diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/FBXReader.cpp b/interface/src/renderer/FBXReader.cpp
index 32b5686558..ff3fa8667f 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/FBXReader.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/FBXReader.cpp
@@ -1651,8 +1651,8 @@ FBXGeometry extractFBXGeometry(const FBXNode& node, const QVariantHash& mapping)
             if (distanceFromEnd > joint.distanceToParent && distanceFromBegin > joint.distanceToParent) {
                 // The shape is further from both joint endpoints than the endpoints are from each other
                 // which probably means the model has a bad transform somewhere.  We disable this shape
-                // by setting its radius to zero.
-                joint.boneRadius = 0.0f;
+                // by setting its type to UNKNOWN_SHAPE.
+                joint.shapeType = Shape::UNKNOWN_SHAPE;
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/FBXReader.h b/interface/src/renderer/FBXReader.h
index 73c305e2eb..366ab12180 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/FBXReader.h
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/FBXReader.h
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 #include <QVariant>
 #include <QVector>
 
+#include <Shape.h>
+
 #include <glm/glm.hpp>
 #include <glm/gtc/quaternion.hpp>
 
@@ -91,7 +93,7 @@ public:
     QString name;
     glm::vec3 shapePosition;  // in joint frame
     glm::quat shapeRotation;  // in joint frame
-    int shapeType;
+    Shape::Type shapeType;
 };
 
 
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp b/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp
index bcde861e84..ca0b46841d 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp
@@ -500,7 +500,12 @@ void Model::rebuildShapes() {
 
         float radius = uniformScale * joint.boneRadius;
         float halfHeight = 0.5f * uniformScale * joint.distanceToParent;
-        if (joint.shapeType == Shape::CAPSULE_SHAPE && halfHeight > EPSILON) {
+        Shape::Type type = joint.shapeType;
+        if (type == Shape::CAPSULE_SHAPE && halfHeight < EPSILON) {
+            // this capsule is effectively a sphere
+            type = Shape::SPHERE_SHAPE;
+        }
+        if (type == Shape::CAPSULE_SHAPE) {
             CapsuleShape* capsule = new CapsuleShape(radius, halfHeight);
             capsule->setPosition(worldPosition);
             capsule->setRotation(_jointStates[i].combinedRotation * joint.shapeRotation);
@@ -523,18 +528,23 @@ void Model::rebuildShapes() {
 
 
             totalExtents.addExtents(shapeExtents);
-        } else {
+        } else if (type == Shape::SPHERE_SHAPE) {
             SphereShape* sphere = new SphereShape(radius, worldPosition);
             _jointShapes.push_back(sphere);
 
-            if (radius > 0.0f) {
-                // only include sphere shapes with non-zero radius
-                glm::vec3 axis = glm::vec3(radius);
-                shapeExtents.addPoint(worldPosition + axis);
-                shapeExtents.addPoint(worldPosition - axis);
-                totalExtents.addExtents(shapeExtents);
-            }
+            glm::vec3 axis = glm::vec3(radius);
+            shapeExtents.addPoint(worldPosition + axis);
+            shapeExtents.addPoint(worldPosition - axis);
+            totalExtents.addExtents(shapeExtents);
+        } else {
+            // this shape type is not handled and the joint shouldn't collide, 
+            // however we must have a shape for each joint, 
+            // so we make a bogus sphere and put it at the center of the model
+            // TODO: implement collision groups for more control over what collides with what
+            SphereShape* sphere = new SphereShape(0.f, _offset);
+            _jointShapes.push_back(sphere);
         }
+
     }
 
     // bounding shape