diff --git a/libraries/avatars-renderer/src/avatars-renderer/Avatar.cpp b/libraries/avatars-renderer/src/avatars-renderer/Avatar.cpp
index 5d4d7af493..3674c003a1 100644
--- a/libraries/avatars-renderer/src/avatars-renderer/Avatar.cpp
+++ b/libraries/avatars-renderer/src/avatars-renderer/Avatar.cpp
@@ -1009,48 +1009,25 @@ glm::vec3 Avatar::getAbsoluteJointTranslationInObjectFrame(int index) const {
 }
 
 int Avatar::getJointIndex(const QString& name) const {
- /*   if (QThread::currentThread() != thread()) {
-        int result;
-        BLOCKING_INVOKE_METHOD(const_cast<Avatar*>(this), "getJointIndex",
-            Q_RETURN_ARG(int, result), Q_ARG(const QString&, name));
-        return result;
-    } */
-    int result = getFauxJointIndex(name);
-    if (result != -1) {
-        return result;
+    QReadLocker readLock(&_jointIndicesCacheLock);
+    if (_jointIndicesCache.contains(name)) {
+        return _jointIndicesCache[name];
     }
-    return _skeletonModel->isActive() ? _skeletonModel->getFBXGeometry().getJointIndex(name) : -1;
+    return -1;
 }
 
 QStringList Avatar::getJointNames() const {
-/*    if (QThread::currentThread() != thread()) {
-        QStringList result;
-        BLOCKING_INVOKE_METHOD(const_cast<Avatar*>(this), "getJointNames",
-            Q_RETURN_ARG(QStringList, result));
-        return result;
-    }*/
-    return _skeletonModel->isActive() ? _skeletonModel->getFBXGeometry().getJointNames() : QStringList();
+    QReadLocker readLock(&_jointIndicesCacheLock);
+    return _jointIndicesCache.keys();
 }
 
 glm::vec3 Avatar::getJointPosition(int index) const {
-/*    if (QThread::currentThread() != thread()) {
-        glm::vec3 position;
-        BLOCKING_INVOKE_METHOD(const_cast<Avatar*>(this), "getJointPosition",
-                                  Q_RETURN_ARG(glm::vec3, position), Q_ARG(const int, index));
-        return position;
-    }*/
     glm::vec3 position;
     _skeletonModel->getJointPositionInWorldFrame(index, position);
     return position;
 }
 
 glm::vec3 Avatar::getJointPosition(const QString& name) const {
-/*    if (QThread::currentThread() != thread()) {
-        glm::vec3 position;
-        BLOCKING_INVOKE_METHOD(const_cast<Avatar*>(this), "getJointPosition",
-                                  Q_RETURN_ARG(glm::vec3, position), Q_ARG(const QString&, name));
-        return position;
-    }*/
     glm::vec3 position;
     _skeletonModel->getJointPositionInWorldFrame(getJointIndex(name), position);
     return position;
@@ -1071,6 +1048,14 @@ void Avatar::setSkeletonModelURL(const QUrl& skeletonModelURL) {
 }
 
 void Avatar::setModelURLFinished(bool success) {
+    {
+        QWriteLocker writeLock(&_jointIndicesCacheLock);
+        _jointIndicesCache.clear();
+        if (_skeletonModel && _skeletonModel->isActive()) {
+            _jointIndicesCache = _skeletonModel->getFBXGeometry().jointIndices;
+        }
+    }
+
     if (!success && _skeletonModelURL != AvatarData::defaultFullAvatarModelUrl()) {
         const int MAX_SKELETON_DOWNLOAD_ATTEMPTS = 4; // NOTE: we don't want to be as generous as ResourceCache is, we only want 4 attempts
         if (_skeletonModel->getResourceDownloadAttemptsRemaining() <= 0 ||
diff --git a/libraries/avatars-renderer/src/avatars-renderer/Avatar.h b/libraries/avatars-renderer/src/avatars-renderer/Avatar.h
index 1724d42510..d2c7756257 100644
--- a/libraries/avatars-renderer/src/avatars-renderer/Avatar.h
+++ b/libraries/avatars-renderer/src/avatars-renderer/Avatar.h
@@ -267,6 +267,10 @@ protected:
     virtual void maybeUpdateSessionDisplayNameFromTransport(const QString& sessionDisplayName) override { _sessionDisplayName = sessionDisplayName; } // don't use no-op setter!
 
     SkeletonModelPointer _skeletonModel;
+
+    QHash<QString, int> _jointIndicesCache;
+    mutable QReadWriteLock _jointIndicesCacheLock;
+
     glm::vec3 _skeletonOffset;
     std::vector<std::shared_ptr<Model>> _attachmentModels;
     std::vector<std::shared_ptr<Model>> _attachmentsToRemove;