diff --git a/libraries/physics/src/EntityMotionState.cpp b/libraries/physics/src/EntityMotionState.cpp
index a975d21c4d..8d77f815b7 100644
--- a/libraries/physics/src/EntityMotionState.cpp
+++ b/libraries/physics/src/EntityMotionState.cpp
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ bool EntityMotionState::remoteSimulationOutOfSync(uint32_t simulationStep) {
         btTransform xform = _body->getWorldTransform();
         _serverPosition = bulletToGLM(xform.getOrigin());
         _serverRotation = bulletToGLM(xform.getRotation());
-        _serverVelocity = bulletToGLM(_body->getLinearVelocity());
+        _serverVelocity = getBodyLinearVelocity();
         _serverAngularVelocity = bulletToGLM(_body->getAngularVelocity());
         _lastStep = simulationStep;
         _serverActionData = _entity->getActionData();
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ void EntityMotionState::bump(quint8 priority) {
 void EntityMotionState::resetMeasuredBodyAcceleration() {
     _lastMeasureStep = ObjectMotionState::getWorldSimulationStep();
     if (_body) {
-        _lastVelocity = bulletToGLM(_body->getLinearVelocity());
+        _lastVelocity = getBodyLinearVelocity();
     } else {
         _lastVelocity = glm::vec3(0.0f);
     }
@@ -555,7 +555,7 @@ void EntityMotionState::measureBodyAcceleration() {
 
         // Note: the integration equation for velocity uses damping:   v1 = (v0 + a * dt) * (1 - D)^dt
         // hence the equation for acceleration is: a = (v1 / (1 - D)^dt - v0) / dt
-        glm::vec3 velocity = bulletToGLM(_body->getLinearVelocity());
+        glm::vec3 velocity = getBodyLinearVelocity();
         _measuredAcceleration = (velocity / powf(1.0f - _body->getLinearDamping(), dt) - _lastVelocity) * invDt;
         _lastVelocity = velocity;
         if (numSubsteps > PHYSICS_ENGINE_MAX_NUM_SUBSTEPS) {
diff --git a/libraries/physics/src/ObjectMotionState.cpp b/libraries/physics/src/ObjectMotionState.cpp
index 7ff119fb79..8e4bbdae1c 100644
--- a/libraries/physics/src/ObjectMotionState.cpp
+++ b/libraries/physics/src/ObjectMotionState.cpp
@@ -80,7 +80,17 @@ void ObjectMotionState::setBodyGravity(const glm::vec3& gravity) const {
 }
 
 glm::vec3 ObjectMotionState::getBodyLinearVelocity() const {
-    return bulletToGLM(_body->getLinearVelocity());
+    // returns the body's velocity unless it is moving too slow in which case returns zero
+    btVector3 velocity = _body->getLinearVelocity();
+
+    // NOTE: the threshold to use here relates to the linear displacement threshold (dX) for sending updates
+    // to objects that are tracked server-side (e.g. entities which use dX = 2mm).  Hence an object moving 
+    // just under this velocity threshold would trigger an update about V/dX times per second.
+    const float MIN_LINEAR_SPEED_SQUARED = 0.0036f; // 6 mm/sec
+    if (velocity.length2() < MIN_LINEAR_SPEED_SQUARED) {
+        velocity *= 0.0f;
+    }
+    return bulletToGLM(velocity);
 }
 glm::vec3 ObjectMotionState::getObjectLinearVelocityChange() const {
     return glm::vec3(0.0f);  // Subclasses override where meaningful.