diff --git a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
index 4df93de340..f4a3ab8067 100644
--- a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
+++ b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.cpp
@@ -52,7 +52,9 @@ AvatarData::~AvatarData() {
 }
 
 void AvatarData::setPositionFromVariantMap(QVariantMap positionMap) {
-    _position = glm::vec3(positionMap.value("x"), positionMap.value("y"), positionMap.value("z"));
+    _position = glm::vec3(positionMap.value("x").toFloat(), 
+                          positionMap.value("y").toFloat(),
+                          positionMap.value("z").toFloat());
 }
 
 QVariantMap AvatarData::getPositionVariantMap() {
diff --git a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h
index 90a01954ad..5d8b022e34 100755
--- a/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h
+++ b/libraries/avatars/src/AvatarData.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include <glm/gtc/quaternion.hpp>
 
 #include <QtCore/QObject>
+#include <QtCore/QVariantMap>
 
 #include <NodeData.h>
 #include "HeadData.h"