diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 4659e58d37..87da8e6aa1 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -5098,6 +5098,7 @@ void Application::displaySide(RenderArgs* renderArgs, Camera& theCamera, bool se
             renderArgs->setViewFrustum(_displayViewFrustum);
         }
         renderArgs->_cameraMode = (int8_t)theCamera.getMode(); // HACK
+        renderArgs->_scene = getMain3DScene();
         _renderEngine->getRenderContext()->args = renderArgs;
 
         // Before the deferred pass, let's try to use the render engine
diff --git a/interface/src/Application.h b/interface/src/Application.h
index c8856f1026..9f429b0433 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.h
+++ b/interface/src/Application.h
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ public:
     int getMaxOctreePacketsPerSecond() const;
 
     render::ScenePointer getMain3DScene() override { return _main3DScene; }
-    render::ScenePointer getMain3DScene() const { return _main3DScene; }
+    const render::ScenePointer& getMain3DScene() const { return _main3DScene; }
     render::EnginePointer getRenderEngine() override { return _renderEngine; }
     gpu::ContextPointer getGPUContext() const { return _gpuContext; }
 
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ public:
 
     float getAvatarSimrate() const { return _avatarSimCounter.rate(); }
     float getAverageSimsPerSecond() const { return _simCounter.rate(); }
-    
+
     void takeSnapshot(bool notify, bool includeAnimated = false, float aspectRatio = 0.0f);
     void shareSnapshot(const QString& filename, const QUrl& href = QUrl(""));
 
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
index cf9bb45bc0..73ca149461 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ namespace render {
         if (avatarPtr->isInitialized() && args) {
             PROFILE_RANGE_BATCH(*args->_batch, "renderAvatarPayload");
             // TODO AVATARS_RENDERER: remove need for qApp
-            avatarPtr->render(args, qApp->getMain3DScene());
+            avatarPtr->render(args);
         }
     }
     template <> uint32_t metaFetchMetaSubItems(const AvatarSharedPointer& avatar, ItemIDs& subItems) {
@@ -579,7 +579,7 @@ void Avatar::postUpdate(float deltaTime) {
     }
 }
 
-void Avatar::render(RenderArgs* renderArgs, const render::ScenePointer& scene) {
+void Avatar::render(RenderArgs* renderArgs) {
     auto& batch = *renderArgs->_batch;
     PROFILE_RANGE_BATCH(batch, __FUNCTION__);
 
@@ -651,7 +651,7 @@ void Avatar::render(RenderArgs* renderArgs, const render::ScenePointer& scene) {
     float distanceToTarget = glm::length(toTarget);
 
     {
-        fixupModelsInScene(scene);
+        fixupModelsInScene(renderArgs->_scene);
 
         if (renderArgs->_renderMode != RenderArgs::SHADOW_RENDER_MODE) {
             // add local lights
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h
index 816e800641..50edb4e947 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ public:
     void simulate(float deltaTime, bool inView);
     virtual void simulateAttachments(float deltaTime);
 
-    virtual void render(RenderArgs* renderArgs, const render::ScenePointer& scene);
+    virtual void render(RenderArgs* renderArgs);
 
     void addToScene(AvatarSharedPointer self, std::shared_ptr<render::Scene> scene,
                             render::Transaction& transaction);
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index 1e491eaea2..8ff93660ac 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -752,13 +752,12 @@ controller::Pose MyAvatar::getRightHandTipPose() const {
 }
 
 // virtual
-void MyAvatar::render(RenderArgs* renderArgs, const render::ScenePointer& scene) {
+void MyAvatar::render(RenderArgs* renderArgs) {
     // don't render if we've been asked to disable local rendering
     if (!_shouldRender) {
         return; // exit early
     }
-
-    Avatar::render(renderArgs, scene);
+    Avatar::render(renderArgs);
 }
 
 void MyAvatar::overrideAnimation(const QString& url, float fps, bool loop, float firstFrame, float lastFrame) {
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
index 599411e38a..b5d26b435e 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ private:
 
     void simulate(float deltaTime);
     void updateFromTrackers(float deltaTime);
-    virtual void render(RenderArgs* renderArgs, const render::ScenePointer& scene) override;
+    virtual void render(RenderArgs* renderArgs) override;
     virtual bool shouldRenderHead(const RenderArgs* renderArgs) const override;
     void setShouldRenderLocally(bool shouldRender) { _shouldRender = shouldRender; setEnableMeshVisible(shouldRender); }
     bool getShouldRenderLocally() const { return _shouldRender; }
diff --git a/libraries/shared/src/RenderArgs.h b/libraries/shared/src/RenderArgs.h
index 29cd007a4c..10a9a20287 100644
--- a/libraries/shared/src/RenderArgs.h
+++ b/libraries/shared/src/RenderArgs.h
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@
 
 class AABox;
 class OctreeRenderer;
+namespace render {
+    class Scene;
+    using ScenePointer = std::shared_ptr<Scene>;
+}
 
 namespace gpu {
 class Batch;
@@ -126,6 +130,7 @@ public:
     bool _enableTexturing { true };
 
     RenderDetails _details;
+    render::ScenePointer _scene; // HACK
     int8_t _cameraMode { -1 }; // HACK
 };