diff --git a/examples/avatarLocalLight.js b/examples/avatarLocalLight.js
index 225ed4d755..025196e0b0 100644
--- a/examples/avatarLocalLight.js
+++ b/examples/avatarLocalLight.js
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ var currentSelection = 0;
 var currentNumLights = 1;
 var maxNumLights = 2;
 var currentNumAvatars = 0;
-var avatarHashIDs = [];
 
 function keyPressEvent(event) {
 
@@ -142,23 +141,14 @@ function updateLocalLights()
 	// new avatars, so add lights
 	var numAvatars = AvatarManager.getNumAvatars();
 	if (numAvatars != currentNumAvatars) {
-		
+			
 		for (var i = 0; i < numAvatars; i++) {
 			var id = AvatarManager.getAvatarHashKey(i);
 			
-			// check if avatar has already been registered
-			var hasRegistered = false;
-			for (var j = 0; j < numAvatars; j++) {
-				if (avatarHashIDs[j] == id) {
-					hasRegistered = true;
-					break;
-				}
-			}
+			var numLights = AvatarManager.getNumLightsInAvatar(i);
 			
-			// add new id and set light params
-			if (!hasRegistered) {
-				
-				avatarHashIDs.push(id);
+			// check if new avatar has lights
+			if (numLights <= 0) {
 				AvatarManager.addAvatarLocalLight(i);
 				
 				// set color and direction for new avatar
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
index 461956b3c7..aff0a4a5c0 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
@@ -928,27 +928,25 @@ void Avatar::setShowDisplayName(bool showDisplayName) {
 
 void Avatar::setLocalLightDirection(const glm::vec3& direction, int lightIndex) {
     _localLightDirections[lightIndex] = direction;
-    qDebug( "set light %d direction ( %f, %f, %f )\n", lightIndex, direction.x, direction.y, direction.z );
 }
 
 void Avatar::setLocalLightColor(const glm::vec3& color, int lightIndex) {
     _localLightColors[lightIndex] = color;
-    qDebug( "set light %d color ( %f, %f, %f )\n", lightIndex, color.x, color.y, color.z );
 }
 
 void Avatar::addLocalLight() {
     if (_numLocalLights + 1 <= MAX_LOCAL_LIGHTS) {
         ++_numLocalLights;
     }
-
-    qDebug("ADD LOCAL LIGHT (numLocalLights = %d)\n", _numLocalLights);
 }
 
 void Avatar::removeLocalLight() {
     if (_numLocalLights - 1 >= 0) {
         --_numLocalLights;
     }
-    
-    qDebug("REMOVE LOCAL LIGHT (numLocalLights = %d)\n", _numLocalLights);
+}
+
+int Avatar::getNumLocalLights() {
+    return _numLocalLights;
 }
 
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h
index 2d85aa70a5..0550c4aa04 100755
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h
@@ -162,7 +162,8 @@ public slots:
     void setLocalLightDirection(const glm::vec3& direction, int lightIndex);
     void setLocalLightColor(const glm::vec3& color, int lightIndex);
     void addLocalLight();
-    void removeLocalLight();   
+    void removeLocalLight();
+    int getNumLocalLights();
  
 signals:
     void collisionWithAvatar(const QUuid& myUUID, const QUuid& theirUUID, const CollisionInfo& collision);
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarManager.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarManager.cpp
index bc84aa6b87..128735a24e 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarManager.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarManager.cpp
@@ -200,6 +200,17 @@ void AvatarManager::setAvatarLightColor(const glm::vec3& color, int lightIndex,
     }
 }
 
+int AvatarManager::getNumLightsInAvatar(int avatarIndex) {
+    int numLights = 0;
+    
+    Avatar* avatar = getAvatarFromIndex(avatarIndex);
+    if (avatar) {
+        numLights = avatar->getNumLocalLights();
+    }
+    
+    return numLights;
+}
+
 int AvatarManager::getNumAvatars() {
     return _avatarHash.count();
 }
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarManager.h b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarManager.h
index f2b5904883..d4b404e3d5 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarManager.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarManager.h
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ public slots:
     void setAvatarLightDirection(const glm::vec3& direction, int lightIndex, int avatarIndex);
     void removeAvatarLocalLight(int avatarIndex);
     void addAvatarLocalLight(int avatarIndex);
+    int getNumLightsInAvatar(int avatarIndex);
     int getNumAvatars();
     QString getAvatarHashKey(int index);