diff --git a/plugins/openvr/src/ViveControllerManager.cpp b/plugins/openvr/src/ViveControllerManager.cpp
index 7d66429ed6..39b5e620ad 100644
--- a/plugins/openvr/src/ViveControllerManager.cpp
+++ b/plugins/openvr/src/ViveControllerManager.cpp
@@ -125,12 +125,6 @@ bool ViveControllerManager::activate() {
     auto userInputMapper = DependencyManager::get<controller::UserInputMapper>();
     userInputMapper->registerDevice(_inputDevice);
     _registeredWithInputMapper = true;
-
-    _leftHapticTimer.setSingleShot(true);
-    _rightHapticTimer.setSingleShot(true);
-    connect(&_leftHapticTimer, SIGNAL(timeout()), this, SLOT(hapticPulseHelper(true)));
-    connect(&_rightHapticTimer, SIGNAL(timeout()), this, SLOT(hapticPulseHelper(false)));
-
     return true;
 }
 
@@ -250,6 +244,17 @@ void ViveControllerManager::InputDevice::update(float deltaTime, const controlle
     handleHandController(deltaTime, leftHandDeviceIndex, inputCalibrationData, true);
     handleHandController(deltaTime, rightHandDeviceIndex, inputCalibrationData, false);
 
+    // handle haptics
+    {
+        Locker locker(_lock);
+        if (_leftHapticDuration > 0.0f) {
+            hapticsHelper(deltaTime, true);
+        }
+        if (_rightHapticDuration > 0.0f) {
+            hapticsHelper(deltaTime, false);
+        }
+    }
+
     int numTrackedControllers = 0;
     if (leftHandDeviceIndex != vr::k_unTrackedDeviceIndexInvalid) {
         numTrackedControllers++;
@@ -447,27 +452,28 @@ void ViveControllerManager::InputDevice::handlePoseEvent(float deltaTime, const
     _poseStateMap[isLeftHand ? controller::LEFT_HAND : controller::RIGHT_HAND] = avatarPose.transform(controllerToAvatar);
 }
 
-void ViveControllerManager::hapticPulseHelper(bool leftHand) {
-    if (_inputDevice) {
-        _inputDevice->hapticPulseHelper(leftHand);
-    }
-}
-
-void ViveControllerManager::InputDevice::hapticPulseHelper(bool leftHand) {
-    if (leftHand) {
-        triggerHapticPulse(prevLeftHapticStrength, prevLeftHapticDuration, leftHand);
-    } else {
-        triggerHapticPulse(prevRightHapticStrength, prevRightHapticDuration, leftHand);
-    }
-}
-
 bool ViveControllerManager::InputDevice::triggerHapticPulse(float strength, float duration, bool leftHand) {
+    Locker locker(_lock);
+    if (leftHand) {
+        _leftHapticStrength = strength;
+        _leftHapticDuration = duration;
+    } else {
+        _rightHapticStrength = strength;
+        _rightHapticDuration = duration;
+    }
+    return true;
+}
+
+void ViveControllerManager::InputDevice::hapticsHelper(float deltaTime, bool leftHand) {
     auto handRole = leftHand ? vr::TrackedControllerRole_LeftHand : vr::TrackedControllerRole_RightHand;
     auto deviceIndex = _system->GetTrackedDeviceIndexForControllerRole(handRole);
 
