diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
index 5f206fb6ed..39ce97c8eb 100755
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
@@ -105,7 +105,8 @@ Avatar::Avatar(Node* owningNode) :
     _initialized(false),
     _handHoldingPosition(0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f),
     _maxArmLength(0.0f),
-    _pelvisStandingHeight(0.0f)
+    _pelvisStandingHeight(0.0f),
+    _moving(false)
 {
     // give the pointer to our head to inherited _headData variable from AvatarData
     _headData = &_head;
@@ -695,6 +696,10 @@ float Avatar::getBallRenderAlpha(int ball, bool lookingInMirror) const {
 }
 
 void Avatar::renderBody(bool lookingInMirror, bool renderAvatarBalls) {
+
+    // glow when moving
+    Glower glower(_moving ? 1.0f : 0.0f);
+    
     if (_head.getFace().isFullFrame()) {
         //  Render the full-frame video
         float alpha = getBallRenderAlpha(BODY_BALL_HEAD_BASE, lookingInMirror);
@@ -793,6 +798,14 @@ void Avatar::getBodyBallTransform(AvatarJointID jointID, glm::vec3& position, gl
     rotation = _bodyBall[jointID].rotation;
 }
 
+int Avatar::parseData(unsigned char* sourceBuffer, int numBytes) {
+    // change in position implies movement
+    glm::vec3 oldPosition = _position;
+    AvatarData::parseData(sourceBuffer, numBytes);
+    const float MOVE_DISTANCE_THRESHOLD = 0.001f;
+    _moving = glm::distance(oldPosition, _position) > MOVE_DISTANCE_THRESHOLD;
+}
+
 void Avatar::saveData(QSettings* set) {
     set->beginGroup("Avatar");
     
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h
index eb7a7851d0..4048f15d0f 100755
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h
@@ -164,6 +164,8 @@ public:
     // Get the position/rotation of a single body ball
     void getBodyBallTransform(AvatarJointID jointID, glm::vec3& position, glm::quat& rotation) const;
 
+    virtual int parseData(unsigned char* sourceBuffer, int numBytes);
+
     static void renderJointConnectingCone(glm::vec3 position1, glm::vec3 position2, float radius1, float radius2);
     
 public slots:
@@ -219,6 +221,8 @@ protected:
     float _stringLength;
     AvatarVoxelSystem _voxels;
 
+    bool _moving; ///< set when position is changing
+
     // protected methods...
     glm::vec3 getBodyRightDirection() const { return getOrientation() * IDENTITY_RIGHT; }
     glm::vec3 getBodyUpDirection() const { return getOrientation() * IDENTITY_UP; }
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index 00898da333..175b38378d 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -318,6 +318,10 @@ void MyAvatar::simulate(float deltaTime, Transmitter* transmitter, float gyroCam
         _mode = AVATAR_MODE_INTERACTING;
     }
     
+    // update moving flag based on speed
+    const float MOVING_SPEED_THRESHOLD = 0.01f;
+    _moving = _speed > MOVING_SPEED_THRESHOLD;
+    
     // update position by velocity, and subtract the change added earlier for gravity 
     _position += _velocity * deltaTime;
     
@@ -511,7 +515,13 @@ void MyAvatar::renderBody(bool lookingInMirror, bool renderAvatarBalls) {
 
     if (Application::getInstance()->getCamera()->getMode() == CAMERA_MODE_FIRST_PERSON) {
         // Dont display body
-    } else if (_head.getFace().isFullFrame()) {
+        return;
+    }
+    
+    // glow when moving
+    Glower glower(_moving ? 1.0f : 0.0f);
+    
+    if (_head.getFace().isFullFrame()) {
         //  Render the full-frame video
         float alpha = getBallRenderAlpha(BODY_BALL_HEAD_BASE, lookingInMirror);
         if (alpha > 0.0f) {
@@ -1032,4 +1042,4 @@ void MyAvatar::setOrientation(const glm::quat& orientation) {
 
 void MyAvatar::setNewScale(const float scale) {
     _newScale = scale;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/GlowEffect.cpp b/interface/src/renderer/GlowEffect.cpp
index 782bda2a06..24936b85d3 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/GlowEffect.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/GlowEffect.cpp
@@ -73,10 +73,11 @@ void GlowEffect::begin(float intensity) {
     // store the current intensity and add the new amount
     _intensityStack.push(_intensity);
     glBlendColor(0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, _intensity += intensity);
-    _isEmpty = false;
+    _isEmpty &= (_intensity == 0.0f);
 }
 
 void GlowEffect::end() {
+    // restore the saved intensity
     glBlendColor(0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, _intensity = _intensityStack.pop());
 }
 
@@ -270,3 +271,12 @@ void GlowEffect::cycleRenderMode() {
             break;
     }
 }
+
+Glower::Glower(float amount) {
+    Application::getInstance()->getGlowEffect()->begin(amount);
+}
+
+Glower::~Glower() {
+    Application::getInstance()->getGlowEffect()->end();
+}
+
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/GlowEffect.h b/interface/src/renderer/GlowEffect.h
index 81acd0c108..37765d18ba 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/GlowEffect.h
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/GlowEffect.h
@@ -69,4 +69,12 @@ private:
     QStack<float> _intensityStack;
 };
 
+/// RAII-style glow handler.  Applies glow when in scope.
+class Glower {
+public:
+    
+    Glower(float amount = 1.0f);
+    ~Glower();
+};
+
 #endif /* defined(__interface__GlowEffect__) */