNodePointer& node)
 
         if (detail != AvatarData::NoData) {
             _stats.numOthersIncluded++;
+            if (otherAvatar->getPriorityAvatar()) {
+                _stats.numHeroesIncluded++;
+            }
 
             // increment the number of avatars sent to this receiver
             nodeData->incrementNumAvatarsSentLastFrame();
diff --git a/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerSlave.h b/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerSlave.h
index 28d99748fa..8c5ad6b181 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerSlave.h
+++ b/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerSlave.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ public:
     int numIdentityPacketsSent { 0 };
     int numOthersIncluded { 0 };
     int overBudgetAvatars { 0 };
+    int numHeroesIncluded { 0 };
 
     quint64 ignoreCalculationElapsedTime { 0 };
     quint64 avatarDataPackingElapsedTime { 0 };
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ public:
         numIdentityPacketsSent = 0;
         numOthersIncluded = 0;
         overBudgetAvatars = 0;
+        numHeroesIncluded = 0;
 
         ignoreCalculationElapsedTime = 0;
         avatarDataPackingElapsedTime = 0;
@@ -80,6 +82,7 @@ public:
         numIdentityPacketsSent += rhs.numIdentityPacketsSent;
         numOthersIncluded += rhs.numOthersIncluded;
         overBudgetAvatars += rhs.overBudgetAvatars;
+        numHeroesIncluded += rhs.numHeroesIncluded;
 
         ignoreCalculationElapsedTime += rhs.ignoreCalculationElapsedTime;
         avatarDataPackingElapsedTime += rhs.avatarDataPackingElapsedTime;
diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/ThreadedAssignment.cpp b/libraries/networking/src/ThreadedAssignment.cpp
index 62aec4a2a1..012ac242ab 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/ThreadedAssignment.cpp
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/ThreadedAssignment.cpp
@@ -123,7 +123,9 @@ void ThreadedAssignment::checkInWithDomainServerOrExit() {
 
         // increase the number of queued check ins
         _numQueuedCheckIns++;
-        qCDebug(networking) << "Number of queued checkins = " << _numQueuedCheckIns;
+        if (_numQueuedCheckIns > 1) {
+            qCDebug(networking) << "Number of queued checkins = " << _numQueuedCheckIns;
+        }
     }
 }