diff --git a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlays.cpp b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlays.cpp
index b65fe6d286..d208658e8b 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlays.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlays.cpp
@@ -358,18 +358,19 @@ bool Overlays::isLoaded(unsigned int id) {
     return overlay->isLoaded();
 }
 
-float Overlays::textWidth(unsigned int id, const QString& text) {
-    if (_overlays2D.contains(id)) {
-        Overlay* thisOverlay = _overlays2D[id];
+const float Overlays::textWidth(unsigned int id, const QString& text) {
+    Overlay* thisOverlay = _overlays2D[id];
+    if (thisOverlay) {
         if (typeid(*thisOverlay) == typeid(TextOverlay)) {
             return static_cast<TextOverlay*>(thisOverlay)->textWidth(text);
         }
-    } 
-    if (_overlays3D.contains(id)) {
-        Overlay* thisOverlay = _overlays3D[id];
-        if (typeid(*thisOverlay) == typeid(Text3DOverlay)) {
-            return static_cast<Text3DOverlay*>(thisOverlay)->textWidth(text);
+    } else {
+        thisOverlay = _overlays3D[id];
+        if (thisOverlay) {
+            if (typeid(*thisOverlay) == typeid(Text3DOverlay)) {
+                return static_cast<Text3DOverlay*>(thisOverlay)->textWidth(text);
+            }
         }
     }
-    return 0.f;
+    return 0.0f;
 }
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlays.h b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlays.h
index dcda9a8ed7..4e11526f23 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlays.h
+++ b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlays.h
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ public slots:
 
     /// returns the width of the given text in the specified overlay if it is a text overlay: in pixels if it is a 2D text
     /// overlay; in meters if it is a 3D text overlay
-    float textWidth(unsigned int id, const QString& text);
+    const float textWidth(unsigned int id, const QString& text);
 
 private:
     QMap<unsigned int, Overlay*> _overlays2D;