diff --git a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarHashMap.cpp b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarHashMap.cpp
index ae3a8c3e5c..d389846796 100644
--- a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarHashMap.cpp
+++ b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarHashMap.cpp
@@ -55,6 +55,17 @@ bool AvatarHashMap::containsAvatarWithDisplayName(const QString& displayName) {
     return !avatarWithDisplayName(displayName).isNull();
 }
 
+bool AvatarHashMap::isAvatarInRange(const glm::vec3& position, const float range) {
+    foreach(const AvatarSharedPointer& sharedAvatar, _avatarHash) {
+        glm::vec3 avatarPosition = sharedAvatar->getPosition();
+        float distance = glm::distance(avatarPosition, position);
+        if (distance < range) {
+            return true;
+        }
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
 AvatarWeakPointer AvatarHashMap::avatarWithDisplayName(const QString& displayName) {
     foreach(const AvatarSharedPointer& sharedAvatar, _avatarHash) {
         if (sharedAvatar->getDisplayName() == displayName) {
diff --git a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarHashMap.h b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarHashMap.h
index b59559e78c..b7d40e2acc 100644
--- a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarHashMap.h
+++ b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarHashMap.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include <Node.h>
 
 #include "AvatarData.h"
+#include <glm/glm.hpp>
 
 typedef QSharedPointer<AvatarData> AvatarSharedPointer;
 typedef QWeakPointer<AvatarData> AvatarWeakPointer;
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ public:
 public slots:
     void processAvatarMixerDatagram(const QByteArray& datagram, const QWeakPointer<Node>& mixerWeakPointer);
     bool containsAvatarWithDisplayName(const QString& displayName);
+    bool isAvatarInRange(const glm::vec3 & position, const float range);
     AvatarWeakPointer avatarWithDisplayName(const QString& displayname);
     
 private slots: