diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
index 131eb4d37f..b97a50ce46 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
@@ -338,12 +338,12 @@ bool Avatar::findSphereCollision(const glm::vec3& sphereCenter, float sphereRadi
 
 void Avatar::setFaceModelURL(const QUrl &faceModelURL) {
     AvatarData::setFaceModelURL(faceModelURL);
-    _head.getFaceModel().setURL(faceModelURL);
+    _head.getFaceModel().setURL(_faceModelURL);
 }
 
 void Avatar::setSkeletonModelURL(const QUrl &skeletonModelURL) {
     AvatarData::setSkeletonModelURL(skeletonModelURL);
-    _skeletonModel.setURL(skeletonModelURL);
+    _skeletonModel.setURL(_skeletonModelURL);
 }
 
 int Avatar::parseData(const QByteArray& packet) {
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index 98eb9a4431..87d825e6e5 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -637,7 +637,7 @@ void MyAvatar::loadData(QSettings* settings) {
     Application::getInstance()->getCamera()->setScale(_scale);
     
     setFaceModelURL(settings->value("faceModelURL").toUrl());
-    setSkeletonModelURL(settings->value("skeletonModelURL").toUrl());
+    setSkeletonModelURL(settings->value("faceModelURL").toUrl());
 
     settings->endGroup();
 }
diff --git a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
index b2cd1cf076..a3f1897a04 100644
--- a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
+++ b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
@@ -300,14 +300,20 @@ QByteArray AvatarData::identityByteArray() {
     return identityData;
 }
 
+const QUrl DEFAULT_HEAD_MODEL_URL = QUrl("https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/highfidelity-public/meshes/defaultAvatar_head.fbx");
+
 void AvatarData::setFaceModelURL(const QUrl& faceModelURL) {
-    qDebug() << "Changing face model for avatar to" << faceModelURL.toString();
-    _faceModelURL = faceModelURL;
+    _faceModelURL = faceModelURL.isEmpty() ? DEFAULT_HEAD_MODEL_URL : faceModelURL;
+    
+    qDebug() << "Changing face model for avatar to" << _faceModelURL.toString();
 }
 
+const QUrl DEFAULT_BODY_MODEL_URL = QUrl("https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/highfidelity-public/meshes/defaultAvatar_body.fbx");
+
 void AvatarData::setSkeletonModelURL(const QUrl& skeletonModelURL) {
-    qDebug() << "Changing skeleton model for avatar to" << skeletonModelURL.toString();
-    _skeletonModelURL = skeletonModelURL;
+    _skeletonModelURL = skeletonModelURL.isEmpty() ? DEFAULT_BODY_MODEL_URL : skeletonModelURL;
+    
+    qDebug() << "Changing skeleton model for avatar to" << _skeletonModelURL.toString();
 }
 
 void AvatarData::setClampedTargetScale(float targetScale) {