diff --git a/interface/resources/shaders/diffuse.frag b/interface/resources/shaders/diffuse.frag
index f8be7075db..ebf11dace2 100644
--- a/interface/resources/shaders/diffuse.frag
+++ b/interface/resources/shaders/diffuse.frag
@@ -14,15 +14,14 @@ uniform sampler2D originalTexture;
 // the texture containing the diffused color
 uniform sampler2D diffusedTexture;
 
+// the scale of diffusion
+uniform vec2 diffusionScale;
+
 void main(void) {
-    float ds = dFdx(gl_TexCoord[0].s);
-    float dt = dFdy(gl_TexCoord[0].t);
-    gl_FragColor = (texture2D(diffusedTexture, gl_TexCoord[0].st + vec2(-ds, -dt)) +
-        texture2D(diffusedTexture, gl_TexCoord[0].st + vec2(0.0, -dt)) +
-        texture2D(diffusedTexture, gl_TexCoord[0].st + vec2(ds, -dt)) +
-        texture2D(diffusedTexture, gl_TexCoord[0].st + vec2(ds, 0.0)) +
-        texture2D(diffusedTexture, gl_TexCoord[0].st + vec2(ds, dt)) +
-        texture2D(diffusedTexture, gl_TexCoord[0].st + vec2(0.0, dt)) +
-        texture2D(diffusedTexture, gl_TexCoord[0].st + vec2(-ds, dt)) +
-        texture2D(diffusedTexture, gl_TexCoord[0].st + vec2(-ds, 0.0))) / 8.5 + texture2D(originalTexture, gl_TexCoord[0].st) * 0.1;
+    vec2 minExtents = gl_TexCoord[0].st + diffusionScale * vec2(-1.5, -1.5);
+    vec2 maxExtents = gl_TexCoord[0].st + diffusionScale * vec2(1.5, 1.5);
+    gl_FragColor = (texture2D(diffusedTexture, minExtents) +
+        texture2D(diffusedTexture, vec2(maxExtents.s, minExtents.t)) + 
+        texture2D(diffusedTexture, vec2(minExtents.s, maxExtents.t)) +
+        texture2D(diffusedTexture, maxExtents)) * 0.235 + texture2D(originalTexture, gl_TexCoord[0].st) * 0.1;
 }
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/AmbientOcclusionEffect.cpp b/interface/src/renderer/AmbientOcclusionEffect.cpp
index 368546a566..309816191b 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/AmbientOcclusionEffect.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/AmbientOcclusionEffect.cpp
@@ -97,9 +97,9 @@ void AmbientOcclusionEffect::render() {
     glActiveTexture(GL_TEXTURE1);
     glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_2D, _rotationTextureID);
     
-    // render with the occlusion shader to the secondary buffer
-    QOpenGLFramebufferObject* secondaryFBO = Application::getInstance()->getTextureCache()->getSecondaryFramebufferObject();
-    secondaryFBO->bind();
+    // render with the occlusion shader to the secondary/tertiary buffer
+    QOpenGLFramebufferObject* freeFBO = Application::getInstance()->getGlowEffect()->getFreeFramebufferObject();
+    freeFBO->bind();
     
     float left, right, bottom, top, nearVal, farVal;
     glm::vec4 nearClipPlane, farClipPlane;
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ void AmbientOcclusionEffect::render() {
     
     _occlusionProgram->release();
     
-    secondaryFBO->release();
+    freeFBO->release();
     
     glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_2D, 0);
     glActiveTexture(GL_TEXTURE0);
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ void AmbientOcclusionEffect::render() {
     glEnable(GL_BLEND);
     glBlendFuncSeparate(GL_ZERO, GL_SRC_COLOR, GL_ZERO, GL_ONE);
     
-    glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_2D, secondaryFBO->texture());
+    glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_2D, freeFBO->texture());
     
     _blurProgram->bind();
     _blurProgram->setUniformValue(_blurScaleLocation, 1.0f / size.width(), 1.0f / size.height());
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/GlowEffect.cpp b/interface/src/renderer/GlowEffect.cpp
index 85c4eb27b2..936364f8c0 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/GlowEffect.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/GlowEffect.cpp
@@ -15,7 +15,13 @@
 #include "ProgramObject.h"
 #include "RenderUtil.h"
 