     if (_system->IsTrackedDeviceConnected(deviceIndex) &&
         _system->GetTrackedDeviceClass(deviceIndex) == vr::TrackedDeviceClass_Controller &&
         _trackedDevicePose[deviceIndex].bPoseIsValid) {
+        float strength = leftHand ? _leftHapticStrength : _rightHapticStrength;
+        float duration = leftHand ? _leftHapticDuration : _rightHapticDuration;
+
         // Vive Controllers only support duration up to 4 ms, which is short enough that any variation feels more like strength
         const float MAX_HAPTIC_TIME = 3999.0f; // in microseconds
         float hapticTime = strength*MAX_HAPTIC_TIME;
@@ -478,22 +484,13 @@ bool ViveControllerManager::InputDevice::triggerHapticPulse(float strength, floa
         // Must wait 5 ms before triggering another pulse on this controller
         // https://github.com/ValveSoftware/openvr/wiki/IVRSystem::TriggerHapticPulse
         const float HAPTIC_RESET_TIME = 5.0f;
-        float remainingHapticTime = duration - (hapticTime / 1000.0f + HAPTIC_RESET_TIME); // in milliseconds
-        if (remainingHapticTime > 0.0f) {
-            if (leftHand) {
-                prevLeftHapticStrength = strength;
-                prevLeftHapticDuration = remainingHapticTime;
-                _parent._leftHapticTimer.start(remainingHapticTime);
-            }
-            else {
-                prevRightHapticStrength = strength;
-                prevRightHapticDuration = remainingHapticTime;
-                _parent._rightHapticTimer.start(remainingHapticTime);
-            }
+        float remainingHapticTime = duration - (hapticTime / 1000.0f + deltaTime * 1000.0f); // in milliseconds
+        if (leftHand) {
+            _leftHapticDuration = remainingHapticTime;
+        } else {
+            _rightHapticDuration = remainingHapticTime;
         }
-        return true;
     }
-    return false;
 }
 
 controller::Input::NamedVector ViveControllerManager::InputDevice::getAvailableInputs() const {
diff --git a/plugins/openvr/src/ViveControllerManager.h b/plugins/openvr/src/ViveControllerManager.h
index 67fe43c15a..9bdbd0370e 100644
--- a/plugins/openvr/src/ViveControllerManager.h
+++ b/plugins/openvr/src/ViveControllerManager.h
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 #define hifi__ViveControllerManager
 
 #include <QObject>
-#include <QTimer>
 #include <unordered_set>
 
 #include <GLMHelpers.h>
@@ -46,13 +45,10 @@ public:
 
     void setRenderControllers(bool renderControllers) { _renderControllers = renderControllers; }
 
-private slots:
-    void hapticPulseHelper(bool leftHand);
-
 private:
     class InputDevice : public controller::InputDevice {
     public:
-        InputDevice(ViveControllerManager& parent, vr::IVRSystem*& system) : controller::InputDevice("Vive"), _parent(parent), _system(system) {}
+        InputDevice(vr::IVRSystem*& system) : controller::InputDevice("Vive"), _system(system), _leftHapticDuration(0.0f), _rightHapticDuration(0.0f) {}
     private:
         // Device functions
         controller::Input::NamedVector getAvailableInputs() const override;
@@ -60,8 +56,8 @@ private:
         void update(float deltaTime, const controller::InputCalibrationData& inputCalibrationData) override;
         void focusOutEvent() override;
 
-        void hapticPulseHelper(bool leftHand);
         bool triggerHapticPulse(float strength, float duration, bool leftHand) override;
+        void hapticsHelper(float deltaTime, bool leftHand);
 
         void handleHandController(float deltaTime, uint32_t deviceIndex, const controller::InputCalibrationData& inputCalibrationData, bool isLeftHand);
         void handleButtonEvent(float deltaTime, uint32_t button, bool pressed, bool touched, bool isLeftHand);
@@ -97,13 +93,19 @@ private:
         FilteredStick _filteredLeftStick;
         FilteredStick _filteredRightStick;
 
+        // perform an action when the InputDevice mutex is acquired.
+        using Locker = std::unique_lock<std::recursive_mutex>;
+        template <typename F>
+        void withLock(F&& f) { Locker locker(_lock); f(); }
+
         int _trackedControllers { 0 };
         vr::IVRSystem*& _system;
-        ViveControllerManager& _parent;
-        float prevLeftHapticStrength;
-        float prevLeftHapticDuration;
-        float prevRightHapticStrength;
-        float prevRightHapticDuration;
+        float _leftHapticStrength;
+        float _leftHapticDuration;
+        float _rightHapticStrength;
+        float _rightHapticDuration;
+        mutable std::recursive_mutex _lock;
+
         friend class ViveControllerManager;
     };
 
@@ -119,10 +121,7 @@ private:
 
     bool _renderControllers { false };
     vr::IVRSystem* _system { nullptr };
-    std::shared_ptr<InputDevice> _inputDevice { std::make_shared<InputDevice>(*this, _system) };
-
-    QTimer _leftHapticTimer;
-    QTimer _rightHapticTimer;
+    std::shared_ptr<InputDevice> _inputDevice { std::make_shared<InputDevice>(_system) };
 
     static const QString NAME;
 };