diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.cpp b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.cpp
index 06afa2817c..c1ea461d2e 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.cpp
@@ -947,9 +947,10 @@ bool EntityItem::stepKinematicMotion(float timeElapsed) {
                     && glm::length2(linearVelocity) < MIN_KINEMATIC_LINEAR_SPEED_SQUARED) {
                 linearVelocity = Vectors::ZERO;
             } else {
-                // position's acceleration term uses deltaVelocity rather than raw gravity
-                // for more accuracy (includes damping effects)
-                position += timeElapsed * (linearVelocity + 0.5f * deltaVelocity);
+                // NOTE: we do NOT include the second-order acceleration term (0.5 * a * dt^2)
+                // when computing the displacement because Bullet also ignores that term.  Yes,
+                // this is an approximation and it works best when dt is small.
+                position += timeElapsed * linearVelocity;
                 linearVelocity += deltaVelocity;
             }
         } else {
diff --git a/libraries/physics/src/EntityMotionState.cpp b/libraries/physics/src/EntityMotionState.cpp
index 8ef4d7ac4b..f4e6b796e4 100644
--- a/libraries/physics/src/EntityMotionState.cpp
+++ b/libraries/physics/src/EntityMotionState.cpp
@@ -309,6 +309,8 @@ bool EntityMotionState::remoteSimulationOutOfSync(uint32_t simulationStep) {
     if (glm::length2(_serverVelocity) > 0.0f) {
         _serverVelocity += _serverAcceleration * dt;
         _serverVelocity *= powf(1.0f - _body->getLinearDamping(), dt);
+        // NOTE: we ignore the second-order acceleration term when integrating
+        // the position forward because Bullet also does this.
         _serverPosition += dt * _serverVelocity;
     }