diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 0f7155d4e1..d743c2a8c8 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -1617,6 +1617,13 @@ bool Application::isLookingAtMyAvatar(Avatar* avatar) {
     return false;
 }
 
+void Application::updateLOD() {
+    // adjust it unless we were asked to disable this feature
+    if (!Menu::getInstance()->isOptionChecked(MenuOption::DisableAutoAdjustLOD)) {
+        Menu::getInstance()->autoAdjustLOD(_fps);
+    }
+}
+
 void Application::updateMouseRay() {
 
     bool showWarnings = Menu::getInstance()->isOptionChecked(MenuOption::PipelineWarnings);
@@ -1857,6 +1864,8 @@ void Application::update(float deltaTime) {
     bool showWarnings = Menu::getInstance()->isOptionChecked(MenuOption::PipelineWarnings);
     PerformanceWarning warn(showWarnings, "Application::update()");
 
+    updateLOD();
+
     // check what's under the mouse and update the mouse voxel
     updateMouseRay();
 
@@ -2332,14 +2341,7 @@ void Application::displaySide(Camera& whichCamera, bool selfAvatarOnly) {
         if (Menu::getInstance()->isOptionChecked(MenuOption::Voxels)) {
             PerformanceWarning warn(Menu::getInstance()->isOptionChecked(MenuOption::PipelineWarnings),
                 "Application::displaySide() ... voxels...");
-
             _voxels.render();
-            
-            // double check that our LOD doesn't need to be auto-adjusted
-            // adjust it unless we were asked to disable this feature
-            if (!Menu::getInstance()->isOptionChecked(MenuOption::DisableAutoAdjustLOD)) {
-                Menu::getInstance()->autoAdjustLOD(_fps);
-            }
         }
 
         // also, metavoxels
diff --git a/interface/src/Application.h b/interface/src/Application.h
index 78826b4fd0..8c64da86b6 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.h
+++ b/interface/src/Application.h
@@ -284,6 +284,7 @@ private:
     void update(float deltaTime);
 
     // Various helper functions called during update()
+    void updateLOD();
     void updateMouseRay();
     void updateFaceshift();
     void updateVisage();
diff --git a/interface/src/Menu.h b/interface/src/Menu.h
index 9d4c7eaab9..e2e0d3895a 100644
--- a/interface/src/Menu.h
+++ b/interface/src/Menu.h
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ public:
     void autoAdjustLOD(float currentFPS);
     void setVoxelSizeScale(float sizeScale);
     float getVoxelSizeScale() const { return _voxelSizeScale; }
+    float getAvatarLODDistanceMultiplier() const { return DEFAULT_OCTREE_SIZE_SCALE / _voxelSizeScale; }
     void setBoundaryLevelAdjust(int boundaryLevelAdjust);
     int getBoundaryLevelAdjust() const { return _boundaryLevelAdjust; }
 
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
index 7ada8b0764..ef6975d223 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
@@ -112,7 +112,8 @@ glm::quat Avatar::getWorldAlignedOrientation () const {
 }
 
 float Avatar::getLODDistance() const {
-    return glm::distance(Application::getInstance()->getCamera()->getPosition(), _position) / _scale;
+    return Menu::getInstance()->getAvatarLODDistanceMultiplier() *
+        glm::distance(Application::getInstance()->getCamera()->getPosition(), _position) / _scale;
 }
 
 void Avatar::simulate(float deltaTime) {
@@ -305,13 +306,11 @@ glm::quat Avatar::computeRotationFromBodyToWorldUp(float proportion) const {
 }
 
 void Avatar::renderBody() {    
-    if (_shouldRenderBillboard) {
+    if (_shouldRenderBillboard || !(_skeletonModel.isRenderable() && getHead()->getFaceModel().isRenderable())) {
+        // render the billboard until both models are loaded
         renderBillboard();
         return;
     }
-    if (!(_skeletonModel.isRenderable() && getHead()->getFaceModel().isRenderable())) {
-        return; // wait until both models are loaded
-    }
     _skeletonModel.render(1.0f);
     getHead()->render(1.0f);
     getHand()->render(false);
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/GeometryCache.cpp b/interface/src/renderer/GeometryCache.cpp
index 170ebc60e5..5b13e2da42 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/GeometryCache.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/GeometryCache.cpp
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ class GeometryReader : public QRunnable {
 public:
 
