diff --git a/interface/src/ui/overlays/BillboardOverlay.cpp b/interface/src/ui/overlays/BillboardOverlay.cpp
index e7d5cef3be..7d85d54fef 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/overlays/BillboardOverlay.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/overlays/BillboardOverlay.cpp
@@ -17,10 +17,11 @@ BillboardOverlay::BillboardOverlay()
 : _fromImage(-1,-1,-1,-1),
   _scale(1.0f),
   _isFacingAvatar(true) {
+      _isLoaded = false;
 }
 
 void BillboardOverlay::render() {
-    if (!_visible) {
+    if (!_visible || !_isLoaded) {
         return;
     }
     
@@ -85,16 +86,7 @@ void BillboardOverlay::render() {
                              ((float)_fromImage.y() + (float)_fromImage.height()) / (float)_size.height());
                 glVertex2f(-x, y);
             } glEnd();
-        } else {
-            glColor4f(0.5f, 0.5f, 0.5f, 1.0f);
-            glBegin(GL_QUADS); {
-                glVertex2f(-1.0f, -1.0f);
-                glVertex2f(1.0f, -1.0f);
-                glVertex2f(1.0f, 1.0f);
-                glVertex2f(-1.0f, 1.0f);
-            } glEnd();
         }
-        
     } glPopMatrix();
     
     glDisable(GL_TEXTURE_2D);
@@ -167,6 +159,7 @@ void BillboardOverlay::setProperties(const QScriptValue &properties) {
 }
 
 void BillboardOverlay::setBillboardURL(const QUrl url) {
+    _isLoaded = false;
     QNetworkReply* reply = NetworkAccessManager::getInstance().get(QNetworkRequest(url));
     connect(reply, &QNetworkReply::finished, this, &BillboardOverlay::replyFinished);
 }
@@ -175,4 +168,5 @@ void BillboardOverlay::replyFinished() {
     // replace our byte array with the downloaded data
     QNetworkReply* reply = static_cast<QNetworkReply*>(sender());
     _billboard = reply->readAll();
+    _isLoaded = true;
 }
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/overlays/ImageOverlay.cpp b/interface/src/ui/overlays/ImageOverlay.cpp
index aeea781eb6..7104b3aced 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/overlays/ImageOverlay.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/overlays/ImageOverlay.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ ImageOverlay::ImageOverlay() :
     _textureBound(false),
     _wantClipFromImage(false)
 {
+    _isLoaded = false;
 }
 
 ImageOverlay::~ImageOverlay() {
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ ImageOverlay::~ImageOverlay() {
 
 // TODO: handle setting image multiple times, how do we manage releasing the bound texture?
 void ImageOverlay::setImageURL(const QUrl& url) {
+    _isLoaded = false;
     NetworkAccessManager& networkAccessManager = NetworkAccessManager::getInstance();
     QNetworkReply* reply = networkAccessManager.get(QNetworkRequest(url));
     connect(reply, &QNetworkReply::finished, this, &ImageOverlay::replyFinished);
@@ -47,10 +49,11 @@ void ImageOverlay::replyFinished() {
     QByteArray rawData = reply->readAll();
     _textureImage.loadFromData(rawData);
     _renderImage = true;
+    _isLoaded = true;
 }
 
 void ImageOverlay::render() {
-    if (!_visible) {
+    if (!_visible || !_isLoaded) {
         return; // do nothing if we're not visible
     }
     if (_renderImage && !_textureBound) {
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/overlays/ModelOverlay.cpp b/interface/src/ui/overlays/ModelOverlay.cpp
index 57f098aee3..b1d55de12a 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/overlays/ModelOverlay.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/overlays/ModelOverlay.cpp
@@ -15,8 +15,10 @@
 ModelOverlay::ModelOverlay()
     : _model(),
       _scale(1.0f),
-      _updateModel(false) {
+      _updateModel(false)
+{
     _model.init();
+    _isLoaded = false;
 }
 
 void ModelOverlay::update(float deltatime) {
@@ -32,6 +34,7 @@ void ModelOverlay::update(float deltatime) {
     } else {
         _model.simulate(deltatime);
     }
+    _isLoaded = _model.isActive();
 }
 
 void ModelOverlay::render() {
@@ -90,6 +93,7 @@ void ModelOverlay::setProperties(const QScriptValue &properties) {
     if (urlValue.isValid()) {
         _url = urlValue.toVariant().toString();
         _updateModel = true;
+        _isLoaded = false;
     }
     
     QScriptValue scaleValue = properties.property("scale");
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlay.cpp b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlay.cpp
index bc7096c471..9d492c6e50 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlay.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlay.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 
 Overlay::Overlay() :
     _parent(NULL),
+    _isLoaded(true),
     _alpha(DEFAULT_ALPHA),
     _color(DEFAULT_OVERLAY_COLOR),
     _visible(true),
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlay.h b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlay.h
index f8d6400bf6..c5329688ff 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlay.h
+++ b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlay.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ public:
     virtual void render() = 0;
 
     // getters
+    bool isLoaded() { return _isLoaded; }
     bool getVisible() const { return _visible; }
     const xColor& getColor() const { return _color; }
     float getAlpha() const { return _alpha; }
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ public:
 
 protected:
     QGLWidget* _parent;
+    bool _isLoaded;
     float _alpha;
     xColor _color;
     bool _visible; // should the overlay be drawn at all