-GlowEffect::GlowEffect() : _renderMode(BLUR_ADD_MODE) {
+GlowEffect::GlowEffect() : _renderMode(DIFFUSE_ADD_MODE), _isOddFrame(false) {
+}
+
+QOpenGLFramebufferObject* GlowEffect::getFreeFramebufferObject() const {
+    return (_renderMode == DIFFUSE_ADD_MODE && !_isOddFrame) ?
+        Application::getInstance()->getTextureCache()->getTertiaryFramebufferObject() :
+        Application::getInstance()->getTextureCache()->getSecondaryFramebufferObject();
 }
 
 static ProgramObject* createProgram(const QString& name) {
@@ -51,6 +57,8 @@ void GlowEffect::init() {
     _diffuseProgram->bind();
     _diffuseProgram->setUniformValue("diffusedTexture", 1);
     _diffuseProgram->release();
+    
+    _diffusionScaleLocation = _diffuseProgram->uniformLocation("diffusionScale");
 }
 
 void GlowEffect::prepare() {
@@ -58,6 +66,7 @@ void GlowEffect::prepare() {
     glClear(GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT | GL_DEPTH_BUFFER_BIT);
     
     _isEmpty = true;
+    _isOddFrame = !_isOddFrame;
 }
 
 void GlowEffect::begin(float intensity) {
@@ -109,7 +118,7 @@ void GlowEffect::render() {
             Application::getInstance()->getTextureCache()->getSecondaryFramebufferObject();
         QOpenGLFramebufferObject* newDiffusedFBO =
             Application::getInstance()->getTextureCache()->getTertiaryFramebufferObject();
-        if ((_isOddFrame = !_isOddFrame)) {
+        if (_isOddFrame) {
             qSwap(oldDiffusedFBO, newDiffusedFBO);
         }
         newDiffusedFBO->bind();
@@ -118,7 +127,11 @@ void GlowEffect::render() {
         glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_2D, oldDiffusedFBO->texture());
             
         _diffuseProgram->bind();
+        QSize size = Application::getInstance()->getGLWidget()->size();
+        _diffuseProgram->setUniformValue(_diffusionScaleLocation, 1.0f / size.width(), 1.0f / size.height());
+        
         renderFullscreenQuad();
+        
         _diffuseProgram->release();
         
         newDiffusedFBO->release();
@@ -204,5 +217,22 @@ void GlowEffect::render() {
 }
 
 void GlowEffect::cycleRenderMode() {
-    _renderMode = (RenderMode)((_renderMode + 1) % RENDER_MODE_COUNT);
+    switch(_renderMode = (RenderMode)((_renderMode + 1) % RENDER_MODE_COUNT)) {
+        case ADD_MODE:
+            qDebug() << "Glow mode: Add\n";
+            break;
+            
+        case BLUR_ADD_MODE:
+            qDebug() << "Glow mode: Blur/add\n";
+            break;
+            
+        case BLUR_PERSIST_ADD_MODE:
+            qDebug() << "Glow mode: Blur/persist/add\n";
+            break;
+        
+        default:    
+        case DIFFUSE_ADD_MODE:
+            qDebug() << "Glow mode: Diffuse/add\n";
+            break;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/GlowEffect.h b/interface/src/renderer/GlowEffect.h
index 0d6e83a7a6..73119365e8 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/GlowEffect.h
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/GlowEffect.h
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 
 #include <QObject>
 
+class QOpenGLFramebufferObject;
+
 class ProgramObject;
 
 /// A generic full screen glow effect.
@@ -21,6 +23,10 @@ public:
     
     GlowEffect();
     
+    /// Returns a pointer to the framebuffer object that the glow effect is *not* using for persistent state
+    /// (either the secondary or the tertiary).
+    QOpenGLFramebufferObject* getFreeFramebufferObject() const;
+    
     void init();
     
     /// Prepares the glow effect for rendering the current frame.  To be called before rendering the scene.
@@ -51,6 +57,7 @@ private:
     ProgramObject* _verticalBlurProgram;
     ProgramObject* _addSeparateProgram;
     ProgramObject* _diffuseProgram;
+    int _diffusionScaleLocation;
     
     bool _isEmpty; ///< set when nothing in the scene is currently glowing
     bool _isOddFrame; ///< controls the alternation between texture targets in diffuse add mode