     GeometryReader(const QWeakPointer<Resource>& geometry, const QUrl& url,
-        const QByteArray& data, const QVariantHash& mapping);
+        QNetworkReply* reply, const QVariantHash& mapping);
 
     virtual void run();
 
@@ -458,40 +458,41 @@ private:
      
     QWeakPointer<Resource> _geometry;
     QUrl _url;
-    QByteArray _data;
+    QNetworkReply* _reply;
     QVariantHash _mapping;
 };
 
 GeometryReader::GeometryReader(const QWeakPointer<Resource>& geometry, const QUrl& url,
-        const QByteArray& data, const QVariantHash& mapping) :
+        QNetworkReply* reply, const QVariantHash& mapping) :
     _geometry(geometry),
     _url(url),
-    _data(data),
+    _reply(reply),
     _mapping(mapping) {
 }
 
 void GeometryReader::run() {
     QSharedPointer<Resource> geometry = _geometry.toStrongRef();
     if (geometry.isNull()) {
+        _reply->deleteLater();
         return;
     }
     try {
         QMetaObject::invokeMethod(geometry.data(), "setGeometry", Q_ARG(const FBXGeometry&,
-            _url.path().toLower().endsWith(".svo") ? readSVO(_data) : readFBX(_data, _mapping)));
+            _url.path().toLower().endsWith(".svo") ? readSVO(_reply->readAll()) : readFBX(_reply->readAll(), _mapping)));
         
     } catch (const QString& error) {
         qDebug() << "Error reading " << _url << ": " << error;
         QMetaObject::invokeMethod(geometry.data(), "finishedLoading", Q_ARG(bool, false));
     }
+    _reply->deleteLater();
 }
 
 void NetworkGeometry::downloadFinished(QNetworkReply* reply) {
     QUrl url = reply->url();
-    QByteArray data = reply->readAll();
-    
     if (url.path().toLower().endsWith(".fst")) {
         // it's a mapping file; parse it and get the mesh filename
-        _mapping = readMapping(data);
+        _mapping = readMapping(reply->readAll());
+        reply->deleteLater();
         QString filename = _mapping.value("filename").toString();
         if (filename.isNull()) {
             qDebug() << "Mapping file " << url << " has no filename.";
@@ -525,7 +526,7 @@ void NetworkGeometry::downloadFinished(QNetworkReply* reply) {
     }
     
     // send the reader off to the thread pool
-    QThreadPool::globalInstance()->start(new GeometryReader(_self, url, data, _mapping));
+    QThreadPool::globalInstance()->start(new GeometryReader(_self, url, reply, _mapping));
 }
 
 void NetworkGeometry::setGeometry(const FBXGeometry& geometry) {
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/TextureCache.cpp b/interface/src/renderer/TextureCache.cpp
index 794516f7b7..dcaf059714 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/TextureCache.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/TextureCache.cpp
@@ -273,27 +273,28 @@ NetworkTexture::NetworkTexture(const QUrl& url, bool normalMap) :
 class ImageReader : public QRunnable {
 public:
 
-    ImageReader(const QWeakPointer<Resource>& texture, const QByteArray& data);
+    ImageReader(const QWeakPointer<Resource>& texture, QNetworkReply* reply);
     
     virtual void run();
 
 private:
     
     QWeakPointer<Resource> _texture;
-    QByteArray _data;
+    QNetworkReply* _reply;
 };
 
