diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp
index c308f5f041..a892447961 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/SkeletonModel.cpp
@@ -247,7 +247,10 @@ void SkeletonModel::simulate(float deltaTime, bool fullUpdate) {
     hand->getLeftRightPalmIndices(leftPalmIndex, rightPalmIndex);
 
     // let rig compute the model offset
-    setOffset(_rig->getModelOffset());
+    glm::vec3 modelOffset;
+    if (_rig->getModelOffset(modelOffset)) {
+        setOffset(modelOffset);
+    }
 
     // Don't Relax toward hand positions when in animGraph mode.
     if (!_rig->getEnableAnimGraph()) {
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp
index 74108eade2..ee3ac0a05a 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp
@@ -1203,11 +1203,11 @@ void Rig::initAnimGraph(const QUrl& url, const FBXGeometry& fbxGeometry) {
     });
 }
 
-glm::vec3 Rig::getModelOffset() const {
+bool Rig::getModelOffset(glm::vec3& modelOffsetOut) const {
     if (_animSkeleton && _rootJointIndex >= 0) {
-        return -_animSkeleton->getAbsoluteBindPose(_rootJointIndex).trans;
+        modelOffsetOut = -_animSkeleton->getAbsoluteBindPose(_rootJointIndex).trans;
+        return true;
     } else {
-        const glm::vec3 DEFAULT_MODEL_OFFSET(0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f);
-        return DEFAULT_MODEL_OFFSET;
+        return false;
     }
 }
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h
index 3ad2539da5..ef802e925d 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ public:
     AnimSkeleton::ConstPointer getAnimSkeleton() const { return _animSkeleton; }
     bool disableHands {false}; // should go away with rig animation (and Rig::inverseKinematics)
 
-    glm::vec3 getModelOffset() const;
+    bool getModelOffset(glm::vec3& modelOffsetOut) const;
 
  protected: