diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/EntityTreeRenderer.cpp b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/EntityTreeRenderer.cpp
index 1265aabbf2..4f4f3bf67f 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/EntityTreeRenderer.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/EntityTreeRenderer.cpp
@@ -938,17 +938,19 @@ void EntityTreeRenderer::addEntityToScene(EntityItemPointer entity) {
 
 
 void EntityTreeRenderer::entityScriptChanging(const EntityItemID& entityID, const bool reload) {
-    if (_tree && !_shuttingDown) {
-        _entitiesScriptEngine->unloadEntityScript(entityID);
-        checkAndCallPreload(entityID, reload);
-    }
+    checkAndCallPreload(entityID, reload, true);
 }
 
-void EntityTreeRenderer::checkAndCallPreload(const EntityItemID& entityID, const bool reload) {
+void EntityTreeRenderer::checkAndCallPreload(const EntityItemID& entityID, const bool reload, const bool unloadFirst) {
     if (_tree && !_shuttingDown) {
         EntityItemPointer entity = getTree()->findEntityByEntityItemID(entityID);
-        if (entity && entity->shouldPreloadScript() && _entitiesScriptEngine) {
-            QString scriptUrl = entity->getScript();
+        bool shouldLoad = entity && entity->shouldPreloadScript() && _entitiesScriptEngine;
+        QString scriptUrl = entity->getScript();
+        if ((unloadFirst && shouldLoad) || scriptUrl.isEmpty()) {
+            _entitiesScriptEngine->unloadEntityScript(entityID);
+            entity->scriptHasUnloaded();
+        }
+        if (shouldLoad && !scriptUrl.isEmpty()) {
             scriptUrl = ResourceManager::normalizeURL(scriptUrl);
             ScriptEngine::loadEntityScript(_entitiesScriptEngine, entityID, scriptUrl, reload);
             entity->scriptHasPreloaded();
diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/EntityTreeRenderer.h b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/EntityTreeRenderer.h
index 8669a1c4d3..c11738c459 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/EntityTreeRenderer.h
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/EntityTreeRenderer.h
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ private:
     bool layerZoneAndHasSkybox(const std::shared_ptr<ZoneEntityItem>& zone);
     bool applySkyboxAndHasAmbient();
 
-    void checkAndCallPreload(const EntityItemID& entityID, const bool reload = false);
+    void checkAndCallPreload(const EntityItemID& entityID, const bool reload = false, const bool unloadFirst = false);
 
     QList<ModelPointer> _releasedModels;
     RayToEntityIntersectionResult findRayIntersectionWorker(const PickRay& ray, Octree::lockType lockType,
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h
index e69195d53d..163b4d9e45 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h
@@ -446,6 +446,7 @@ public:
     bool shouldPreloadScript() const { return !_script.isEmpty() &&
                                               ((_loadedScript != _script) || (_loadedScriptTimestamp != _scriptTimestamp)); }
     void scriptHasPreloaded() { _loadedScript = _script; _loadedScriptTimestamp = _scriptTimestamp; }
+    void scriptHasUnloaded() { _loadedScript = ""; _loadedScriptTimestamp = 0; }
 
     bool getClientOnly() const { return _clientOnly; }
     void setClientOnly(bool clientOnly) { _clientOnly = clientOnly; }