diff --git a/interface/src/Environment.cpp b/interface/src/Environment.cpp
index f4529a4e3f..49ef26bb82 100644
--- a/interface/src/Environment.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Environment.cpp
@@ -58,10 +58,16 @@ void Environment::renderAtmospheres(Camera& camera) {
 }
 
 glm::vec3 Environment::getGravity (const glm::vec3& position) {
+    // the "original gravity"
+    glm::vec3 gravity;
+    if (position.x > 0.0f && position.x < 10.0f && position.y > 0.0f &&
+            position.y < 3.0f && position.z > 0.0f && position.z < 10.0f) {
+        gravity = glm::vec3(0.0f, -1.0f, 0.0f);
+    }
+    
     // get the lock for the duration of the call
     QMutexLocker locker(&_mutex);
     
-    glm::vec3 gravity;
     foreach (const ServerData& serverData, _data) {
         foreach (const EnvironmentData& environmentData, serverData) {
             glm::vec3 vector = environmentData.getAtmosphereCenter() - position;
@@ -94,13 +100,23 @@ const EnvironmentData Environment::getClosestData(const glm::vec3& position) {
 
 bool Environment::findCapsulePenetration(const glm::vec3& start, const glm::vec3& end,
                                          float radius, glm::vec3& penetration) {
+    // collide with the "floor"
+    bool found = false;
+    penetration = glm::vec3(0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f);
+    float floorDist = qMin(start.y, end.y) - radius;
+    if (floorDist < 0.0f) {
+        penetration.y = -floorDist;
+        found = true;
+    }
+    
     // get the lock for the duration of the call
     QMutexLocker locker(&_mutex);
     
-    bool found = false;
-    penetration = glm::vec3(0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f);
     foreach (const ServerData& serverData, _data) {
         foreach (const EnvironmentData& environmentData, serverData) {
+            if (environmentData.getGravity() == 0.0f) {
+                continue; // don't bother colliding with gravity-less environments
+            }
             glm::vec3 vector = computeVectorFromPointToSegment(environmentData.getAtmosphereCenter(), start, end);
             float vectorLength = glm::length(vector);
             float distance = vectorLength - environmentData.getAtmosphereInnerRadius() - radius;
diff --git a/libraries/voxels/src/EnvironmentData.cpp b/libraries/voxels/src/EnvironmentData.cpp
index 403ad791f1..935d4601e9 100644
--- a/libraries/voxels/src/EnvironmentData.cpp
+++ b/libraries/voxels/src/EnvironmentData.cpp
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 // GameEngine.cpp
 EnvironmentData::EnvironmentData(int id) :
     _id(id),
-    _gravity(1.0f),
+    _gravity(0.0f),
     _atmosphereCenter(0, -1000, 0),
     _atmosphereInnerRadius(1000),
     _atmosphereOuterRadius(1025),
diff --git a/voxel-server/src/main.cpp b/voxel-server/src/main.cpp
index c99c349fbb..f9a5e4a972 100644
--- a/voxel-server/src/main.cpp
+++ b/voxel-server/src/main.cpp
@@ -559,10 +559,12 @@ int main(int argc, const char * argv[]) {
     
     // for now, initialize the environments with fixed values
     environmentData[1].setID(1);
+    environmentData[1].setGravity(1.0f);
     environmentData[1].setAtmosphereCenter(glm::vec3(0.5, 0.5, (0.25 - 0.06125)) * (float)TREE_SCALE);
     environmentData[1].setAtmosphereInnerRadius(0.030625f * TREE_SCALE);
     environmentData[1].setAtmosphereOuterRadius(0.030625f * TREE_SCALE * 1.025f);
     environmentData[2].setID(2);
+    environmentData[2].setGravity(1.0f);
     environmentData[2].setAtmosphereCenter(glm::vec3(0.5f, 0.5f, 0.5f) * (float)TREE_SCALE);
     environmentData[2].setAtmosphereInnerRadius(0.1875f * TREE_SCALE);
     environmentData[2].setAtmosphereOuterRadius(0.1875f * TREE_SCALE * 1.025f);