diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
index 056b5b76c4..3417011051 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
@@ -859,7 +859,11 @@ void Avatar::scaleVectorRelativeToPosition(glm::vec3 &positionToScale) const {
 
 void Avatar::setSkeletonModelURL(const QUrl& skeletonModelURL) {
     AvatarData::setSkeletonModelURL(skeletonModelURL);
-    _skeletonModel->setURL(_skeletonModelURL);
+    if (QThread::currentThread() == thread()) {
+        _skeletonModel->setURL(_skeletonModelURL);
+    } else {
+        QMetaObject::invokeMethod(_skeletonModel.get(), "setURL", Qt::QueuedConnection, Q_ARG(QUrl, _skeletonModelURL));
+    }
 }
 
 // create new model, can return an instance of a SoftAttachmentModel rather then Model
diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp b/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp
index c3abd15063..0bd2687169 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp
@@ -167,13 +167,15 @@ void Model::enqueueLocationChange() {
         render::PendingChanges pendingChanges;
         foreach (auto itemID, self->_modelMeshRenderItems.keys()) {
             pendingChanges.updateItem<ModelMeshPartPayload>(itemID, [modelTransform, modelMeshOffset](ModelMeshPartPayload& data) {
+                // Ensure the model geometry was not reset between frames
+                if (data._model->isLoaded()) {
+                    // lazy update of cluster matrices used for rendering.  We need to update them here, so we can correctly update the bounding box.
+                    data._model->updateClusterMatrices(modelTransform.getTranslation(), modelTransform.getRotation());
 
-                // lazy update of cluster matrices used for rendering.  We need to update them here, so we can correctly update the bounding box.
-                data._model->updateClusterMatrices(modelTransform.getTranslation(), modelTransform.getRotation());
-
-                // update the model transform and bounding box for this render item.
-                const Model::MeshState& state = data._model->_meshStates.at(data._meshIndex);
-                data.updateTransformForSkinnedMesh(modelTransform, modelMeshOffset, state.clusterMatrices);
+                    // update the model transform and bounding box for this render item.
+                    const Model::MeshState& state = data._model->_meshStates.at(data._meshIndex);
+                    data.updateTransformForSkinnedMesh(modelTransform, modelMeshOffset, state.clusterMatrices);
+                }
             });
         }
 
@@ -1061,7 +1063,7 @@ void Model::simulateInternal(float deltaTime) {
 void Model::updateClusterMatrices(glm::vec3 modelPosition, glm::quat modelOrientation) {
     PerformanceTimer perfTimer("Model::updateClusterMatrices");
 
-    if (!_needsUpdateClusterMatrices) {
+    if (!_needsUpdateClusterMatrices || !isLoaded()) {
         return;
     }
     _needsUpdateClusterMatrices = false;