diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp
index dd398f2b2b..a087693615 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ void SkeletonModel::updateJointState(int index) {
         const JointState& parentState = _jointStates.at(joint.parentIndex);
         const FBXGeometry& geometry = _geometry->getFBXGeometry();
         if (index == geometry.leanJointIndex) {
-            maybeUpdateLeanRotation(parentState, joint, state);
+            maybeUpdateLeanRotation(parentState, state);
         
         } else if (index == geometry.neckJointIndex) {
             maybeUpdateNeckRotation(parentState, joint, state);    
@@ -260,17 +260,18 @@ void SkeletonModel::updateJointState(int index) {
     }
 }
 
-void SkeletonModel::maybeUpdateLeanRotation(const JointState& parentState, const FBXJoint& joint, JointState& state) {
+void SkeletonModel::maybeUpdateLeanRotation(const JointState& parentState, JointState& state) {
     if (!_owningAvatar->isMyAvatar() || Application::getInstance()->getPrioVR()->isActive()) {
         return;
     }
     // get the rotation axes in joint space and use them to adjust the rotation
-    glm::mat3 axes = glm::mat3_cast(glm::quat());
-    glm::mat3 inverse = glm::mat3(glm::inverse(parentState.getTransform() * glm::translate(state.getDefaultTranslationInConstrainedFrame()) *
-        joint.preTransform * glm::mat4_cast(joint.preRotation * joint.rotation)));
-    state.setRotationInConstrainedFrame(glm::angleAxis(- RADIANS_PER_DEGREE * _owningAvatar->getHead()->getFinalLeanSideways(), 
-        glm::normalize(inverse * axes[2])) * glm::angleAxis(- RADIANS_PER_DEGREE * _owningAvatar->getHead()->getFinalLeanForward(), 
-        glm::normalize(inverse * axes[0])) * joint.rotation);
+    glm::vec3 xAxis(1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f);
+    glm::vec3 zAxis(0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f);
+    glm::quat inverse = glm::inverse(parentState.getRotation() * state.getDefaultRotationInParentFrame());
+    state.setRotationInConstrainedFrame(
+              glm::angleAxis(- RADIANS_PER_DEGREE * _owningAvatar->getHead()->getFinalLeanSideways(), inverse * zAxis) 
+            * glm::angleAxis(- RADIANS_PER_DEGREE * _owningAvatar->getHead()->getFinalLeanForward(), inverse * xAxis) 
+            * state.getFBXJoint().rotation);
 }
 
 void SkeletonModel::maybeUpdateNeckRotation(const JointState& parentState, const FBXJoint& joint, JointState& state) {
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.h b/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.h
index b0d6ed7325..9bd8df745a 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.h
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ protected:
     /// Updates the state of the joint at the specified index.
     virtual void updateJointState(int index);   
     
-    void maybeUpdateLeanRotation(const JointState& parentState, const FBXJoint& joint, JointState& state);
+    void maybeUpdateLeanRotation(const JointState& parentState, JointState& state);
     void maybeUpdateNeckRotation(const JointState& parentState, const FBXJoint& joint, JointState& state);
     void maybeUpdateEyeRotation(const JointState& parentState, const FBXJoint& joint, JointState& state);
     
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/JointState.cpp b/interface/src/renderer/JointState.cpp
index 94b4b37a3c..9492413f54 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/JointState.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/JointState.cpp
@@ -254,6 +254,11 @@ const bool JointState::rotationIsDefault(const glm::quat& rotation, float tolera
         glm::abs(rotation.w - defaultRotation.w) < tolerance;
 }
 
+glm::quat JointState::getDefaultRotationInParentFrame() const {
+    // NOTE: the result is constant and could be cached in the FBXJoint
+    return _fbxJoint->preRotation * _fbxJoint->rotation * _fbxJoint->postRotation;
+}
+
 const glm::vec3& JointState::getDefaultTranslationInConstrainedFrame() const {
     assert(_fbxJoint != NULL);
     return _fbxJoint->translation;
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/JointState.h b/interface/src/renderer/JointState.h
index 56044125f1..bc0c6dd51f 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/JointState.h
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/JointState.h
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ public:
 
     const bool rotationIsDefault(const glm::quat& rotation, float tolerance = EPSILON) const;
 
+    glm::quat getDefaultRotationInParentFrame() const;
     const glm::vec3& getDefaultTranslationInConstrainedFrame() const;