diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableEntityItem.h b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableEntityItem.h
index 9840bf3150..09d6d88c6a 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableEntityItem.h
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableEntityItem.h
@@ -96,8 +96,16 @@ public: \
     virtual void removeFromScene(EntityItemPointer self, std::shared_ptr<render::Scene> scene, render::PendingChanges& pendingChanges) override { _renderHelper.removeFromScene(self, scene, pendingChanges); } \
     virtual void locationChanged(bool tellPhysics = true) override { EntityItem::locationChanged(tellPhysics); _renderHelper.notifyChanged(); } \
     virtual void dimensionsChanged() override { EntityItem::dimensionsChanged(); _renderHelper.notifyChanged(); } \
+    void checkTransparency() { \
+        bool transparent = isTransparent(); \
+        if (transparent != prevIsTransparent) { \
+            _renderHelper.notifyChanged(); \
+            prevIsTransparent = transparent; \
+        } \
+    } \
 private: \
-    SimpleRenderableEntityItem _renderHelper;
+    SimpleRenderableEntityItem _renderHelper; \
+    bool prevIsTransparent { isTransparent() };
 
 
 #endif // hifi_RenderableEntityItem_h
diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableModelEntityItem.h b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableModelEntityItem.h
index 339c907532..c50dcde62c 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableModelEntityItem.h
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableModelEntityItem.h
@@ -91,6 +91,9 @@ public:
 
     render::ItemID getMetaRenderItem() { return _myMetaItem; }
 
+    // Transparency is handled in ModelMeshPartPayload
+    bool isTransparent() override { return false; }
+
 private:
     QVariantMap parseTexturesToMap(QString textures);
     void remapTextures();
diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderablePolyLineEntityItem.cpp b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderablePolyLineEntityItem.cpp
index 54a6edadd4..ef4c9d6b5d 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderablePolyLineEntityItem.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderablePolyLineEntityItem.cpp
@@ -167,6 +167,8 @@ void RenderablePolyLineEntityItem::update(const quint64& now) {
 }
 
 void RenderablePolyLineEntityItem::render(RenderArgs* args) {
+    checkTransparency();
+
     QWriteLocker lock(&_quadReadWriteLock);
     if (_points.size() < 2 || _normals.size () < 2 || _strokeWidths.size() < 2) {
         return;
diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderablePolyLineEntityItem.h b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderablePolyLineEntityItem.h
index c06f4a721a..75b2bcd58a 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderablePolyLineEntityItem.h
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderablePolyLineEntityItem.h
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 #include <PolyLineEntityItem.h>
 #include "RenderableEntityItem.h"
 #include <TextureCache.h>
-#include <Interpolate.h>
 
 #include <QReadWriteLock>
 
@@ -50,7 +49,6 @@ protected:
     gpu::BufferView _uniformBuffer;
     unsigned int _numVertices;
     QVector<glm::vec3> _vertices;
-    quint64 _fadeStartTime { usecTimestampNow() };
 };
 
 
diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableShapeEntityItem.cpp b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableShapeEntityItem.cpp
index 352777e958..5bfd669a7c 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableShapeEntityItem.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableShapeEntityItem.cpp
@@ -71,18 +71,19 @@ void RenderableShapeEntityItem::setUserData(const QString& value) {
     }
 }
 
-bool RenderableShapeEntityItem::isTransparent() {
+/*bool RenderableShapeEntityItem::isTransparent() {
     if (_procedural && _procedural->ready()) {
         return Interpolate::calculateFadeRatio(_procedural->getFadeStartTime()) < 1.0f;
     } else {
-        return Interpolate::calculateFadeRatio(_fadeStartTime) < 1.0f;
+        return EntityItem::isTransparent();
     }
-}
+}*/
 
 void RenderableShapeEntityItem::render(RenderArgs* args) {
     PerformanceTimer perfTimer("RenderableShapeEntityItem::render");
     //Q_ASSERT(getType() == EntityTypes::Shape);
     Q_ASSERT(args->_batch);
+    checkTransparency();
 
     if (!_procedural) {
         _procedural.reset(new Procedural(getUserData()));
diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableShapeEntityItem.h b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableShapeEntityItem.h
index 716daf1d03..68b36f7e45 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableShapeEntityItem.h
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableShapeEntityItem.h
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 
 #include <ShapeEntityItem.h>
 #include <procedural/Procedural.h>
-#include <Interpolate.h>
 
 #include "RenderableEntityItem.h"
 
