diff --git a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
index 5ea3b4c669..1afb92ef9a 100644
--- a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
+++ b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
@@ -867,9 +867,8 @@ void AvatarData::clearJointsData() {
     }
 }
 
-bool AvatarData::hasIdentityChangedAfterParsing(const QByteArray &packet) {
-    QDataStream packetStream(packet);
-    packetStream.skipRawData(numBytesForPacketHeader(packet));
+bool AvatarData::hasIdentityChangedAfterParsing(NLPacket& packet) {
+    QDataStream packetStream(&packet);
 
     QUuid avatarUUID;
     QUrl faceModelURL, skeletonModelURL;
@@ -911,8 +910,8 @@ QByteArray AvatarData::identityByteArray() {
     return identityData;
 }
 
-bool AvatarData::hasBillboardChangedAfterParsing(const QByteArray& packet) {
-    QByteArray newBillboard = packet.mid(numBytesForPacketHeader(packet));
+bool AvatarData::hasBillboardChangedAfterParsing(NLPacket& packet) {
+    QByteArray newBillboard = QByteArray(packet.getPayload());
     if (newBillboard == _billboard) {
         return false;
     }
diff --git a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h
index c482f52bf1..c826fd9f0e 100644
--- a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h
+++ b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ typedef unsigned long long quint64;
 #include <QReadWriteLock>
 
 #include <CollisionInfo.h>
+#include <NLPacket.h>
 #include <Node.h>
 #include <RegisteredMetaTypes.h>
 #include <SimpleMovingAverage.h>
@@ -260,10 +261,10 @@ public:
         return false;
     }
 
-    bool hasIdentityChangedAfterParsing(const QByteArray& packet);
+    bool hasIdentityChangedAfterParsing(NLPacket& packet);
     QByteArray identityByteArray();
     
-    bool hasBillboardChangedAfterParsing(const QByteArray& packet);
+    bool hasBillboardChangedAfterParsing(NLPacket& packet);
     
     const QUrl& getFaceModelURL() const { return _faceModelURL; }
     QString getFaceModelURLString() const { return _faceModelURL.toString(); }