diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index c17b9963e5..3f5209901c 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -1237,6 +1237,11 @@ Application::Application(int& argc, char** argv, QElapsedTimer& startupTimer) :
     _defaultSkybox->setCubemap(_defaultSkyboxTexture);
     _defaultSkybox->setColor({ 1.0, 1.0, 1.0 });
 
+    EntityItem::setEntitiesShouldFadeFunction([this]() {
+        SharedNodePointer entityServerNode = DependencyManager::get<NodeList>()->soloNodeOfType(NodeType::EntityServer);
+        return entityServerNode && !isPhysicsEnabled();
+    });
+
     // After all of the constructor is completed, then set firstRun to false.
     Setting::Handle<bool> firstRun{ Settings::firstRun, true };
     firstRun.set(false);
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.cpp b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.cpp
index b9f384f013..29cbfd79e6 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 
 int EntityItem::_maxActionsDataSize = 800;
 quint64 EntityItem::_rememberDeletedActionTime = 20 * USECS_PER_SECOND;
+std::function<bool()> EntityItem::_entitiesShouldFadeFunction = [](){ return true; };
 
 EntityItem::EntityItem(const EntityItemID& entityItemID) :
     SpatiallyNestable(NestableType::Entity, entityItemID),
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h
index 3677a0bbc8..c0772cbc01 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h
@@ -432,6 +432,8 @@ public:
     QUuid getOwningAvatarID() const { return _owningAvatarID; }
     void setOwningAvatarID(const QUuid& owningAvatarID) { _owningAvatarID = owningAvatarID; }
 
+    static void setEntitiesShouldFadeFunction(std::function<bool()> func) { _entitiesShouldFadeFunction = func; }
+    static std::function<bool()> getEntitiesShouldFadeFunction() { return _entitiesShouldFadeFunction; }
     virtual bool isTransparent() { return _isFading ? Interpolate::calculateFadeRatio(_fadeStartTime) < 1.0f : false; }
 
 protected:
@@ -564,7 +566,8 @@ protected:
     quint64 _lastUpdatedAccelerationTimestamp { 0 };
 
     quint64 _fadeStartTime { usecTimestampNow() };
-    bool _isFading { true };
+    static std::function<bool()> _entitiesShouldFadeFunction;
+    bool _isFading { _entitiesShouldFadeFunction() };
 };
 
 #endif // hifi_EntityItem_h
diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.cpp b/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.cpp
index 38d181e748..63082a8995 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.cpp
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
 #include "DeferredLightingEffect.h"
 #include "Model.h"
+#include "EntityItem.h"
 
 using namespace render;
 
@@ -517,10 +518,16 @@ void ModelMeshPartPayload::bindTransform(gpu::Batch& batch, const ShapePipeline:
 }
 
 void ModelMeshPartPayload::startFade() {
-    _fadeStartTime = usecTimestampNow();
-    _hasStartedFade = true;
-    _prevHasStartedFade = false;
-    _hasFinishedFade = false;
+    bool shouldFade = EntityItem::getEntitiesShouldFadeFunction()();
+    if (shouldFade) {
+        _fadeStartTime = usecTimestampNow();
+        _hasStartedFade = true;
+        _hasFinishedFade = false;
+    } else {
+        _isFading = true;
+        _hasStartedFade = true;
+        _hasFinishedFade = true;
+    }
 }
 
 void ModelMeshPartPayload::render(RenderArgs* args) const {
@@ -533,10 +540,11 @@ void ModelMeshPartPayload::render(RenderArgs* args) const {
     // When an individual mesh parts like this finishes its fade, we will mark the Model as 
     // having render items that need updating
     bool nextIsFading = _isFading ? isStillFading() : false;
-    if (_isFading != nextIsFading || _prevHasStartedFade != _hasStartedFade) {
-        _isFading = nextIsFading || _prevHasStartedFade != _hasStartedFade;
-        _hasFinishedFade = _prevHasStartedFade == _hasStartedFade && !_isFading;
-        _prevHasStartedFade = _hasStartedFade;
+    bool startFading = !_isFading && !_hasFinishedFade && _hasStartedFade;
+    bool endFading = _isFading && !nextIsFading;
+    if (startFading || endFading) {
+        _isFading = startFading;
+        _hasFinishedFade = endFading;
         _model->setRenderItemsNeedUpdate();
     }
 
diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.h b/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.h
index 67fb660f8b..29478b3b4e 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.h
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.h
@@ -110,7 +110,6 @@ public:
 private:
     quint64 _fadeStartTime { 0 };
     bool _hasStartedFade { false };
-    mutable bool _prevHasStartedFade{ false };
     mutable bool _hasFinishedFade { false };
     mutable bool _isFading { false };
 };