diff --git a/scripts/system/away.js b/scripts/system/away.js
index 95af49d070..f4a1a22bf6 100644
--- a/scripts/system/away.js
+++ b/scripts/system/away.js
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 (function() { // BEGIN LOCAL_SCOPE
 
+var BASIC_TIMER_INTERVAL = 50; // 50ms = 20hz
 var OVERLAY_WIDTH = 1920;
 var OVERLAY_HEIGHT = 1080;
 var OVERLAY_DATA = {
@@ -49,6 +50,21 @@ var AWAY_INTRO = {
     endFrame: 83.0
 };
 
+// MAIN CONTROL
+var isEnabled = true;
+var wasMuted; // unknonwn?
+var isAway = false; // we start in the un-away state
+var wasOverlaysVisible = Menu.isOptionChecked("Overlays");
+var eventMappingName = "io.highfidelity.away"; // goActive on hand controller button events, too.
+var eventMapping = Controller.newMapping(eventMappingName);
+var avatarPosition = MyAvatar.position;
+var wasHmdMounted = HMD.mounted;
+
+
+// some intervals we may create/delete
+var avatarMovedInterval;
+
+
 // prefetch the kneel animation and hold a ref so it's always resident in memory when we need it.
 var _animation = AnimationCache.prefetch(AWAY_INTRO.url);
 
@@ -125,33 +141,28 @@ function maybeMoveOverlay() {
             var halfWayBetweenOldAndLookAt = Vec3.multiply(lookAtChange, EASE_BY_RATIO);
             var newOverlayPosition = Vec3.sum(lastOverlayPosition, halfWayBetweenOldAndLookAt);
             lastOverlayPosition = newOverlayPosition;
-
             var actualOverlayPositon = moveCloserToCamera(lastOverlayPosition);
             Overlays.editOverlay(overlayHMD, { visible: true, position: actualOverlayPositon });
 
             // make sure desktop version is hidden
             Overlays.editOverlay(overlay, { visible: false });
+
+            // also remember avatar position
+            avatarPosition = MyAvatar.position;
+
         }
     }
 }
 
 function ifAvatarMovedGoActive() {
-    if (Vec3.distance(MyAvatar.position, avatarPosition) > AVATAR_MOVE_FOR_ACTIVE_DISTANCE) {
+    var newAvatarPosition = MyAvatar.position;
+    if (Vec3.distance(newAvatarPosition, avatarPosition) > AVATAR_MOVE_FOR_ACTIVE_DISTANCE) {
         goActive();
     }
+    avatarPosition = newAvatarPosition;
 }
 
-// MAIN CONTROL
-var isEnabled = true;
-var wasMuted, isAway;
-var wasOverlaysVisible = Menu.isOptionChecked("Overlays");
-var eventMappingName = "io.highfidelity.away"; // goActive on hand controller button events, too.
-var eventMapping = Controller.newMapping(eventMappingName);
-var avatarPosition = MyAvatar.position;
-
-var wasHmdMounted = HMD.mounted;
-
-function goAway() {
+function goAway(fromStartup) {
     if (!isEnabled || isAway) {
         return;
     }
@@ -159,7 +170,6 @@ function goAway() {
     UserActivityLogger.toggledAway(true);
 
     isAway = true;
-    print('going "away"');
     wasMuted = AudioDevice.getMuted();
     if (!wasMuted) {
         AudioDevice.toggleMute();
@@ -184,7 +194,18 @@ function goAway() {
     wasHmdMounted = HMD.mounted; // always remember the correct state
 
     avatarPosition = MyAvatar.position;
-    Script.update.connect(ifAvatarMovedGoActive);
+
+    // If we're entering away mode from some other state than startup, then we create our move timer immediately.
+    // However if we're just stating up, we need to delay this process so that we don't think the initial teleport
+    // is actually a move.
+    if (fromStartup === undefined || fromStartup === false) {
+        avatarMovedInterval = Script.setInterval(ifAvatarMovedGoActive, BASIC_TIMER_INTERVAL);
+    } else {
+        var WAIT_FOR_MOVE_ON_STARTUP = 3000; // 3 seconds
+        Script.setTimeout(function() {
+            avatarMovedInterval = Script.setInterval(ifAvatarMovedGoActive, BASIC_TIMER_INTERVAL);
+        }, WAIT_FOR_MOVE_ON_STARTUP);
+    }
 }
 
 function goActive() {
@@ -195,7 +216,6 @@ function goActive() {
     UserActivityLogger.toggledAway(false);
 
     isAway = false;
-    print('going "active"');
     if (!wasMuted) {
         AudioDevice.toggleMute();
     }
@@ -224,7 +244,7 @@ function goActive() {
     }
     wasHmdMounted = HMD.mounted; // always remember the correct state
 
-    Script.update.disconnect(ifAvatarMovedGoActive);
+    Script.clearInterval(avatarMovedInterval);
 }
 
 function maybeGoActive(event) {
@@ -242,12 +262,12 @@ var wasHmdActive = HMD.active;
 var wasMouseCaptured = Reticle.mouseCaptured;
 
 function maybeGoAway() {
-
     // If our active state change (went to or from HMD mode), and we are now in the HMD, go into away
     if (HMD.active !== wasHmdActive) {
         wasHmdActive = !wasHmdActive;
         if (wasHmdActive) {
             goAway();
+            return;
         }
     }
 
@@ -258,11 +278,13 @@ function maybeGoAway() {
         wasMouseCaptured = !wasMouseCaptured;
         if (!wasMouseCaptured) {
             goAway();
+            return;
         }
     }
 
     // If you've removed your HMD from your head, and we can detect it, we will also go away...
     if (HMD.mounted != wasHmdMounted) {
+        wasHmdMounted = HMD.mounted;
         print("HMD mounted changed...");
 
         // We're putting the HMD on... switch to those devices
@@ -273,14 +295,13 @@ function maybeGoAway() {
 
             if (HMD.active) {
                 goAway();
+                return;
             }
         }
     }
-    wasHmdMounted = HMD.mounted;
 }
 
 function setEnabled(value) {
-    print("setting away enabled: ", value);
     if (!value) {
         goActive();
     }
@@ -297,9 +318,12 @@ var handleMessage = function(channel, message, sender) {
 Messages.subscribe(CHANNEL_AWAY_ENABLE);
 Messages.messageReceived.connect(handleMessage);
 
-Script.update.connect(maybeMoveOverlay);
+var maybeIntervalTimer = Script.setInterval(function(){
+    maybeMoveOverlay();
+    maybeGoAway();
+}, BASIC_TIMER_INTERVAL);
+
 
-Script.update.connect(maybeGoAway);
 Controller.mousePressEvent.connect(goActive);
 Controller.keyPressEvent.connect(maybeGoActive);
 // Note peek() so as to not interfere with other mappings.
@@ -320,7 +344,7 @@ eventMapping.from(Controller.Standard.Start).peek().to(goActive);
 Controller.enableMapping(eventMappingName);
 
 Script.scriptEnding.connect(function () {
-    Script.update.disconnect(maybeGoAway);
+    Script.clearInterval(maybeIntervalTimer);
     goActive();
     Controller.disableMapping(eventMappingName);
     Controller.mousePressEvent.disconnect(goActive);
@@ -329,7 +353,7 @@ Script.scriptEnding.connect(function () {
 
 if (HMD.active && !HMD.mounted) {
     print("Starting script, while HMD is active and not mounted...");
-    goAway();
+    goAway(true);
 }