diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
index 1f84d3255b..c9e03d15cc 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
@@ -103,6 +103,31 @@ float Avatar::getLODDistance() const {
 
 void Avatar::simulate(float deltaTime) {
     PerformanceTimer perfTimer("simulate");
+    
+    // update the avatar's position according to its referential
+    if (_referential) {
+        if (_referential->hasExtraData()) {
+            ModelTree* tree = Application::getInstance()->getModels()->getTree();
+            switch (_referential->type()) {
+                case Referential::MODEL:
+                    _referential = new ModelReferential(_referential,
+                                                        tree,
+                                                        this);
+                    break;
+                case Referential::JOINT:
+                    _referential = new JointReferential(_referential,
+                                                        tree,
+                                                        this);
+                    break;
+                default:
+                    qDebug() << "[WARNING] Avatar::simulate(): Unknown referential type.";
+                    break;
+            }
+        }
+        
+        _referential->update();
+    }
+    
     if (_scale != _targetScale) {
         setScale(_targetScale);
     }
@@ -180,28 +205,6 @@ void Avatar::simulate(float deltaTime) {
         }
         _displayNameAlpha = abs(_displayNameAlpha - _displayNameTargetAlpha) < 0.01f ? _displayNameTargetAlpha : _displayNameAlpha;
     }
-    if (_referential) {
-        if (_referential->hasExtraData()) {
-            ModelTree* tree = Application::getInstance()->getModels()->getTree();
-            switch (_referential->type()) {
-                case Referential::MODEL:
-                    _referential = new ModelReferential(_referential,
-                                                        tree,
-                                                        this);
-                    break;
-                case Referential::JOINT:
-                    _referential = new JointReferential(_referential,
-                                                        tree,
-                                                        this);
-                    break;
-                default:
-                    qDebug() << "[WARNING] Avatar::simulate(): Unknown referential type.";
-                    break;
-            }
-        }
-        
-        _referential->update();
-    }
 }
 
 void Avatar::updateAcceleration(float deltaTime) {
@@ -241,18 +244,9 @@ static TextRenderer* textRenderer(TextRendererType type) {
 }
 
 void Avatar::render(const glm::vec3& cameraPosition, RenderMode renderMode) {
-    // make sure we have the right position
-    _skeletonModel.setTranslation(getPosition());
-    static const glm::quat refOrientation = glm::angleAxis(PI, glm::vec3(0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f));
-    _skeletonModel.setRotation(getOrientation() * refOrientation);
-    const float MODEL_SCALE = 0.0006f;
-    _skeletonModel.setScale(glm::vec3(1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f) * getScale() * MODEL_SCALE);
-    
-    glm::vec3 headPosition = _position;
-    _skeletonModel.getHeadPosition(headPosition);
-    Head* head = getHead();
-    head->setPosition(headPosition);
-    head->setScale(_scale);
+    if (_referential) {
+        _referential->update();
+    }
     
     if (glm::distance(Application::getInstance()->getAvatar()->getPosition(),
                       _position) < 10.0f) {
@@ -303,7 +297,7 @@ void Avatar::render(const glm::vec3& cameraPosition, RenderMode renderMode) {
     float boundingRadius = getBillboardSize();
     ViewFrustum* frustum = (renderMode == Avatar::SHADOW_RENDER_MODE) ?
         Application::getInstance()->getShadowViewFrustum() : Application::getInstance()->getViewFrustum();
-    if (frustum->sphereInFrustum(_position, boundingRadius) == ViewFrustum::OUTSIDE) {
+    if (frustum->sphereInFrustum(getPosition(), boundingRadius) == ViewFrustum::OUTSIDE) {
         return;
     }
 
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/ModelReferential.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/ModelReferential.cpp
index a6e611107f..1b9e6a9f52 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/ModelReferential.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/ModelReferential.cpp
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ void ModelReferential::update() {
     bool somethingChanged = false;
     if (item->getRadius() != _refScale) {
         _refScale = item->getRadius();
-        _avatar->setTargetScale(_refScale * _scale);
+        _avatar->setTargetScale(_refScale * _scale, true);
         somethingChanged = true;
     }
     if (item->getModelRotation() != _refRotation) {
@@ -147,17 +147,17 @@ void JointReferential::update() {
     bool somethingChanged = false;
     if (item->getRadius() != _refScale) {
         _refScale = item->getRadius();
-        _avatar->setTargetScale(_refScale * _scale);
+        _avatar->setTargetScale(_refScale * _scale, true);
         somethingChanged = true;
     }
     if (item->getModelRotation() != _refRotation) {
         model->getJointRotationInWorldFrame(_jointIndex, _refRotation);
-        _avatar->setOrientation(_refRotation * _rotation);
+        _avatar->setOrientation(_refRotation * _rotation, true);
         somethingChanged = true;
     }
     if (item->getPosition() != _refPosition || somethingChanged) {
         model->getJointPositionInWorldFrame(_jointIndex, _refPosition);
-        _avatar->setPosition(_refPosition + _refRotation * (_translation * _refScale));
+        _avatar->setPosition(_refPosition + _refRotation * (_translation * _refScale), true);
         somethingChanged = true;
     }
 }
diff --git a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
index 59f9a440f0..0b41e0ffaa 100644
--- a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
+++ b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
@@ -94,7 +94,29 @@ void AvatarData::setOrientation(const glm::quat& orientation, bool overideRefere
         _bodyYaw = eulerAngles.y;
         _bodyRoll = eulerAngles.z;
     }
-} 
+}
+
+float AvatarData::getTargetScale() const {
+    if (_referential) {
+        _referential->update();
+    }
+    
+    return _targetScale;
+}
+
+void AvatarData::setTargetScale(float targetScale, bool overideReferential) {
+    if (!_referential || overideReferential) {
+        _targetScale = targetScale;
+    }
+}
+
+void AvatarData::setClampedTargetScale(float targetScale, bool overideReferential) {
+    
+    targetScale =  glm::clamp(targetScale, MIN_AVATAR_SCALE, MAX_AVATAR_SCALE);
+    
+    setTargetScale(targetScale, overideReferential);
+    qDebug() << "Changed scale to " << _targetScale;
+}
 
 glm::vec3 AvatarData::getHandPosition() const {
     return getOrientation() * _handPosition + _position;
@@ -868,14 +890,6 @@ void AvatarData::setJointMappingsFromNetworkReply() {
     networkReply->deleteLater();
 }
 
-void AvatarData::setClampedTargetScale(float targetScale) {
-    
-    targetScale =  glm::clamp(targetScale, MIN_AVATAR_SCALE, MAX_AVATAR_SCALE);
-    
-    _targetScale = targetScale;
-    qDebug() << "Changed scale to " << _targetScale;
-}
-
 void AvatarData::sendIdentityPacket() {
     QByteArray identityPacket = byteArrayWithPopulatedHeader(PacketTypeAvatarIdentity);
     identityPacket.append(identityByteArray());
diff --git a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h
index 767c905322..df64813a28 100755
--- a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h
+++ b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h
@@ -190,9 +190,9 @@ public:
     void setAudioAverageLoudness(float value) { _headData->setAudioAverageLoudness(value); }
 
     //  Scale
-    float getTargetScale() const { return _targetScale; }
-    void setTargetScale(float targetScale) { _targetScale = targetScale; }
-    void setClampedTargetScale(float targetScale);
+    float getTargetScale() const;
+    void setTargetScale(float targetScale, bool overideReferential = false);
+    void setClampedTargetScale(float targetScale, bool overideReferential = false);
 
     //  Hand State
     Q_INVOKABLE void setHandState(char s) { _handState = s; }