diff --git a/libraries/particles/src/Particle.cpp b/libraries/particles/src/Particle.cpp
index dcb344f164..a6d0a0ded7 100644
--- a/libraries/particles/src/Particle.cpp
+++ b/libraries/particles/src/Particle.cpp
@@ -475,15 +475,13 @@ void Particle::adjustEditPacketForClockSkew(unsigned char* codeColorBuffer, ssiz
 }
 
 
-void Particle::update() {
-    uint64_t now = usecTimestampNow();
-    float elapsed = static_cast<float>(now - _lastUpdated);
+void Particle::update(const uint64_t& now) {
+    float timeElapsed = (float)(now - _lastUpdated) / (float)(USECS_PER_SECOND);
     _lastUpdated = now;
-    float timeElapsed = elapsed / static_cast<float>(USECS_PER_SECOND);
 
     // calculate our default shouldDie state... then allow script to change it if it wants...
     float velocityScalar = glm::length(getVelocity());
-    const float STILL_MOVING = 0.05f / static_cast<float>(TREE_SCALE);
+    const float STILL_MOVING = 0.05f / (float)(TREE_SCALE);
     bool isStillMoving = (velocityScalar > STILL_MOVING);
     const float REALLY_OLD = 30.0f; // 30 seconds
     bool isReallyOld = (getLifetime() > REALLY_OLD);
diff --git a/libraries/particles/src/Particle.h b/libraries/particles/src/Particle.h
index 2c112daeeb..d53c7b9c40 100644
--- a/libraries/particles/src/Particle.h
+++ b/libraries/particles/src/Particle.h
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ public:
 
     static void adjustEditPacketForClockSkew(unsigned char* codeColorBuffer, ssize_t length, int clockSkew);
 
-    void update();
+    void update(const uint64_t& now);
     void collisionWithParticle(Particle* other);
     void collisionWithVoxel(VoxelDetail* voxel);
 
diff --git a/libraries/particles/src/ParticleTreeElement.cpp b/libraries/particles/src/ParticleTreeElement.cpp
index 525f567ed4..101c6f6c47 100644
--- a/libraries/particles/src/ParticleTreeElement.cpp
+++ b/libraries/particles/src/ParticleTreeElement.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ void ParticleTreeElement::update(ParticleTreeUpdateArgs& args) {
     QList<Particle>::iterator particleItr = _particles->begin();
     while(particleItr != _particles->end()) {
         Particle& particle = (*particleItr);
-        particle.update();
+        particle.update(_lastChanged);
 
         // If the particle wants to die, or if it's left our bounding box, then move it
         // into the arguments moving particles. These will be added back or deleted completely