diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index 762855e039..0b9d770de0 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -98,8 +98,8 @@ MyAvatar::MyAvatar() :
     _isLookingAtLeftEye(true),
     _realWorldFieldOfView("realWorldFieldOfView",
                           DEFAULT_REAL_WORLD_FIELD_OF_VIEW_DEGREES),
-    _currentSkeletonModel(nullptr),
-    _firstPersonSkeletonModel(this)
+    _firstPersonSkeletonModel(this),
+    _prevShouldDrawHead(true)
 {
     _firstPersonSkeletonModel.setIsFirstPerson(true);
 
@@ -1203,16 +1203,9 @@ void MyAvatar::renderBody(RenderArgs* renderArgs, ViewFrustum* renderFrustum, bo
     }
 }
 
-void MyAvatar::setCurrentSkeletonModel(SkeletonModel* skeletonModel) {
-    if (_currentSkeletonModel != skeletonModel && skeletonModel->isActive() && skeletonModel->isRenderable()) {
-
-        render::ScenePointer scene = Application::getInstance()->getMain3DScene();
-
-        if (_currentSkeletonModel) {
-            _currentSkeletonModel->setVisibleInScene(false, scene);
-        }
-        skeletonModel->setVisibleInScene(true, scene);
-        _currentSkeletonModel = skeletonModel;
+void MyAvatar::setVisibleInSceneIfReady(Model* model, render::ScenePointer scene, bool visible) {
+    if (model->isActive() && model->isRenderable()) {
+        model->setVisibleInScene(visible, scene);
     }
 }
 
@@ -1221,14 +1214,26 @@ void MyAvatar::preRender(RenderArgs* renderArgs) {
     render::ScenePointer scene = Application::getInstance()->getMain3DScene();
 
     _skeletonModel.initWhenReady(scene);
-    _firstPersonSkeletonModel.initWhenReady(scene);
-
-    // set visiblity on each model
-    if (shouldRenderHead(renderArgs)) {
-        setCurrentSkeletonModel(&_skeletonModel);
-    } else {
-        setCurrentSkeletonModel(&_firstPersonSkeletonModel);
+    if (_useFullAvatar) {
+        _firstPersonSkeletonModel.initWhenReady(scene);
     }
+
+    bool shouldDrawHead = shouldRenderHead(renderArgs);
+    if (shouldDrawHead != _prevShouldDrawHead) {
+        if (_useFullAvatar) {
+            if (shouldDrawHead) {
+                _skeletonModel.setVisibleInScene(true, scene);
+                _firstPersonSkeletonModel.setVisibleInScene(false, scene);
+            } else {
+                _skeletonModel.setVisibleInScene(false, scene);
+                _firstPersonSkeletonModel.setVisibleInScene(true, scene);
+            }
+        } else {
+            getHead()->getFaceModel().setVisibleInScene(shouldDrawHead, scene);
+        }
+
+    }
+    _prevShouldDrawHead = shouldDrawHead;
 }
 
 const float RENDER_HEAD_CUTOFF_DISTANCE = 0.50f;
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
index 9dda29a918..8543382445 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
@@ -211,8 +211,7 @@ private:
     virtual void setFaceModelURL(const QUrl& faceModelURL);
     virtual void setSkeletonModelURL(const QUrl& skeletonModelURL);
 
-    void setCurrentSkeletonModel(SkeletonModel* skeletonModel);
-    void initModelWhenReady(Model* model);
+    void setVisibleInSceneIfReady(Model* model, render::ScenePointer scene, bool visiblity);
 
     glm::vec3 _gravity;
 
@@ -271,8 +270,8 @@ private:
     QString _fullAvatarModelName;
 
     // used for rendering when in first person view or when in an HMD.
-    SkeletonModel* _currentSkeletonModel;
     SkeletonModel _firstPersonSkeletonModel;
+    bool _prevShouldDrawHead;
 };
 
 #endif // hifi_MyAvatar_h
diff --git a/libraries/octree/src/ViewFrustum.h b/libraries/octree/src/ViewFrustum.h
index 6c279585e2..3e41b58bb6 100644
--- a/libraries/octree/src/ViewFrustum.h
+++ b/libraries/octree/src/ViewFrustum.h
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@
 const float DEFAULT_KEYHOLE_RADIUS = 3.0f;
 const float DEFAULT_FIELD_OF_VIEW_DEGREES = 45.0f;
 const float DEFAULT_ASPECT_RATIO = 16.0f/9.0f;
-//const float DEFAULT_NEAR_CLIP = 0.08f;
-const float DEFAULT_NEAR_CLIP = 0.1f;
+const float DEFAULT_NEAR_CLIP = 0.08f;
 const float DEFAULT_FAR_CLIP = (float)TREE_SCALE;
 
 class ViewFrustum {
diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp b/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp
index d6fe5cea1a..93f3f345f0 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp
@@ -1370,6 +1370,7 @@ void Model::simulate(float deltaTime, bool fullUpdate) {
         //       because ray picking needs valid boxes to work
         _calculatedMeshBoxesValid = false;
         _calculatedMeshTrianglesValid = false;
+        onInvalidate();
 
         // check for scale to fit
         if (_scaleToFit && !_scaledToFit) {