diff --git a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
index af060429af..a51221b6bd 100644
--- a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
+++ b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ AvatarData::AvatarData() :
     _handState(0),
     _keyState(NO_KEY_DOWN),
     _forceFaceTrackerConnected(false),
-    _hasNewJointData(true),
     _headData(NULL),
     _displayNameTargetAlpha(1.0f),
     _displayNameAlpha(1.0f),
@@ -703,7 +702,6 @@ int AvatarData::parseDataFromBuffer(const QByteArray& buffer) {
     bool hasFaceTrackerInfo      = HAS_FLAG(packetStateFlags, AvatarDataPacket::PACKET_HAS_FACE_TRACKER_INFO);
     bool hasJointData            = HAS_FLAG(packetStateFlags, AvatarDataPacket::PACKET_HAS_JOINT_DATA);
 
-
     quint64 now = usecTimestampNow();
 
     if (hasAvatarGlobalPosition) {
@@ -2245,17 +2243,15 @@ void AvatarData::setAvatarEntityData(const AvatarEntityMap& avatarEntityData) {
         return;
     }
     _avatarEntitiesLock.withWriteLock([&] {
-        if (_avatarEntityData != avatarEntityData) {
-            // keep track of entities that were attached to this avatar but no longer are
-            AvatarEntityIDs previousAvatarEntityIDs = QSet<QUuid>::fromList(_avatarEntityData.keys());
+        // keep track of entities that were attached to this avatar but no longer are
+        AvatarEntityIDs previousAvatarEntityIDs = QSet<QUuid>::fromList(_avatarEntityData.keys());
 
-            _avatarEntityData = avatarEntityData;
-            setAvatarEntityDataChanged(true);
+        _avatarEntityData = avatarEntityData;
+        setAvatarEntityDataChanged(true);
 
-            foreach (auto entityID, previousAvatarEntityIDs) {
-                if (!_avatarEntityData.contains(entityID)) {
-                    _avatarEntityDetached.insert(entityID);
-                }
+        foreach (auto entityID, previousAvatarEntityIDs) {
+            if (!_avatarEntityData.contains(entityID)) {
+                _avatarEntityDetached.insert(entityID);
             }
         }
     });
diff --git a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h
index 01cab8b93a..189f6432a9 100644
--- a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h
+++ b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h
@@ -538,7 +538,6 @@ public:
     glm::vec3 getGlobalBoundingBoxCorner() { return _globalPosition + _globalBoundingBoxOffset - _globalBoundingBoxDimensions; }
 
     Q_INVOKABLE AvatarEntityMap getAvatarEntityData() const;
-    Q_INVOKABLE void setAvatarEntityData(const AvatarEntityMap& avatarEntityData);
     void setAvatarEntityDataChanged(bool value) { _avatarEntityDataChanged = value; }
     AvatarEntityIDs getAndClearRecentlyDetachedIDs();
 
@@ -552,7 +551,7 @@ public:
 
     int getJointCount() { return _jointData.size(); }
 
-    QVector<JointData> getLastSentJointData() { 
+    QVector<JointData> getLastSentJointData() {
         QReadLocker readLock(&_jointDataLock);
         _lastSentJointData.resize(_jointData.size());
         return _lastSentJointData;
@@ -576,6 +575,8 @@ public slots:
     void resetLastSent() { _lastToByteArray = 0; }
 
 protected:
+    Q_INVOKABLE void setAvatarEntityData(const AvatarEntityMap& avatarEntityData);
+
     void lazyInitHeadData();
 
     float getDistanceBasedMinRotationDOT(glm::vec3 viewerPosition);
@@ -614,7 +615,7 @@ protected:
     KeyState _keyState;
 
     bool _forceFaceTrackerConnected;
-    bool _hasNewJointData; // set in AvatarData, cleared in Avatar
+    bool _hasNewJointData { true }; // set in AvatarData, cleared in Avatar
 
     HeadData* _headData { nullptr };
 
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityEditPacketSender.cpp b/libraries/entities/src/EntityEditPacketSender.cpp
index c8a14c40be..00f85f5078 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityEditPacketSender.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityEditPacketSender.cpp
@@ -38,19 +38,7 @@ void EntityEditPacketSender::queueEditAvatarEntityMessage(PacketType type,
                                                           EntityTreePointer entityTree,
                                                           EntityItemID entityItemID,
                                                           const EntityItemProperties& properties) {
-    if (!_shouldSend) {
-        return; // bail early
-    }
-
-    if (properties.getOwningAvatarID() != _myAvatar->getID()) {
-        return; // don't send updates for someone else's avatarEntity
-    }
-
-    assert(properties.getClientOnly());
-
-    // this is an avatar-based entity.  update our avatar-data rather than sending to the entity-server
     assert(_myAvatar);
-
     if (!entityTree) {
         qCDebug(entities) << "EntityEditPacketSender::queueEditEntityMessage null entityTree.";
         return;
@@ -93,7 +81,8 @@ void EntityEditPacketSender::queueEditEntityMessage(PacketType type,
         return; // bail early
     }
 
-    if (properties.getClientOnly()) {
+    if (properties.getClientOnly() && properties.getOwningAvatarID() == _myAvatar->getID()) {
+        // this is an avatar-based entity --> update our avatar-data rather than sending to the entity-server
         queueEditAvatarEntityMessage(type, entityTree, entityItemID, properties);
         return;
     }
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityEditPacketSender.h b/libraries/entities/src/EntityEditPacketSender.h
index 9150748a68..9190a8296a 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityEditPacketSender.h
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityEditPacketSender.h
@@ -27,10 +27,6 @@ public:
     AvatarData* getMyAvatar() { return _myAvatar; }
     void clearAvatarEntity(QUuid entityID) { assert(_myAvatar); _myAvatar->clearAvatarEntity(entityID); }
 
-    void queueEditAvatarEntityMessage(PacketType type, EntityTreePointer entityTree,
-                                      EntityItemID entityItemID, const EntityItemProperties& properties);
-
-
     /// Queues an array of several voxel edit messages. Will potentially send a pending multi-command packet. Determines
     /// which voxel-server node or nodes the packet should be sent to. Can be called even before voxel servers are known, in
     /// which case up to MaxPendingMessages will be buffered and processed when voxel servers are known.
@@ -48,6 +44,10 @@ public:
 public slots:
     void processEntityEditNackPacket(QSharedPointer<ReceivedMessage> message, SharedNodePointer sendingNode);
 
+private:
+    void queueEditAvatarEntityMessage(PacketType type, EntityTreePointer entityTree,
+                                      EntityItemID entityItemID, const EntityItemProperties& properties);
+
 private:
     AvatarData* _myAvatar { nullptr };
     QScriptEngine _scriptEngine;