diff --git a/scripts/system/controllers/handControllerPointer.js b/scripts/system/controllers/handControllerPointer.js
index 5e8c0cb6ba..0623ddf100 100644
--- a/scripts/system/controllers/handControllerPointer.js
+++ b/scripts/system/controllers/handControllerPointer.js
@@ -489,9 +489,11 @@ function setColoredLaser() { // answer trigger state if lasers supported, else f
     var color = (activeTrigger.state === 'full') ? LASER_TRIGGER_COLOR_XYZW : LASER_SEARCH_COLOR_XYZW;
 
     if (!HMD.isHandControllerAvailable()) {
-        var position = MyAvatar.getHeadPosition();
-        var direction = Quat.getUp(Quat.multiply(MyAvatar.headOrientation, Quat.angleAxis(-90, { x: 1, y: 0, z: 0 })));
-        return HMD.setExtraLaser(position, true, color, direction);
+        // NOTE: keep this offset in sync with scripts/system/librarires/controllers.js:57
+        var VERTICAL_HEAD_LASER_OFFSET = 0.1;
+        var position = Vec3.sum(HMD.position, Vec3.multiplyQbyV(HMD.orientation, {x: 0, y: VERTICAL_HEAD_LASER_OFFSET, z: 0}));
+        var orientation = Quat.multiply(HMD.orientation, Quat.angleAxis(-90, { x: 1, y: 0, z: 0 }));
+        return HMD.setExtraLaser(position, true, color, Quat.getUp(orientation));
     }
 
     return HMD.setHandLasers(activeHudLaser, true, color, SYSTEM_LASER_DIRECTION) && activeTrigger.state;
diff --git a/scripts/system/libraries/controllers.js b/scripts/system/libraries/controllers.js
index 2e3a4a1e57..75bca34ed6 100644
--- a/scripts/system/libraries/controllers.js
+++ b/scripts/system/libraries/controllers.js
@@ -52,8 +52,10 @@ getControllerWorldLocation = function (handController, doOffset) {
         }
 
     } else if (!HMD.isHandControllerAvailable()) {
-        position = MyAvatar.getHeadPosition();
-        orientation = Quat.multiply(MyAvatar.headOrientation, Quat.angleAxis(-90, { x: 1, y: 0, z: 0 }));
+        // NOTE: keep this offset in sync with scripts/system/controllers/handControllerPointer.js:493
+        var VERTICAL_HEAD_LASER_OFFSET = 0.1;
+        position = Vec3.sum(Camera.position, Vec3.multiplyQbyV(Camera.orientation, {x: 0, y: VERTICAL_HEAD_LASER_OFFSET, z: 0}));
+        orientation = Quat.multiply(Camera.orientation, Quat.angleAxis(-90, { x: 1, y: 0, z: 0 }));
         valid = true;
     }