diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/AnimInverseKinematics.cpp b/libraries/animation/src/AnimInverseKinematics.cpp
index 516d4116d8..42e9472819 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/AnimInverseKinematics.cpp
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/AnimInverseKinematics.cpp
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ const AnimPoseVec& AnimInverseKinematics::overlay(const AnimVariantMap& animVars
             if (offsetLength > MIN_HIPS_OFFSET_LENGTH) {
                 // but only if offset is long enough
                 float scaleFactor = ((offsetLength - MIN_HIPS_OFFSET_LENGTH) / offsetLength);
-                _relativePoses[0].trans = underPoses[0].trans + scaleFactor * _hipsOffset;
+                _relativePoses[_hipsIndex].trans = underPoses[_hipsIndex].trans + scaleFactor * _hipsOffset;
             }
 
             solveWithCyclicCoordinateDescent(targets);
@@ -758,8 +758,10 @@ void AnimInverseKinematics::setSkeletonInternal(AnimSkeleton::ConstPointer skele
     if (skeleton) {
         initConstraints();
         _headIndex = _skeleton->nameToJointIndex("Head");
+        _hipsIndex = _skeleton->nameToJointIndex("Hips");
     } else {
         clearConstraints();
         _headIndex = -1;
+        _hipsIndex = -1;
     }
 }
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/AnimInverseKinematics.h b/libraries/animation/src/AnimInverseKinematics.h
index b96dd3711e..f8f7fd9e9e 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/AnimInverseKinematics.h
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/AnimInverseKinematics.h
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ protected:
 
     // experimental data for moving hips during IK
     int _headIndex = -1;
+    int _hipsIndex = -1;
     glm::vec3 _hipsOffset = Vectors::ZERO;
 
     // _maxTargetIndex is tracked to help optimize the recalculation of absolute poses
diff --git a/libraries/input-plugins/src/input-plugins/SixenseManager.cpp b/libraries/input-plugins/src/input-plugins/SixenseManager.cpp
index 3950fdea43..8ea05fc300 100644
--- a/libraries/input-plugins/src/input-plugins/SixenseManager.cpp
+++ b/libraries/input-plugins/src/input-plugins/SixenseManager.cpp
@@ -167,7 +167,10 @@ void SixenseManager::update(float deltaTime, bool jointsCaptured) {
 
     if (sixenseGetNumActiveControllers() == 0) {
         if (_hydrasConnected) {
-            qCDebug(inputplugins, "hydra disconnected");
+            qCDebug(inputplugins) << "hydra disconnected" << _badDataCount;
+            if (_badDataCount++ < _allowedBadDataCount) { // gotta get some no-active in a row before we shut things down
+                return;
+            }
         }
         _hydrasConnected = false;
         if (_deviceID != 0) {
@@ -181,6 +184,7 @@ void SixenseManager::update(float deltaTime, bool jointsCaptured) {
     PerformanceTimer perfTimer("sixense");
     if (!_hydrasConnected) {
         _hydrasConnected = true;
+        _badDataCount = 0;
         registerToUserInputMapper(*userInputMapper);
         assignDefaultInputMapping(*userInputMapper);
         UserActivityLogger::getInstance().connectedDevice("spatial_controller", "hydra");
@@ -555,6 +559,7 @@ void SixenseManager::saveSettings() const {
         settings.setVec3Value(QString("avatarPosition"), _avatarPosition);
         settings.setQuatValue(QString("avatarRotation"), _avatarRotation);
         settings.setValue(QString("reachLength"), QVariant(_reachLength));
+        settings.setValue(QString("allowedHydraFailures"), 120);
     }
     settings.endGroup();
 }
@@ -567,6 +572,7 @@ void SixenseManager::loadSettings() {
         settings.getVec3ValueIfValid(QString("avatarPosition"), _avatarPosition);
         settings.getQuatValueIfValid(QString("avatarRotation"), _avatarRotation);
         settings.getFloatValueIfValid(QString("reachLength"), _reachLength);
+        _allowedBadDataCount = settings.value(QString("allowedHydraFailures"), 120).toInt();
     }
     settings.endGroup();
 }
diff --git a/libraries/input-plugins/src/input-plugins/SixenseManager.h b/libraries/input-plugins/src/input-plugins/SixenseManager.h
index 9fa7f84a86..90bd830650 100644
--- a/libraries/input-plugins/src/input-plugins/SixenseManager.h
+++ b/libraries/input-plugins/src/input-plugins/SixenseManager.h
@@ -114,6 +114,8 @@ private:
 #endif
     
     bool _hydrasConnected;
+    int _badDataCount;
+    int _allowedBadDataCount;
 
     static const QString NAME;
     static const QString HYDRA_ID_STRING;
diff --git a/tests/render-utils/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/render-utils/CMakeLists.txt
index 62ed401d2e..b56297d05e 100644
--- a/tests/render-utils/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/render-utils/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -8,6 +8,4 @@ set_target_properties(${TARGET_NAME} PROPERTIES FOLDER "Tests/manual-tests/")
 # link in the shared libraries
 link_hifi_libraries(render-utils gpu shared)
 
-message(${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR})
-
 copy_dlls_beside_windows_executable()
diff --git a/tests/shaders/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/shaders/CMakeLists.txt
index 9b2a079e88..42766c98e3 100644
--- a/tests/shaders/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/shaders/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -17,6 +17,4 @@ include_directories("${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/../../libraries/render-utils/")
 include_directories("${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/../../libraries/entities-renderer/")
 include_directories("${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/../../libraries/model/")
 
-message(${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR})
-
 copy_dlls_beside_windows_executable()