-ImageReader::ImageReader(const QWeakPointer<Resource>& texture, const QByteArray& data) :
+ImageReader::ImageReader(const QWeakPointer<Resource>& texture, QNetworkReply* reply) :
     _texture(texture),
-    _data(data) {
+    _reply(reply) {
 }
 
 void ImageReader::run() {
     QSharedPointer<Resource> texture = _texture.toStrongRef();
     if (texture.isNull()) {
+        _reply->deleteLater();
         return;
     }
-    QImage image = QImage::fromData(_data);
+    QImage image = QImage::fromData(_reply->readAll());
     if (image.format() != QImage::Format_ARGB32) {
         image = image.convertToFormat(QImage::Format_ARGB32);
     }
@@ -320,11 +321,12 @@ void ImageReader::run() {
     QMetaObject::invokeMethod(texture.data(), "setImage", Q_ARG(const QImage&, image),
         Q_ARG(const glm::vec4&, accumulated / (imageArea * EIGHT_BIT_MAXIMUM)),
         Q_ARG(bool, translucentPixels >= imageArea / 2));
+    _reply->deleteLater();
 }
 
 void NetworkTexture::downloadFinished(QNetworkReply* reply) {
     // send the reader off to the thread pool
-    QThreadPool::globalInstance()->start(new ImageReader(_self, reply->readAll()));
+    QThreadPool::globalInstance()->start(new ImageReader(_self, reply));
 }
 
 void NetworkTexture::setImage(const QImage& image, const glm::vec4& averageColor, bool translucent) {
diff --git a/libraries/metavoxels/src/ScriptCache.cpp b/libraries/metavoxels/src/ScriptCache.cpp
index fd58f5b6f3..702a36de2a 100644
--- a/libraries/metavoxels/src/ScriptCache.cpp
+++ b/libraries/metavoxels/src/ScriptCache.cpp
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ NetworkProgram::NetworkProgram(ScriptCache* cache, const QUrl& url) :
 
 void NetworkProgram::downloadFinished(QNetworkReply* reply) {
     _program = QScriptProgram(QTextStream(reply).readAll(), reply->url().toString());
+    reply->deleteLater();
     finishedLoading(true);
     emit loaded();
 }
diff --git a/libraries/octree/src/Octree.cpp b/libraries/octree/src/Octree.cpp
index 0847590720..05760ef675 100644
--- a/libraries/octree/src/Octree.cpp
+++ b/libraries/octree/src/Octree.cpp
@@ -39,12 +39,13 @@ float boundaryDistanceForRenderLevel(unsigned int renderLevel, float voxelSizeSc
 }
 
 Octree::Octree(bool shouldReaverage) :
+    _rootNode(NULL),
     _isDirty(true),
     _shouldReaverage(shouldReaverage),
     _stopImport(false),
-    _lock(QReadWriteLock::Recursive) {
-    _rootNode = NULL;
-    _isViewing = false;
+    _lock(),
+    _isViewing(false) 
+{
 }
 
 Octree::~Octree() {
@@ -552,10 +553,7 @@ OctreeElement* Octree::getOctreeElementAt(float x, float y, float z, float s) co
 
 
 OctreeElement* Octree::getOrCreateChildElementAt(float x, float y, float z, float s) {
-    lockForWrite();
-    OctreeElement* result = getRoot()->getOrCreateChildElementAt(x, y, z, s);
-    unlock();
-    return result;
+    return getRoot()->getOrCreateChildElementAt(x, y, z, s);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/libraries/particles/src/Particle.cpp b/libraries/particles/src/Particle.cpp
index b493ec6bc7..d9f0beb81a 100644
--- a/libraries/particles/src/Particle.cpp
+++ b/libraries/particles/src/Particle.cpp
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ Particle Particle::fromEditPacket(const unsigned char* data, int length, int& pr
 
     } else {
         // look up the existing particle
-        const Particle* existingParticle = tree->findParticleByID(editID);
+        const Particle* existingParticle = tree->findParticleByID(editID, true);
 
         // copy existing properties before over-writing with new properties
         if (existingParticle) {
diff --git a/libraries/particles/src/ParticleTree.cpp b/libraries/particles/src/ParticleTree.cpp
index 30270b8fcf..a254305789 100644
--- a/libraries/particles/src/ParticleTree.cpp
+++ b/libraries/particles/src/ParticleTree.cpp
@@ -370,12 +370,16 @@ bool ParticleTree::findByIDOperation(OctreeElement* element, void* extraData) {
 }
 
 
-const Particle* ParticleTree::findParticleByID(uint32_t id) {
+const Particle* ParticleTree::findParticleByID(uint32_t id, bool alreadyLocked) {
     FindByIDArgs args = { id, false, NULL };
 
