diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/FaceModel.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/FaceModel.cpp
index f909489dc9..066144a425 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/FaceModel.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/FaceModel.cpp
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ void FaceModel::simulate(float deltaTime, bool fullUpdate) {
         setOffset(-_geometry->getFBXGeometry().neckPivot);
 
         for (int i = 0; i < _rig->getJointStateCount(); i++) {
-            updateJointState(i);
+            maybeUpdateNeckAndEyeRotation(i);
         }
 
         Model::simulateInternal(deltaTime);
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ void FaceModel::maybeUpdateEyeRotation(Model* model, const JointState& parentSta
                                              joint.rotation, DEFAULT_PRIORITY);
 }
 
-void FaceModel::updateJointState(int index) {
+void FaceModel::maybeUpdateNeckAndEyeRotation(int index) {
     const JointState& state = _rig->getJointState(index);
     const FBXJoint& joint = state.getFBXJoint();
     const FBXGeometry& geometry = _geometry->getFBXGeometry();
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/FaceModel.h b/interface/src/avatar/FaceModel.h
index 40f502f2d3..54d685c73c 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/FaceModel.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/FaceModel.h
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ public:
 
     void maybeUpdateNeckRotation(const JointState& parentState, const FBXJoint& joint, int index);
     void maybeUpdateEyeRotation(Model* model, const JointState& parentState, const FBXJoint& joint, int index);
-    void updateJointState(int index);
+    void maybeUpdateNeckAndEyeRotation(int index);
 
     /// Retrieve the positions of up to two eye meshes.
     /// \return whether or not both eye meshes were found
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp
index 3830360c0e..1b3298c75d 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp
@@ -83,29 +83,6 @@ void SkeletonModel::initJointStates(QVector<JointState> states) {
 const float PALM_PRIORITY = DEFAULT_PRIORITY;
 const float LEAN_PRIORITY = DEFAULT_PRIORITY;
 
-
-void SkeletonModel::updateClusterMatrices() {
-    const FBXGeometry& geometry = _geometry->getFBXGeometry();
-    glm::mat4 modelToWorld = glm::mat4_cast(_rotation);
-    for (int i = 0; i < _meshStates.size(); i++) {
-        MeshState& state = _meshStates[i];
-        const FBXMesh& mesh = geometry.meshes.at(i);
-        if (_showTrueJointTransforms) {
-            for (int j = 0; j < mesh.clusters.size(); j++) {
-                const FBXCluster& cluster = mesh.clusters.at(j);
-                state.clusterMatrices[j] =
-                    modelToWorld * _rig->getJointTransform(cluster.jointIndex) * cluster.inverseBindMatrix;
-            }
-        } else {
-            for (int j = 0; j < mesh.clusters.size(); j++) {
-                const FBXCluster& cluster = mesh.clusters.at(j);
-                state.clusterMatrices[j] =
-                    modelToWorld * _rig->getJointVisibleTransform(cluster.jointIndex) * cluster.inverseBindMatrix;
-            }
-        }
-    }
-}
-
 void SkeletonModel::updateRig(float deltaTime, glm::mat4 parentTransform) {
     _rig->computeMotionAnimationState(deltaTime, _owningAvatar->getPosition(), _owningAvatar->getVelocity(), _owningAvatar->getOrientation());
     Model::updateRig(deltaTime, parentTransform);
@@ -264,16 +241,6 @@ void SkeletonModel::applyPalmData(int jointIndex, PalmData& palm) {
     }
 }
 
-void SkeletonModel::updateJointState(int index) {
-    const FBXGeometry& geometry = _geometry->getFBXGeometry();
-    glm::mat4 parentTransform = glm::scale(_scale) * glm::translate(_offset) * geometry.offset;
-
-    _rig->updateJointState(index, parentTransform);
-
-    if (index == _geometry->getFBXGeometry().rootJointIndex) {
-        _rig->clearJointTransformTranslation(index);
-    }
-}
 void SkeletonModel::renderJointConstraints(gpu::Batch& batch, int jointIndex) {
     if (jointIndex == -1 || jointIndex >= _rig->getJointStateCount()) {
         return;
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.h b/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.h
index a089c7b6ef..ecc5c80118 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.h
@@ -117,19 +117,6 @@ protected:
     void applyHandPosition(int jointIndex, const glm::vec3& position);
 
     void applyPalmData(int jointIndex, PalmData& palm);
-
-    /// Updates the state of the joint at the specified index.
-    virtual void updateJointState(int index);
-
-    void maybeUpdateLeanRotation(const JointState& parentState, int index);
-    void maybeUpdateNeckRotation(const JointState& parentState, const FBXJoint& joint, int index);
-    void maybeUpdateEyeRotation(const JointState& parentState, const FBXJoint& joint, int index);
-
-    void updateClusterMatrices();
-    void cauterizeHead();
-    void initHeadBones();
-    void invalidateHeadBones();
-
 private:
 
     void renderJointConstraints(gpu::Batch& batch, int jointIndex);
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/AvatarRig.cpp b/libraries/animation/src/AvatarRig.cpp
index 3b48b0814f..919ea43e7d 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/AvatarRig.cpp
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/AvatarRig.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ void AvatarRig::updateJointState(int index, glm::mat4 parentTransform) {
     int parentIndex = joint.parentIndex;
     if (parentIndex == -1) {
         state.computeTransform(parentTransform);
+        clearJointTransformTranslation(index);
     } else {
         // guard against out-of-bounds access to _jointStates
         if (joint.parentIndex >= 0 && joint.parentIndex < _jointStates.size()) {
diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp b/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp
index ec423f7091..72bc818b70 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp
@@ -1375,7 +1375,7 @@ void Model::simulateInternal(float deltaTime) {
             }
         }
     }
-    
+
     // post the blender if we're not currently waiting for one to finish
     if (geometry.hasBlendedMeshes() && _blendshapeCoefficients != _blendedBlendshapeCoefficients) {
         _blendedBlendshapeCoefficients = _blendshapeCoefficients;
@@ -1383,12 +1383,6 @@ void Model::simulateInternal(float deltaTime) {
     }
 }
 
-void Model::updateJointState(int index) {
-    const FBXGeometry& geometry = _geometry->getFBXGeometry();
-    glm::mat4 parentTransform = glm::scale(_scale) * glm::translate(_offset) * geometry.offset;
-    _rig->updateJointState(index, parentTransform);
-}
-
 bool Model::setJointPosition(int jointIndex, const glm::vec3& position, const glm::quat& rotation, bool useRotation,
                              int lastFreeIndex, bool allIntermediatesFree, const glm::vec3& alignment, float priority) {
     const FBXGeometry& geometry = _geometry->getFBXGeometry();
diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.h b/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.h
index 449cd42a25..09504c7501 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.h
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.h
@@ -276,9 +276,6 @@ protected:
     void simulateInternal(float deltaTime);
     virtual void updateRig(float deltaTime, glm::mat4 parentTransform);
 
-    /// Updates the state of the joint at the specified index.
-    virtual void updateJointState(int index);
-
     /// \param jointIndex index of joint in model structure
     /// \param position position of joint in model-frame
     /// \param rotation rotation of joint in model-frame