diff --git a/assignment-client/src/audio/AudioMixer.cpp b/assignment-client/src/audio/AudioMixer.cpp
index 6c8a4fd1c2..81bfe7a734 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/audio/AudioMixer.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/audio/AudioMixer.cpp
@@ -779,21 +779,9 @@ void AudioMixer::run() {
                     static const int TIME_BETWEEN_MUTES = 5; // in secs
                     if (usecTimestampNow() - nodeData->getAvatarAudioStream()->getLastMuted() >
                         TIME_BETWEEN_MUTES * USECS_PER_SECOND) {
-                        int headerSize = numBytesForPacketHeaderGivenPacketType(PacketTypeMuteEnvironment);
-                        int packetSize = headerSize + sizeof(glm::vec3) + sizeof(float);
-                        
-                        // Fake data to force mute
-                        glm::vec3 position = nodeData->getAvatarAudioStream()->getPosition();
-                        float radius = 1.0f;
-                        
-                        char* packet = (char*)malloc(packetSize);
-                        populatePacketHeader(packet, PacketTypeMuteEnvironment);
-                        memcpy(packet + headerSize, &position, sizeof(glm::vec3));
-                        memcpy(packet + headerSize + sizeof(glm::vec3), &radius, sizeof(float));
-                        
-                        nodeList->writeDatagram(packet, packetSize, node);
+                        QByteArray packet = byteArrayWithPopulatedHeader(PacketTypeNoisyMute);
+                        nodeList->writeDatagram(packet, node);
                         nodeData->getAvatarAudioStream()->setLastMutedNow();
-                        free(packet);
                     }
                 }
                 
diff --git a/interface/src/DatagramProcessor.cpp b/interface/src/DatagramProcessor.cpp
index 5d034c1c17..96680423ed 100644
--- a/interface/src/DatagramProcessor.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/DatagramProcessor.cpp
@@ -141,18 +141,29 @@ void DatagramProcessor::processDatagrams() {
                     AccountManager::getInstance().checkAndSignalForAccessToken();
                     break;
                 }
+                case PacketTypeNoisyMute:
                 case PacketTypeMuteEnvironment: {
-                    glm::vec3 position;
-                    float radius;
+                    bool mute = !Application::getInstance()->getAudio()->getMuted();
                     
-                    int headerSize = numBytesForPacketHeaderGivenPacketType(PacketTypeMuteEnvironment);
-                    memcpy(&position, incomingPacket.constData() + headerSize, sizeof(glm::vec3));
-                    memcpy(&radius, incomingPacket.constData() + headerSize + sizeof(glm::vec3), sizeof(float));
+                    if (incomingType == PacketTypeMuteEnvironment) {
+                        glm::vec3 position;
+                        float radius, distance;
+                        
+                        int headerSize = numBytesForPacketHeaderGivenPacketType(PacketTypeMuteEnvironment);
+                        memcpy(&position, incomingPacket.constData() + headerSize, sizeof(glm::vec3));
+                        memcpy(&radius, incomingPacket.constData() + headerSize + sizeof(glm::vec3), sizeof(float));
+                        distance = glm::distance(Application::getInstance()->getAvatar()->getPosition(), position);
+                        
+                        mute = mute && (distance < radius);
+                    }
                     
-                    if (glm::distance(Application::getInstance()->getAvatar()->getPosition(), position) < radius
-                        && !Application::getInstance()->getAudio()->getMuted()) {
+                    if (mute) {
                         Application::getInstance()->getAudio()->toggleMute();
-                        AudioScriptingInterface::getInstance().mutedByMixer();
+                        if (incomingType == PacketTypeMuteEnvironment) {
+                            AudioScriptingInterface::getInstance().environmentMuted();
+                        } else {
+                            AudioScriptingInterface::getInstance().mutedByMixer();
+                        }
                     }
                     break;
                 }
diff --git a/libraries/audio/src/AudioScriptingInterface.h b/libraries/audio/src/AudioScriptingInterface.h
index 7a60577042..5b67666a97 100644
--- a/libraries/audio/src/AudioScriptingInterface.h
+++ b/libraries/audio/src/AudioScriptingInterface.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ public slots:
     
 signals:
     void mutedByMixer();
+    void environmentMuted();
     
 private:
     AudioScriptingInterface();
diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/PacketHeaders.h b/libraries/networking/src/PacketHeaders.h
index d617f2243a..6cca5b505d 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/PacketHeaders.h
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/PacketHeaders.h
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ enum PacketType {
     UNUSED_2,
     UNUSED_3,
     UNUSED_4,
-    UNUSED_5,
+    PacketTypeNoisyMute,
     PacketTypeMetavoxelData,
     PacketTypeAvatarIdentity,
     PacketTypeAvatarBillboard,