diff --git a/libraries/physics/src/PhysicsEngine.cpp b/libraries/physics/src/PhysicsEngine.cpp
index 02304b3b8d..74b792e3c0 100644
--- a/libraries/physics/src/PhysicsEngine.cpp
+++ b/libraries/physics/src/PhysicsEngine.cpp
@@ -249,23 +249,47 @@ void PhysicsEngine::stepSimulation() {
 }
 
 void PhysicsEngine::computeCollisionEvents() {
-    // update all contacts
+    // update all contacts every frame
     int numManifolds = _collisionDispatcher->getNumManifolds();
     for (int i = 0; i < numManifolds; ++i) {
         btPersistentManifold* contactManifold =  _collisionDispatcher->getManifoldByIndexInternal(i);
         if (contactManifold->getNumContacts() > 0) {
+            // TODO: require scripts to register interest in callbacks for specific objects 
+            // so we can filter out most collision events right here.
             const btCollisionObject* objectA = static_cast<const btCollisionObject*>(contactManifold->getBody0());
             const btCollisionObject* objectB = static_cast<const btCollisionObject*>(contactManifold->getBody1());
+
+            if (!(objectA->isActive() || objectB->isActive())) {
+                // both objects are inactive so stop tracking this contact, 
+                // which will eventually trigger a CONTACT_EVENT_TYPE_END
+                continue;
+            }
         
             void* a = objectA->getUserPointer();
             void* b = objectB->getUserPointer();
             if (a || b) {
                 // the manifold has up to 4 distinct points, but only extract info from the first
-                _contactMap[ContactKey(a, b)].update(_numSubsteps, contactManifold->getContactPoint(0), _originOffset);
+                _contactMap[ContactKey(a, b)].update(_numContactFrames, contactManifold->getContactPoint(0), _originOffset);
             }
         }
     }
     
+    // We harvest collision callbacks every few frames, which contributes the following effects:
+    //
+    // (1) There is a maximum collision callback rate per pair:  substep_rate / SUBSTEPS_PER_COLLIION_FRAME
+    // (2) END/START cycles shorter than SUBSTEPS_PER_COLLIION_FRAME will be filtered out
+    // (3) There is variable lag between when the contact actually starts and when it is reported, 
+    //     up to SUBSTEPS_PER_COLLIION_FRAME * time_per_substep
+    //
+    const uint32_t SUBSTEPS_PER_COLLISION_FRAME = 2;
+    if (_numSubsteps - _numContactFrames * SUBSTEPS_PER_COLLISION_FRAME < SUBSTEPS_PER_COLLISION_FRAME) {
+        // we don't harvest collision callbacks every frame
+        // this sets a maximum callback-per-contact rate
+        // and also filters out END/START events that happen on shorter timescales
+        return;
+    }
+
+    ++_numContactFrames;
     // scan known contacts and trigger events
     ContactMap::iterator contactItr = _contactMap.begin();
     while (contactItr != _contactMap.end()) {
@@ -289,7 +313,7 @@ void PhysicsEngine::computeCollisionEvents() {
         }
 
         // TODO: enable scripts to filter based on contact event type
-        ContactEventType type = contactItr->second.computeType(_numSubsteps);
+        ContactEventType type = contactItr->second.computeType(_numContactFrames);
         if (type == CONTACT_EVENT_TYPE_END) {
             ContactMap::iterator iterToDelete = contactItr;
             ++contactItr;
diff --git a/libraries/physics/src/PhysicsEngine.h b/libraries/physics/src/PhysicsEngine.h
index 73a02607e8..d333eef010 100644
--- a/libraries/physics/src/PhysicsEngine.h
+++ b/libraries/physics/src/PhysicsEngine.h
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ private:
     EntityEditPacketSender* _entityPacketSender = NULL;
 
     ContactMap _contactMap;
+    uint32_t _numContactFrames = 0;
 };
 
 #endif // hifi_PhysicsEngine_h