diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index e5d36b40fd..47544e408a 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ Application::Application(int& argc, char** argv, timeval &startup_time) :
         _nudgeStarted(false),
         _lookingAlongX(false),
         _lookingAwayFromOrigin(true),
-        _isLookingAtOtherAvatar(false),
+        _lookatTargetAvatar(NULL),
         _lookatIndicatorScale(1.0f),
         _perfStatsOn(false),
         _chatEntryOn(false),
@@ -974,7 +974,7 @@ void Application::mousePressEvent(QMouseEvent* event) {
 
             maybeEditVoxelUnderCursor();
 
-            if (!_palette.isActive() && (!_isHoverVoxel || _isLookingAtOtherAvatar)) {
+            if (!_palette.isActive() && (!_isHoverVoxel || _lookatTargetAvatar)) {
                 _pieMenu.mousePressEvent(_mouseX, _mouseY);
             }
 
@@ -1503,7 +1503,7 @@ void Application::setListenModeSingleSource() {
     glm::vec3 eyePositionIgnored;
     uint16_t nodeID;
 
-    if (isLookingAtOtherAvatar(mouseRayOrigin, mouseRayDirection, eyePositionIgnored, nodeID)) {
+    if (findLookatTargetAvatar(mouseRayOrigin, mouseRayDirection, eyePositionIgnored, nodeID)) {
         _audio.addListenSource(nodeID);
     }
 }
@@ -1596,12 +1596,16 @@ const float MAX_AVATAR_EDIT_VELOCITY = 1.0f;
 const float MAX_VOXEL_EDIT_DISTANCE = 20.0f;
 const float HEAD_SPHERE_RADIUS = 0.07;
 
-
 static uint16_t DEFAULT_NODE_ID_REF = 1;
 
-
-Avatar* Application::isLookingAtOtherAvatar(glm::vec3& mouseRayOrigin, glm::vec3& mouseRayDirection,
-                                         glm::vec3& eyePosition, uint16_t& nodeID = DEFAULT_NODE_ID_REF) {
+void Application::updateLookatTargetAvatar(const glm::vec3& mouseRayOrigin, const glm::vec3& mouseRayDirection,
+    glm::vec3& eyePosition) {
+    
+    _lookatTargetAvatar = findLookatTargetAvatar(mouseRayOrigin, mouseRayDirection, eyePosition, DEFAULT_NODE_ID_REF);
+}
+        
+Avatar* Application::findLookatTargetAvatar(const glm::vec3& mouseRayOrigin, const glm::vec3& mouseRayDirection,
+    glm::vec3& eyePosition, uint16_t& nodeID = DEFAULT_NODE_ID_REF) {
                                          
     NodeList* nodeList = NodeList::getInstance();
     for (NodeList::iterator node = nodeList->begin(); node != nodeList->end(); node++) {
@@ -1748,8 +1752,8 @@ void Application::update(float deltaTime) {
             _faceshift.getEstimatedEyePitch(), _faceshift.getEstimatedEyeYaw(), 0.0f))) * glm::vec3(0.0f, 0.0f, -1.0f);
     }
 
-    _isLookingAtOtherAvatar = isLookingAtOtherAvatar(lookAtRayOrigin, lookAtRayDirection, lookAtSpot);
-    if (_isLookingAtOtherAvatar) {
+    updateLookatTargetAvatar(lookAtRayOrigin, lookAtRayDirection, lookAtSpot);
+    if (_lookatTargetAvatar) {
         // If the mouse is over another avatar's head...
          _myAvatar.getHead().setLookAtPosition(lookAtSpot);
     } else if (_isHoverVoxel && !_faceshift.isActive()) {
@@ -2063,15 +2067,15 @@ void Application::updateAvatar(float deltaTime) {
         const float MIDPOINT_OF_SCREEN = 0.5;
         
         // Only use gyro to set lookAt if mouse hasn't selected an avatar
-        if (!_isLookingAtOtherAvatar) {
+        if (!_lookatTargetAvatar) {
 
             // Set lookAtPosition if an avatar is at the center of the screen
             glm::vec3 screenCenterRayOrigin, screenCenterRayDirection;
             _viewFrustum.computePickRay(MIDPOINT_OF_SCREEN, MIDPOINT_OF_SCREEN, screenCenterRayOrigin, screenCenterRayDirection);
 
             glm::vec3 eyePosition;
-            _isLookingAtOtherAvatar = isLookingAtOtherAvatar(screenCenterRayOrigin, screenCenterRayDirection, eyePosition);
-            if (_isLookingAtOtherAvatar) {
+            updateLookatTargetAvatar(screenCenterRayOrigin, screenCenterRayDirection, eyePosition);
+            if (_lookatTargetAvatar) {
                 glm::vec3 myLookAtFromMouse(eyePosition);
                 _myAvatar.getHead().setLookAtPosition(myLookAtFromMouse);
             }
@@ -2540,7 +2544,7 @@ void Application::displaySide(Camera& whichCamera) {
                          Menu::getInstance()->isOptionChecked(MenuOption::AvatarAsBalls));
         _myAvatar.setDisplayingLookatVectors(Menu::getInstance()->isOptionChecked(MenuOption::LookAtVectors));
 
