diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarActionHold.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarActionHold.cpp
index 839f2d4fbb..ca7fcfb187 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarActionHold.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarActionHold.cpp
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 //
 
 #include "QVariantGLM.h"
-#include "avatar/MyAvatar.h"
 #include "avatar/AvatarManager.h"
 
 #include "AvatarActionHold.h"
@@ -22,8 +21,7 @@ AvatarActionHold::AvatarActionHold(const QUuid& id, EntityItemPointer ownerEntit
     _relativePosition(glm::vec3(0.0f)),
     _relativeRotation(glm::quat()),
     _hand("right"),
-    _holderID(QUuid())
-{
+    _holderID(QUuid()) {
     _type = ACTION_TYPE_HOLD;
     #if WANT_DEBUG
     qDebug() << "AvatarActionHold::AvatarActionHold";
@@ -36,13 +34,10 @@ AvatarActionHold::~AvatarActionHold() {
     #endif
 }
 
-void AvatarActionHold::updateActionWorker(float deltaTimeStep) {
-    bool gotLock = false;
-    glm::quat rotation;
-    glm::vec3 position;
+std::shared_ptr<Avatar> AvatarActionHold::getTarget(glm::quat& rotation, glm::vec3& position) {
     std::shared_ptr<Avatar> holdingAvatar = nullptr;
 
-    gotLock = withTryReadLock([&]{
+    withTryReadLock([&]{
         QSharedPointer<AvatarManager> avatarManager = DependencyManager::get<AvatarManager>();
         AvatarSharedPointer holdingAvatarData = avatarManager->getAvatarBySessionID(_holderID);
         holdingAvatar = std::static_pointer_cast<Avatar>(holdingAvatarData);
@@ -65,22 +60,28 @@ void AvatarActionHold::updateActionWorker(float deltaTimeStep) {
         }
     });
 
+    return holdingAvatar;
+}
+
+void AvatarActionHold::updateActionWorker(float deltaTimeStep) {
+    glm::quat rotation;
+    glm::vec3 position;
+    std::shared_ptr<Avatar> holdingAvatar = getTarget(rotation, position);
+
     if (holdingAvatar) {
+        bool gotLock = withTryWriteLock([&]{
+            _positionalTarget = position;
+            _rotationalTarget = rotation;
+            _positionalTargetSet = true;
+            _rotationalTargetSet = true;
+            _active = true;
+        });
         if (gotLock) {
-            gotLock = withTryWriteLock([&]{
-                _positionalTarget = position;
-                _rotationalTarget = rotation;
-                _positionalTargetSet = true;
-                _rotationalTargetSet = true;
-                _active = true;
-            });
-            if (gotLock) {
-                if (_kinematic) {
-                    doKinematicUpdate(deltaTimeStep);
-                } else {
-                    activateBody();
-                    ObjectActionSpring::updateActionWorker(deltaTimeStep);
-                }
+            if (_kinematic) {
+                doKinematicUpdate(deltaTimeStep);
+            } else {
+                activateBody();
+                ObjectActionSpring::updateActionWorker(deltaTimeStep);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -109,7 +110,8 @@ void AvatarActionHold::doKinematicUpdate(float deltaTimeStep) {
             if (_previousSet) {
                 // smooth velocity over 2 frames
                 glm::vec3 positionalDelta = _positionalTarget - _previousPositionalTarget;
-                glm::vec3 positionalVelocity = (positionalDelta + _previousPositionalDelta) / (deltaTimeStep + _previousDeltaTimeStep);
+                glm::vec3 positionalVelocity =
+                    (positionalDelta + _previousPositionalDelta) / (deltaTimeStep + _previousDeltaTimeStep);
                 rigidBody->setLinearVelocity(glmToBullet(positionalVelocity));
                 _previousPositionalDelta = positionalDelta;
                 _previousDeltaTimeStep = deltaTimeStep;
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarActionHold.h b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarActionHold.h
index 15a096d1ce..b8b1a64e84 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarActionHold.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarActionHold.h
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@
 #include <EntityItem.h>
 #include <ObjectActionSpring.h>
 
+#include "avatar/MyAvatar.h"
+
+
 class AvatarActionHold : public ObjectActionSpring {
 public:
     AvatarActionHold(const QUuid& id, EntityItemPointer ownerEntity);
@@ -32,6 +35,8 @@ public:
 
     virtual bool shouldSuppressLocationEdits() { return _active && !_ownerEntity.expired(); }
 
+    std::shared_ptr<Avatar> getTarget(glm::quat& rotation, glm::vec3& position);
+
 private:
     static const uint16_t holdVersion;