-    lockForRead();
+    if (!alreadyLocked) {
+        lockForRead();
+    }
     recurseTreeWithOperation(findByIDOperation, &args);
-    unlock();
+    if (!alreadyLocked) {
+        unlock();
+    }
     return args.foundParticle;
 }
 
@@ -455,6 +459,7 @@ bool ParticleTree::pruneOperation(OctreeElement* element, void* extraData) {
 }
 
 void ParticleTree::update() {
+    lockForWrite();
     _isDirty = true;
 
     ParticleTreeUpdateArgs args = { };
@@ -469,9 +474,7 @@ void ParticleTree::update() {
         AABox treeBounds = getRoot()->getAABox();
 
         if (!shouldDie && treeBounds.contains(args._movingParticles[i].getPosition())) {
-            lockForWrite();
             storeParticle(args._movingParticles[i]);
-            unlock();
         } else {
             uint32_t particleID = args._movingParticles[i].getID();
             quint64 deletedAt = usecTimestampNow();
@@ -482,7 +485,6 @@ void ParticleTree::update() {
     }
 
     // prune the tree...
-    lockForWrite();
     recurseTreeWithOperation(pruneOperation, NULL);
     unlock();
 }
diff --git a/libraries/particles/src/ParticleTree.h b/libraries/particles/src/ParticleTree.h
index 08e8e51a05..f3b8f5183d 100644
--- a/libraries/particles/src/ParticleTree.h
+++ b/libraries/particles/src/ParticleTree.h
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ public:
     void addParticle(const ParticleID& particleID, const ParticleProperties& properties);
     void deleteParticle(const ParticleID& particleID);
     const Particle* findClosestParticle(glm::vec3 position, float targetRadius);
-    const Particle* findParticleByID(uint32_t id);
+    const Particle* findParticleByID(uint32_t id, bool alreadyLocked = false);
 
     /// finds all particles that touch a sphere
     /// \param center the center of the sphere
diff --git a/libraries/particles/src/ParticlesScriptingInterface.cpp b/libraries/particles/src/ParticlesScriptingInterface.cpp
index c2376e8d72..a25dde1b9e 100644
--- a/libraries/particles/src/ParticlesScriptingInterface.cpp
+++ b/libraries/particles/src/ParticlesScriptingInterface.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,9 @@ ParticleID ParticlesScriptingInterface::addParticle(const ParticleProperties& pr
 
     // If we have a local particle tree set, then also update it.
     if (_particleTree) {
+        _particleTree->lockForWrite();
         _particleTree->addParticle(id, properties);
+        _particleTree->unlock();
     }
 
     return id;
@@ -64,7 +66,7 @@ ParticleProperties ParticlesScriptingInterface::getParticleProperties(ParticleID
     }
     if (_particleTree) {
         _particleTree->lockForRead();
-        const Particle* particle = _particleTree->findParticleByID(identity.id);
+        const Particle* particle = _particleTree->findParticleByID(identity.id, true);
         if (particle) {
             results.copyFromParticle(*particle);
         } else {
diff --git a/libraries/shared/src/ResourceCache.cpp b/libraries/shared/src/ResourceCache.cpp
index 90dc5961dc..bd08b240c5 100644
--- a/libraries/shared/src/ResourceCache.cpp
+++ b/libraries/shared/src/ResourceCache.cpp
@@ -161,7 +161,6 @@ void Resource::handleDownloadProgress(qint64 bytesReceived, qint64 bytesTotal) {
         return;
     }
     _reply->disconnect(this);
-    _reply->deleteLater();
     QNetworkReply* reply = _reply;
     _reply = NULL;
     ResourceCache::requestCompleted();
diff --git a/libraries/shared/src/ResourceCache.h b/libraries/shared/src/ResourceCache.h
index eae5e752e2..c77318aac2 100644
--- a/libraries/shared/src/ResourceCache.h
+++ b/libraries/shared/src/ResourceCache.h
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ protected slots:
 
 protected:
 
+    /// Called when the download has finished.  The recipient should delete the reply when done with it.
     virtual void downloadFinished(QNetworkReply* reply) = 0;
 
     /// Should be called by subclasses when all the loading that will be done has been done.