-        if (Menu::getInstance()->isOptionChecked(MenuOption::LookAtIndicator) && _isLookingAtOtherAvatar) {
+        if (Menu::getInstance()->isOptionChecked(MenuOption::LookAtIndicator) && _lookatTargetAvatar) {
             renderLookatIndicator(_lookatOtherPosition, whichCamera);
         }
     }
@@ -3342,10 +3346,7 @@ void Application::toggleFollowMode() {
                                 mouseRayOrigin, mouseRayDirection);
     glm::vec3 eyePositionIgnored;
     uint16_t  nodeIDIgnored;
-    Avatar* leadingAvatar = isLookingAtOtherAvatar(mouseRayOrigin,
-                                                   mouseRayDirection,
-                                                   eyePositionIgnored,
-                                                   nodeIDIgnored);
+    Avatar* leadingAvatar = findLookatTargetAvatar(mouseRayOrigin, mouseRayDirection, eyePositionIgnored, nodeIDIgnored);
 
     _myAvatar.follow(leadingAvatar);
 }
@@ -3418,6 +3419,8 @@ void Application::nodeKilled(Node* node) {
             fade.voxelDetails.s = fade.voxelDetails.s * slightly_smaller;
             _voxelFades.push_back(fade);
         }
+    } else if (node->getLinkedData() == _lookatTargetAvatar) {
+        _lookatTargetAvatar = NULL;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/interface/src/Application.h b/interface/src/Application.h
index 940a311f1e..5541f84573 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.h
+++ b/interface/src/Application.h
@@ -130,6 +130,8 @@ public:
     TextureCache* getTextureCache() { return &_textureCache; }
     GlowEffect* getGlowEffect() { return &_glowEffect; }
     
+    Avatar* getLookatTargetAvatar() const { return _lookatTargetAvatar; }
+    
     static void controlledBroadcastToNodes(unsigned char* broadcastData, size_t dataBytes,
                                            const char* nodeTypes, int numNodeTypes);
     
@@ -195,8 +197,11 @@ private:
     void init();
     
     void update(float deltaTime);
-    Avatar* isLookingAtOtherAvatar(glm::vec3& mouseRayOrigin, glm::vec3& mouseRayDirection,
-                                glm::vec3& eyePosition, uint16_t& nodeID);
+    
+    void updateLookatTargetAvatar(const glm::vec3& mouseRayOrigin, const glm::vec3& mouseRayDirection,
+        glm::vec3& eyePosition);
+    Avatar* findLookatTargetAvatar(const glm::vec3& mouseRayOrigin, const glm::vec3& mouseRayDirection,
+        glm::vec3& eyePosition, uint16_t& nodeID);
     bool isLookingAtMyAvatar(Avatar* avatar);
                                 
     void renderLookatIndicator(glm::vec3 pointOfInterest, Camera& whichCamera);
@@ -315,7 +320,7 @@ private:
     bool _lookingAwayFromOrigin;
     glm::vec3 _nudgeGuidePosition;
 
-    bool _isLookingAtOtherAvatar;
+    Avatar* _lookatTargetAvatar;
     glm::vec3 _lookatOtherPosition;
     float _lookatIndicatorScale;
     
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
index 1d50416b73..8aba7f8b4d 100755
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
@@ -388,9 +388,20 @@ void Avatar::simulate(float deltaTime, Transmitter* transmitter, float gyroCamer
         }
     }
     
+    // head scale grows when avatar is looked at
+    if (Application::getInstance()->getLookatTargetAvatar() == this) {
+        const float BASE_MAX_SCALE = 3.0f;
+        const float GROW_SPEED = 0.1f;
+        _head.setScale(min(BASE_MAX_SCALE * glm::distance(_position, Application::getInstance()->getCamera()->getPosition()),
+            _head.getScale() + deltaTime * GROW_SPEED));        
+        
+    } else {
+        const float SHRINK_SPEED = 100.0f;
+        _head.setScale(max(_scale, _head.getScale() - deltaTime * SHRINK_SPEED));
+    }
+    
     _head.setBodyRotation(glm::vec3(_bodyPitch, _bodyYaw, _bodyRoll));
     _head.setPosition(_bodyBall[ BODY_BALL_HEAD_BASE ].position);
-    _head.setScale(_scale);
     _head.setSkinColor(glm::vec3(SKIN_COLOR[0], SKIN_COLOR[1], SKIN_COLOR[2]));
     _head.simulate(deltaTime, false, gyroCameraSensitivity);
     _hand.simulate(deltaTime, false);