diff --git a/libraries/physics/src/CharacterController.cpp b/libraries/physics/src/CharacterController.cpp
index 8d32535632..32e764bd10 100755
--- a/libraries/physics/src/CharacterController.cpp
+++ b/libraries/physics/src/CharacterController.cpp
@@ -20,9 +20,6 @@
 
 const btVector3 LOCAL_UP_AXIS(0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f);
 
-const float DEFAULT_CHARACTER_GRAVITY = -5.0f;
-float currentAvatarGravity = DEFAULT_CHARACTER_GRAVITY;
-
 #ifdef DEBUG_STATE_CHANGE
 #define SET_STATE(desiredState, reason) setState(desiredState, reason)
 #else
@@ -123,7 +120,7 @@ void CharacterController::setDynamicsWorld(btDynamicsWorld* world) {
             _dynamicsWorld->addRigidBody(_rigidBody, collisionGroup, BULLET_COLLISION_MASK_MY_AVATAR);
             _dynamicsWorld->addAction(this);
             // restore gravity settings because adding an object to the world overwrites its gravity setting
-            _rigidBody->setGravity(_gravity * _currentUp);
+            _rigidBody->setGravity(_currentGravity * _currentUp);
             btCollisionShape* shape = _rigidBody->getCollisionShape();
             assert(shape && shape->getShapeType() == CONVEX_HULL_SHAPE_PROXYTYPE);
             _ghost.setCharacterShape(static_cast<btConvexHullShape*>(shape));
@@ -305,7 +302,7 @@ void CharacterController::playerStep(btCollisionWorld* collisionWorld, btScalar
             // add minimum velocity to counteract gravity's displacement during one step
             // Note: the 0.5 factor comes from the fact that we really want the
             // average velocity contribution from gravity during the step
-            stepUpSpeed -= 0.5f * _gravity * timeToStep; // remember: _gravity is negative scalar
+            stepUpSpeed -= 0.5f * _currentGravity * timeToStep; // remember: _gravity is negative scalar
 
             btScalar vDotUp = velocity.dot(_currentUp);
             if (vDotUp < stepUpSpeed) {
@@ -354,25 +351,26 @@ static const char* stateToStr(CharacterController::State state) {
 }
 #endif // #ifdef DEBUG_STATE_CHANGE
 
-void CharacterController::updateGravity() {
+void CharacterController::updateCurrentGravity() {
     int16_t collisionGroup = computeCollisionGroup();
     if (_state == State::Hover || collisionGroup == BULLET_COLLISION_GROUP_COLLISIONLESS) {
-        _gravity = 0.0f;
+        _currentGravity = 0.0f;
     } else {
-        _gravity = currentAvatarGravity;
+        _currentGravity = _gravity;
     }
     if (_rigidBody) {
-        _rigidBody->setGravity(_gravity * _currentUp);
+        _rigidBody->setGravity(_currentGravity * _currentUp);
     }
 }
 
 
 void CharacterController::setGravity(float gravity) {
-    currentAvatarGravity = gravity;
+    _gravity = gravity;
+    updateCurrentGravity();
 }
 
 float CharacterController::getGravity() {
-    return currentAvatarGravity;
+    return _gravity;
 }
 
 #ifdef DEBUG_STATE_CHANGE
@@ -389,7 +387,7 @@ void CharacterController::setState(State desiredState) {
         qCDebug(physics) << "CharacterController::setState" << stateToStr(desiredState) << "from" << stateToStr(_state) << "," << reason;
 #endif
         _state = desiredState;
-        updateGravity();
+        updateCurrentGravity();
     }
 }
 
@@ -448,14 +446,14 @@ void CharacterController::handleChangedCollisionGroup() {
             _dynamicsWorld->addRigidBody(_rigidBody, collisionGroup, BULLET_COLLISION_MASK_MY_AVATAR);
         }
         _pendingFlags &= ~PENDING_FLAG_UPDATE_COLLISION_GROUP;
-        updateGravity();
+        updateCurrentGravity();
     }
 }
 
 void CharacterController::updateUpAxis(const glm::quat& rotation) {
     _currentUp = quatRotate(glmToBullet(rotation), LOCAL_UP_AXIS);
     if (_rigidBody) {
-        _rigidBody->setGravity(_gravity * _currentUp);
+        _rigidBody->setGravity(_currentGravity * _currentUp);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/libraries/physics/src/CharacterController.h b/libraries/physics/src/CharacterController.h
index 49db3b9bf4..0f97cc7c16 100644
--- a/libraries/physics/src/CharacterController.h
+++ b/libraries/physics/src/CharacterController.h
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 #include "BulletUtil.h"
 #include "CharacterGhostObject.h"
+#include "AvatarConstants.h" 
 
 const uint32_t PENDING_FLAG_ADD_TO_SIMULATION = 1U << 0;
 const uint32_t PENDING_FLAG_REMOVE_FROM_SIMULATION = 1U << 1;
@@ -134,7 +135,7 @@ protected:
 #endif
 
     virtual void updateMassProperties() = 0;
-    void updateGravity();
+    void updateCurrentGravity();
     void updateUpAxis(const glm::quat& rotation);
     bool checkForSupport(btCollisionWorld* collisionWorld);
 
@@ -187,7 +188,8 @@ protected:
     bool _stepUpEnabled { true };
     bool _hasSupport;
 
-    btScalar _gravity { 0.0f };
+    btScalar _currentGravity { 0.0f };
+    btScalar _gravity { DEFAULT_AVATAR_GRAVITY };
 
     btScalar _followTime;
     btVector3 _followLinearDisplacement;