diff --git a/interface/src/devices/JoystickManager.cpp b/interface/src/devices/JoystickManager.cpp
index da3c1834af..6b8fd9563f 100644
--- a/interface/src/devices/JoystickManager.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/devices/JoystickManager.cpp
@@ -44,10 +44,16 @@ JoystickManager::~JoystickManager() {
 #endif
 }
 
+QVector<JoystickState> JoystickManager::getJoystickStates() {
+    QMutexLocker locker(&_joystickMutex);
+    return _joystickStates;
+}
+
 void JoystickManager::update() {
 #ifdef HAVE_SDL
     SDL_JoystickUpdate();
     
+    QMutexLocker locker(&_joystickMutex);
     for (int i = 0; i < _joystickStates.size(); i++) {
         SDL_Joystick* joystick = _joysticks.at(i);
         JoystickState& state = _joystickStates[i];
diff --git a/interface/src/devices/JoystickManager.h b/interface/src/devices/JoystickManager.h
index 53a255e129..1979cf0205 100644
--- a/interface/src/devices/JoystickManager.h
+++ b/interface/src/devices/JoystickManager.h
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #ifndef hifi_JoystickManager_h
 #define hifi_JoystickManager_h
 
+#include <QMutex>
 #include <QObject>
 #include <QVector>
 
@@ -31,12 +32,13 @@ public:
     JoystickManager();
     virtual ~JoystickManager();
     
-    const QVector<JoystickState>& getJoystickStates() const { return _joystickStates; }
+    QVector<JoystickState> getJoystickStates();
     
     void update();
 
 private:
     QVector<JoystickState> _joystickStates;
+    QMutex _joystickMutex;
     
 #ifdef HAVE_SDL
     QVector<SDL_Joystick*> _joysticks;