@@ -22,18 +21,17 @@ public:
     static EntityItemPointer factory(const EntityItemID& entityID, const EntityItemProperties& properties);
     static EntityItemPointer boxFactory(const EntityItemID& entityID, const EntityItemProperties& properties);
     static EntityItemPointer sphereFactory(const EntityItemID& entityID, const EntityItemProperties& properties);
-    RenderableShapeEntityItem(const EntityItemID& entityItemID) : ShapeEntityItem(entityItemID) {}
+    RenderableShapeEntityItem(const EntityItemID& entityItemID) : ShapeEntityItem(entityItemID) { _procedural.reset(nullptr); }
 
     void render(RenderArgs* args) override;
     void setUserData(const QString& value) override;
 
-    bool isTransparent() override;
+//    bool isTransparent() override;
 
     SIMPLE_RENDERABLE();
 
 private:
     QSharedPointer<Procedural> _procedural;
-    quint64 _fadeStartTime { usecTimestampNow() };
 };
 
 
diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableTextEntityItem.cpp b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableTextEntityItem.cpp
index 11c5f21a59..ccdaa39bdd 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableTextEntityItem.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableTextEntityItem.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ EntityItemPointer RenderableTextEntityItem::factory(const EntityItemID& entityID
 void RenderableTextEntityItem::render(RenderArgs* args) {
     PerformanceTimer perfTimer("RenderableTextEntityItem::render");
     Q_ASSERT(getType() == EntityTypes::Text);
+    checkTransparency();
     
     static const float SLIGHTLY_BEHIND = -0.005f;
     float fadeRatio = Interpolate::calculateFadeRatio(_fadeStartTime);
diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableTextEntityItem.h b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableTextEntityItem.h
index e0ddcad266..cbe2b11c27 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableTextEntityItem.h
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableTextEntityItem.h
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 
 #include <TextEntityItem.h>
 #include <TextRenderer3D.h>
-#include <Interpolate.h>
 
 #include "RenderableEntityItem.h"
 
@@ -28,13 +27,10 @@ public:
 
     virtual void render(RenderArgs* args) override;
 
-    bool isTransparent() override { return Interpolate::calculateFadeRatio(_fadeStartTime) < 1.0f; }
-
     SIMPLE_RENDERABLE();
     
 private:
     TextRenderer3D* _textRenderer = TextRenderer3D::getInstance(SANS_FONT_FAMILY, FIXED_FONT_POINT_SIZE / 2.0f);
-    quint64 _fadeStartTime { usecTimestampNow() };
 };
 
 
diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableWebEntityItem.cpp b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableWebEntityItem.cpp
index bb5cb7e2f8..19388a28e4 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableWebEntityItem.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableWebEntityItem.cpp
@@ -164,6 +164,8 @@ bool RenderableWebEntityItem::buildWebSurface(EntityTreeRenderer* renderer) {
 }
 
 void RenderableWebEntityItem::render(RenderArgs* args) {
+    checkTransparency();
+
     #ifdef WANT_EXTRA_DEBUGGING
     {
         gpu::Batch& batch = *args->_batch;
diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableWebEntityItem.h b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableWebEntityItem.h
index 049575ec95..4125be61dd 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableWebEntityItem.h
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableWebEntityItem.h
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 #include <QSharedPointer>
 
 #include <WebEntityItem.h>
-#include <Interpolate.h>
 
 #include "RenderableEntityItem.h"
 
@@ -36,8 +35,6 @@ public:
     void update(const quint64& now) override;
     bool needsToCallUpdate() const override { return _webSurface != nullptr; }
 
-    bool isTransparent() override { return Interpolate::calculateFadeRatio(_fadeStartTime) < 1.0f; }
-
     SIMPLE_RENDERABLE();
 
 private:
@@ -56,8 +53,6 @@ private:
     QMetaObject::Connection _mouseReleaseConnection;
     QMetaObject::Connection _mouseMoveConnection;
     QMetaObject::Connection _hoverLeaveConnection;
-
-    quint64 _fadeStartTime;
 };
 
 
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h
index f1715a2525..198928da4e 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <Transform.h>
 #include <Sound.h>
 #include <SpatiallyNestable.h>
+#include <Interpolate.h>
 
 #include "EntityItemID.h"
 #include "EntityItemPropertiesDefaults.h"
@@ -435,7 +436,7 @@ public:
     QUuid getOwningAvatarID() const { return _owningAvatarID; }
     void setOwningAvatarID(const QUuid& owningAvatarID) { _owningAvatarID = owningAvatarID; }
 
-    virtual bool isTransparent() { return false; }
+    virtual bool isTransparent() { return Interpolate::calculateFadeRatio(_fadeStartTime) < 1.0f; }
 
 protected:
 
@@ -566,7 +567,7 @@ protected:
     quint64 _lastUpdatedAngularVelocityTimestamp { 0 };
     quint64 _lastUpdatedAccelerationTimestamp { 0 };
 
-
+    quint64 _fadeStartTime { usecTimestampNow() };
 };
 
 #endif // hifi_EntityItem_h