diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.cpp b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.cpp
index 83cf6ec5d6..938fbe12ac 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.cpp
@@ -884,7 +884,24 @@ void EntityItem::simulate(const quint64& now) {
 }
 
 bool EntityItem::stepKinematicMotion(float timeElapsed) {
+    // get all the data
+    Transform transform;
+    glm::vec3 linearVelocity;
+    glm::vec3 angularVelocity;
+    getLocalTransformAndVelocities(transform, linearVelocity, angularVelocity);
+
+    // find out if it is moving
+    bool isSpinning = (glm::length2(angularVelocity) > 0.0f);
+    float linearSpeedSquared = glm::length2(linearVelocity);
+    bool isTranslating = linearSpeedSquared > 0.0f;
+    bool moving = isTranslating || isSpinning;
+    if (!moving) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
     if (timeElapsed <= 0.0f) {
+        // someone gave us a useless time value so bail early
+        // but return 'true' because it is moving
         return true;
     }
 
@@ -894,13 +911,7 @@ bool EntityItem::stepKinematicMotion(float timeElapsed) {
     }
     timeElapsed = glm::min(timeElapsed, MAX_TIME_ELAPSED);
 
-    Transform transform;
-    glm::vec3 linearVelocity;
-    glm::vec3 angularVelocity;
-    getLocalTransformAndVelocities(transform, linearVelocity, angularVelocity);
-
-    bool moving = false;
-    if (glm::length2(angularVelocity) > 0.0f) {
+    if (isSpinning) {
         // angular damping
         if (_angularDamping > 0.0f) {
             angularVelocity *= powf(1.0f - _angularDamping, timeElapsed);
@@ -922,14 +933,12 @@ bool EntityItem::stepKinematicMotion(float timeElapsed) {
             }
             transform.setRotation(rotation);
         }
-        moving = true;
     }
 
     glm::vec3 position = transform.getTranslation();
-    float linearSpeedSquared = glm::length2(linearVelocity);
     const float MIN_KINEMATIC_LINEAR_SPEED_SQUARED =
         KINEMATIC_LINEAR_SPEED_THRESHOLD * KINEMATIC_LINEAR_SPEED_THRESHOLD;
-    if (linearSpeedSquared > 0.0f) {
+    if (isTranslating) {
         glm::vec3 deltaVelocity = Vectors::ZERO;
 
         // linear damping
@@ -971,14 +980,12 @@ bool EntityItem::stepKinematicMotion(float timeElapsed) {
                 linearVelocity += deltaVelocity;
             }
         }
-        moving = true;
     }
 
-    if (moving) {
-        transform.setTranslation(position);
-        setLocalTransformAndVelocities(transform, linearVelocity, angularVelocity);
-    }
-    return moving;
+    transform.setTranslation(position);
+    setLocalTransformAndVelocities(transform, linearVelocity, angularVelocity);
+
+    return true;
 }
 
 bool EntityItem::isMoving() const {
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntitySimulation.cpp b/libraries/entities/src/EntitySimulation.cpp
index 7eed6d1c1a..524f52e815 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntitySimulation.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntitySimulation.cpp
@@ -74,13 +74,18 @@ void EntitySimulation::addEntityInternal(EntityItemPointer entity) {
     if (entity->isMovingRelativeToParent() && !entity->getPhysicsInfo()) {
         QMutexLocker lock(&_mutex);
         _simpleKinematicEntities.insert(entity);
+        entity->setLastSimulated(usecTimestampNow());
     }
 }
 
 void EntitySimulation::changeEntityInternal(EntityItemPointer entity) {
     QMutexLocker lock(&_mutex);
     if (entity->isMovingRelativeToParent() && !entity->getPhysicsInfo()) {
+        int numKinematicEntities = _simpleKinematicEntities.size();
         _simpleKinematicEntities.insert(entity);
+        if (numKinematicEntities != _simpleKinematicEntities.size()) {
+            entity->setLastSimulated(usecTimestampNow());
+        }
     } else {
         _simpleKinematicEntities.remove(entity);
     }