diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Hand.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/Hand.cpp
index 693923caf6..cea72398aa 100755
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Hand.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Hand.cpp
@@ -165,12 +165,12 @@ void Hand::updateCollisions() {
             }
         }
             
-        // and the current avatar
+        // and the current avatar (ignoring everything below the parent of the parent of the last free joint)
         glm::vec3 owningPenetration;
         const Model& skeletonModel = _owningAvatar->getSkeletonModel();
-        int skipIndex = skeletonModel.getLastFreeJointIndex(
-            (i == leftPalmIndex) ? skeletonModel.getLeftHandJointIndex() :
-                (i == rightPalmIndex) ? skeletonModel.getRightHandJointIndex() : -1);
+        int skipIndex = skeletonModel.getParentJointIndex(skeletonModel.getParentJointIndex(
+            skeletonModel.getLastFreeJointIndex((i == leftPalmIndex) ? skeletonModel.getLeftHandJointIndex() :
+                (i == rightPalmIndex) ? skeletonModel.getRightHandJointIndex() : -1)));
         if (_owningAvatar->findSpherePenetration(palm.getPosition(), scaledPalmRadius, owningPenetration, skipIndex)) {
             totalPenetration = addPenetrations(totalPenetration, owningPenetration);
         }