diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index f6ec1242f2..d35a1a08f6 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -714,8 +714,12 @@ void MyAvatar::setEnableRigAnimations(bool isEnabled) {
 
 void MyAvatar::setEnableAnimGraph(bool isEnabled) {
     _rig->setEnableAnimGraph(isEnabled);
-    if (!isEnabled) {
-        // AJT: TODO: FIXME: currently setEnableAnimGraph menu item only works on startup
+    if (isEnabled) {
+        if (_skeletonModel.readyToAddToScene()) {
+            initAnimGraph();
+        }
+    } else {
+        destroyAnimGraph();
     }
 }
 
@@ -1234,6 +1238,20 @@ void MyAvatar::initHeadBones() {
     }
 }
 
+void MyAvatar::initAnimGraph() {
+    // https://gist.github.com/hyperlogic/7d6a0892a7319c69e2b9
+    // python2 -m SimpleHTTPServer&
+    //auto graphUrl = QUrl("http://localhost:8000/avatar.json");
+    auto graphUrl = QUrl("https://gist.githubusercontent.com/hyperlogic/7d6a0892a7319c69e2b9/raw/e2cb37aee601b6fba31d60eac3f6ae3ef72d4a66/avatar.json");
+    _skeletonModel.initAnimGraph(graphUrl, _skeletonModel.getGeometry()->getFBXGeometry());
+}
+
+void MyAvatar::destroyAnimGraph() {
+    _rig->destroyAnimGraph();
+    AnimDebugDraw::getInstance().removeSkeleton("myAvatar");
+    AnimDebugDraw::getInstance().removeAnimNode("myAvatar");
+}
+
 void MyAvatar::preRender(RenderArgs* renderArgs) {
 
     render::ScenePointer scene = Application::getInstance()->getMain3DScene();
@@ -1241,15 +1259,8 @@ void MyAvatar::preRender(RenderArgs* renderArgs) {
 
     if (_skeletonModel.initWhenReady(scene)) {
         initHeadBones();
-
         _skeletonModel.setCauterizeBoneSet(_headBoneSet);
-
-        // https://gist.github.com/hyperlogic/7d6a0892a7319c69e2b9
-        // python2 -m SimpleHTTPServer&
-        //auto graphUrl = QUrl("http://localhost:8000/avatar.json");
-        auto graphUrl = QUrl("https://gist.githubusercontent.com/hyperlogic/7d6a0892a7319c69e2b9/raw/e2cb37aee601b6fba31d60eac3f6ae3ef72d4a66/avatar.json");
-
-        _skeletonModel.initAnimGraph(graphUrl, _skeletonModel.getGeometry()->getFBXGeometry());
+        initAnimGraph();
     }
 
     if (_enableDebugDrawBindPose || _enableDebugDrawAnimPose) {
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
index 1774eec71f..83bfb0f808 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
@@ -291,6 +291,8 @@ private:
     void updateCollisionSound(const glm::vec3& penetration, float deltaTime, float frequency);
     void maybeUpdateBillboard();
     void initHeadBones();
+    void initAnimGraph();
+    void destroyAnimGraph();
 
     // Avatar Preferences
     QUrl _fullAvatarURLFromPreferences;
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp
index b4652d24ef..4abef61ddc 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp
@@ -187,12 +187,13 @@ void Rig::deleteAnimations() {
         removeAnimationHandle(animation);
     }
     _animationHandles.clear();
+    destroyAnimGraph();
+}
 
-    if (_enableAnimGraph) {
-        _animSkeleton = nullptr;
-        _animLoader = nullptr;
-        _animNode = nullptr;
-    }
+void Rig::destroyAnimGraph() {
+    _animSkeleton = nullptr;
+    _animLoader = nullptr;
+    _animNode = nullptr;
 }
 
 void Rig::initJointStates(QVector<JointState> states, glm::mat4 rootTransform,
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h
index 109605587e..c264d348f4 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ public:
     bool isRunningRole(const QString& role); // There can be multiple animations per role, so this is more general than isRunningAnimation.
     const QList<AnimationHandlePointer>& getRunningAnimations() const { return _runningAnimations; }
     void deleteAnimations();
+    void destroyAnimGraph();
     const QList<AnimationHandlePointer>& getAnimationHandles() const { return _animationHandles; }
     void startAnimation(const QString& url, float fps = 30.0f, float priority = 1.0f, bool loop = false,
                         bool hold = false, float firstFrame = 0.0f, float lastFrame = FLT_MAX, const QStringList& maskedJoints = QStringList());
@@ -193,8 +194,8 @@ public:
     QList<AnimationHandlePointer> _animationHandles;
     QList<AnimationHandlePointer> _runningAnimations;
 
-    bool _enableRig;
-    bool _enableAnimGraph;
+    bool _enableRig = false;
+    bool _enableAnimGraph = false;
     glm::vec3 _lastFront;
     glm::vec3 _lastPosition;