diff --git a/interface/interface_en.ts b/interface/interface_en.ts
index 8ca6f7d269..c1d16e878f 100644
--- a/interface/interface_en.ts
+++ b/interface/interface_en.ts
@@ -14,12 +14,12 @@
         <translation type="unfinished"></translation>
     </message>
     <message>
-        <location filename="src/Application.cpp" line="3610"/>
+        <location filename="src/Application.cpp" line="3617"/>
         <source>Open Script</source>
         <translation type="unfinished"></translation>
     </message>
     <message>
-        <location filename="src/Application.cpp" line="3611"/>
+        <location filename="src/Application.cpp" line="3618"/>
         <source>JavaScript Files (*.js)</source>
         <translation type="unfinished"></translation>
     </message>
diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 5b08997b7c..c6fc522fca 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -2189,19 +2189,26 @@ void Application::updateShadowMap() {
         (_viewFrustum.getFarClip() - _viewFrustum.getNearClip());
     loadViewFrustum(_myCamera, _viewFrustum);
     glm::vec3 points[] = {
-        inverseRotation * (glm::mix(_viewFrustum.getNearTopLeft(), _viewFrustum.getFarTopLeft(), nearScale)),
-        inverseRotation * (glm::mix(_viewFrustum.getNearTopRight(), _viewFrustum.getFarTopRight(), nearScale)),
-        inverseRotation * (glm::mix(_viewFrustum.getNearBottomLeft(), _viewFrustum.getFarBottomLeft(), nearScale)),
-        inverseRotation * (glm::mix(_viewFrustum.getNearBottomRight(), _viewFrustum.getFarBottomRight(), nearScale)),
-        inverseRotation * (glm::mix(_viewFrustum.getNearTopLeft(), _viewFrustum.getFarTopLeft(), farScale)),
-        inverseRotation * (glm::mix(_viewFrustum.getNearTopRight(), _viewFrustum.getFarTopRight(), farScale)),
-        inverseRotation * (glm::mix(_viewFrustum.getNearBottomLeft(), _viewFrustum.getFarBottomLeft(), farScale)),
-        inverseRotation * (glm::mix(_viewFrustum.getNearBottomRight(), _viewFrustum.getFarBottomRight(), farScale)) };
-    glm::vec3 minima(FLT_MAX, FLT_MAX, FLT_MAX), maxima(-FLT_MAX, -FLT_MAX, -FLT_MAX);
+        glm::mix(_viewFrustum.getNearTopLeft(), _viewFrustum.getFarTopLeft(), nearScale),
+        glm::mix(_viewFrustum.getNearTopRight(), _viewFrustum.getFarTopRight(), nearScale),
+        glm::mix(_viewFrustum.getNearBottomLeft(), _viewFrustum.getFarBottomLeft(), nearScale),
+        glm::mix(_viewFrustum.getNearBottomRight(), _viewFrustum.getFarBottomRight(), nearScale),
+        glm::mix(_viewFrustum.getNearTopLeft(), _viewFrustum.getFarTopLeft(), farScale),
+        glm::mix(_viewFrustum.getNearTopRight(), _viewFrustum.getFarTopRight(), farScale),
+        glm::mix(_viewFrustum.getNearBottomLeft(), _viewFrustum.getFarBottomLeft(), farScale),
+        glm::mix(_viewFrustum.getNearBottomRight(), _viewFrustum.getFarBottomRight(), farScale) };
+    glm::vec3 center;
     for (size_t i = 0; i < sizeof(points) / sizeof(points[0]); i++) {
-        minima = glm::min(minima, points[i]);
-        maxima = glm::max(maxima, points[i]);
+        center += points[i];
     }
+    center /= (float)(sizeof(points) / sizeof(points[0]));
+    float radius = 0.0f;
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < sizeof(points) / sizeof(points[0]); i++) {
+        radius = qMax(radius, glm::distance(points[i], center));
+    }
+    center = inverseRotation * center;
+    glm::vec3 minima(center.x - radius, center.y - radius, center.z - radius);
+    glm::vec3 maxima(center.x + radius, center.y + radius, center.z + radius); 
 
     // stretch out our extents in z so that we get all of the avatars
     minima.z -= _viewFrustum.getFarClip() * 0.5f;
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
index 9e9210a5b8..0b77d3e759 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
@@ -313,9 +313,7 @@ glm::quat Avatar::computeRotationFromBodyToWorldUp(float proportion) const {
 void Avatar::renderBody(RenderMode renderMode) {    
     if (_shouldRenderBillboard || !(_skeletonModel.isRenderable() && getHead()->getFaceModel().isRenderable())) {
         // render the billboard until both models are loaded
-        if (renderMode != SHADOW_RENDER_MODE) {
-            renderBillboard();
-        }
+        renderBillboard();
         return;
     }
     _skeletonModel.render(1.0f, renderMode == SHADOW_RENDER_MODE);