diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index 0abbd4e324..2bc0ae32d4 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -6709,8 +6709,9 @@ void MyAvatar::updateLookAtPosition(FaceTracker* faceTracker, Camera& myCamera)
                 if (headPose.isValid()) {
                     lookAtSpot = transformPoint(headPose.getMatrix(), glm::vec3(0.0f, 0.0f, TREE_SCALE));
                 } else {
-                    lookAtSpot = myHead->getEyePosition() +
-                        (getHead()->getFinalOrientationInWorldFrame() * glm::vec3(0.0f, 0.0f, -TREE_SCALE));
+                    lookAtSpot = _shouldTurnToFaceCamera ?
+                                 myHead->getLookAtPosition() :
+                                 myHead->getEyePosition() + getHeadJointFrontVector() * (float)TREE_SCALE;
                 }
             }
 
diff --git a/libraries/avatars-renderer/src/avatars-renderer/Head.cpp b/libraries/avatars-renderer/src/avatars-renderer/Head.cpp
index 8184804e1f..e2f5ef0c60 100644
--- a/libraries/avatars-renderer/src/avatars-renderer/Head.cpp
+++ b/libraries/avatars-renderer/src/avatars-renderer/Head.cpp
@@ -96,15 +96,15 @@ void Head::simulate(float deltaTime) {
             // no blinking when brows are raised; blink less with increasing loudness
             const float BASE_BLINK_RATE = 15.0f / 60.0f;
             const float ROOT_LOUDNESS_TO_BLINK_INTERVAL = 0.25f;
-            if (_blinkToRetarget || forceBlink ||
+            if (_forceBlinkToRetarget || forceBlink ||
                 (_browAudioLift < EPSILON && shouldDo(glm::max(1.0f, sqrt(fabs(_averageLoudness - _longTermAverageLoudness)) *
                 ROOT_LOUDNESS_TO_BLINK_INTERVAL) / BASE_BLINK_RATE, deltaTime))) {
                 float randSpeedVariability = randFloat();
                 float eyeBlinkVelocity = BLINK_SPEED + randSpeedVariability * BLINK_SPEED_VARIABILITY;
-                if (_blinkToRetarget) {
+                if (_forceBlinkToRetarget) {
                     // Slow down by half the blink if reseting eye target
                     eyeBlinkVelocity = 0.5f * eyeBlinkVelocity;
-                    _blinkToRetarget = false;
+                    _forceBlinkToRetarget = false;
                 }
                 _leftEyeBlinkVelocity = eyeBlinkVelocity;
                 _rightEyeBlinkVelocity = eyeBlinkVelocity;
diff --git a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h
index bfe775e972..61729f8db3 100755
--- a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h
+++ b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h
@@ -1480,6 +1480,7 @@ public:
     void setIsNewAvatar(bool isNewAvatar) { _isNewAvatar = isNewAvatar; }
     bool getIsNewAvatar() { return _isNewAvatar; }
     void setIsClientAvatar(bool isClientAvatar) { _isClientAvatar = isClientAvatar; }
+    bool getIsClientAvatar() const { return _isClientAvatar; }
     void setSkeletonData(const std::vector<AvatarSkeletonTrait::UnpackedJointData>& skeletonData);
     std::vector<AvatarSkeletonTrait::UnpackedJointData> getSkeletonData() const;
     void sendSkeletonData() const;
diff --git a/libraries/avatars/src/HeadData.cpp b/libraries/avatars/src/HeadData.cpp
index 7d05a50143..d9998883d7 100644
--- a/libraries/avatars/src/HeadData.cpp
+++ b/libraries/avatars/src/HeadData.cpp
@@ -235,21 +235,29 @@ void HeadData::setFaceTrackerConnected(bool value) {
 }
 
 void HeadData::setLookAtPosition(const glm::vec3& lookAtPosition) {
-    if (_requestLookAtPosition != lookAtPosition) {
-        _lookAtPositionChanged = usecTimestampNow();
-        glm::vec3 oldAvatarLookAtVector = _requestLookAtPosition - _owningAvatar->getWorldPosition();
-        glm::vec3 newAvatarLookAtVector = lookAtPosition - _owningAvatar->getWorldPosition();
-        const float MIN_BLINK_ANGLE = 0.35f; // 20 degrees
-        _blinkToRetarget = angleBetween(oldAvatarLookAtVector, newAvatarLookAtVector) > MIN_BLINK_ANGLE;
-        _lookAtUpdated = false;
-    } 
-    if (_lookAtUpdated) {
+    if (_owningAvatar->getIsClientAvatar() || _owningAvatar->isMyAvatar()) {
+        if (_isEyeLookAtUpdated && _requestLookAtPosition != lookAtPosition) {
+            _lookAtPositionChanged = usecTimestampNow();
+            glm::vec3 oldAvatarLookAtVector = _requestLookAtPosition - _owningAvatar->getWorldPosition();
+            glm::vec3 newAvatarLookAtVector = lookAtPosition - _owningAvatar->getWorldPosition();
+            const float MIN_BLINK_ANGLE = 0.35f; // 20 degrees
+            _forceBlinkToRetarget = angleBetween(oldAvatarLookAtVector, newAvatarLookAtVector) > MIN_BLINK_ANGLE;
+            if (_forceBlinkToRetarget) {
+                _isEyeLookAtUpdated = false;
+            } else {
+                _lookAtPosition = lookAtPosition;
+            }
+        }
+        _requestLookAtPosition = lookAtPosition;
+    } else {
+        if (_lookAtPosition != lookAtPosition) {
+            _lookAtPositionChanged = usecTimestampNow();
+        }
         _lookAtPosition = lookAtPosition;
     }
-    _requestLookAtPosition = lookAtPosition;
 }
 
 void HeadData::updateEyeLookAt() {
     _lookAtPosition = _requestLookAtPosition;
-    _lookAtUpdated = true;
+    _isEyeLookAtUpdated = true;
 }
diff --git a/libraries/avatars/src/HeadData.h b/libraries/avatars/src/HeadData.h
index 7b73f57113..190b179f25 100644
--- a/libraries/avatars/src/HeadData.h
+++ b/libraries/avatars/src/HeadData.h
@@ -113,8 +113,8 @@ protected:
     QVector<float> _summedBlendshapeCoefficients;
     QMap<QString, int> _blendshapeLookupMap;
     AvatarData* _owningAvatar;
-    bool _blinkToRetarget { false };
-    bool _lookAtUpdated { false };
+    bool _forceBlinkToRetarget { false };
+    bool _isEyeLookAtUpdated { false };
 
 private:
     // privatize copy ctor and assignment operator so copies of this object cannot be made