diff --git a/libraries/physics/src/DynamicCharacterController.cpp b/libraries/physics/src/DynamicCharacterController.cpp
index 6d1e295703..eebd8f0c88 100644
--- a/libraries/physics/src/DynamicCharacterController.cpp
+++ b/libraries/physics/src/DynamicCharacterController.cpp
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ protected:
 
 DynamicCharacterController::DynamicCharacterController(AvatarData* avatarData) {
     _halfHeight = 1.0f;
-    _shape = NULL;
-    _rigidBody = NULL;
+    _shape = nullptr;
+    _rigidBody = nullptr;
 
     assert(avatarData);
     _avatarData = avatarData;
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ void DynamicCharacterController::setDynamicsWorld(btDynamicsWorld* world) {
                 _dynamicsWorld->removeRigidBody(_rigidBody);
                 _dynamicsWorld->removeAction(this);
             }
-            _dynamicsWorld = NULL;
+            _dynamicsWorld = nullptr;
         }
         if (world && _rigidBody) {
             _dynamicsWorld = world;
@@ -292,9 +292,9 @@ void DynamicCharacterController::updateShapeIfNecessary() {
         _pendingFlags &= ~ PENDING_FLAG_UPDATE_SHAPE;
         // delete shape and RigidBody
         delete _rigidBody;
-        _rigidBody = NULL;
+        _rigidBody = nullptr;
         delete _shape;
-        _shape = NULL;
+        _shape = nullptr;
 
         // compute new dimensions from avatar's bounding box
         float x = _boxScale.x;
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ void DynamicCharacterController::updateShapeIfNecessary() {
             // create new body
             float mass = 1.0f;
             btVector3 inertia(1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f);
-            _rigidBody = new btRigidBody(mass, NULL, _shape, inertia);
+            _rigidBody = new btRigidBody(mass, nullptr, _shape, inertia);
             _rigidBody->setSleepingThresholds(0.0f, 0.0f);
             _rigidBody->setAngularFactor(0.0f);
             _rigidBody->setWorldTransform(btTransform(glmToBullet(_avatarData->getOrientation()),
diff --git a/libraries/physics/src/DynamicCharacterController.h b/libraries/physics/src/DynamicCharacterController.h
index f98343c49b..06ff555f66 100644
--- a/libraries/physics/src/DynamicCharacterController.h
+++ b/libraries/physics/src/DynamicCharacterController.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ protected:
 
     glm::vec3 _shapeLocalOffset;
     glm::vec3 _boxScale; // used to compute capsule shape
-    AvatarData* _avatarData = NULL;
+    AvatarData* _avatarData = nullptr;
 
     bool _enabled;
     bool _isOnGround;
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ protected:
     quint64 _jumpToHoverStart;
     uint32_t _pendingFlags;
 
-    btDynamicsWorld* _dynamicsWorld = NULL;
+    btDynamicsWorld* _dynamicsWorld = nullptr;
 
     btScalar _jumpSpeed;
 
@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@ public:
     bool needsRemoval() const;
     bool needsAddition() const;
     void setEnabled(bool enabled);
-    bool isEnabled() const { return _enabled; }
+    bool isEnabled() const { return _enabled && _dynamicsWorld; }
+
     void setDynamicsWorld(btDynamicsWorld* world);
 
     void setLocalBoundingBox(const glm::vec3& corner, const glm::vec3& scale);