diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 15f68bf4b3..6d4b5b4225 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -1678,6 +1678,8 @@ void Application::initMenu() {
     (_renderCoverageMapV2 = debugMenu->addAction("Render Coverage Map V2"))->setCheckable(true);
     _renderCoverageMapV2->setShortcut(Qt::SHIFT | Qt::CTRL | Qt::Key_P);
 
+    (_simulateLeapHand = debugMenu->addAction("Simulate Leap Hand"))->setCheckable(true);
+    (_testRaveGlove = debugMenu->addAction("Test RaveGlove"))->setCheckable(true);
 
     QMenu* settingsMenu = menuBar->addMenu("Settings");
     (_settingsAutosave = settingsMenu->addAction("Autosave"))->setCheckable(true);
@@ -1936,6 +1938,7 @@ void Application::update(float deltaTime) {
     }
     
     // Leap finger-sensing device
+    LeapManager::enableFakeFingers(_simulateLeapHand->isChecked() || _testRaveGlove->isChecked());
     LeapManager::nextFrame();
     _myAvatar.getHand().setLeapFingers(LeapManager::getFingerTips(), LeapManager::getFingerRoots());
     _myAvatar.getHand().setLeapHands(LeapManager::getHandPositions(), LeapManager::getHandNormals());
diff --git a/interface/src/Application.h b/interface/src/Application.h
index cb69271b4b..7d56e4d673 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.h
+++ b/interface/src/Application.h
@@ -262,6 +262,9 @@ private:
 
     QAction* _renderCoverageMapV2;
     QAction* _renderCoverageMap;
+
+    QAction* _simulateLeapHand;      // When there's no Leap, use this to pretend there is one and feed fake hand data
+    QAction* _testRaveGlove;         // Test fancy sparkle-rave-glove mode
     
     BandwidthMeter _bandwidthMeter;
     BandwidthDialog* _bandwidthDialog;
diff --git a/interface/src/LeapManager.cpp b/interface/src/LeapManager.cpp
index b3d7737969..fe47e527fa 100755
--- a/interface/src/LeapManager.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/LeapManager.cpp
@@ -12,9 +12,14 @@
 #include <sstream>
 
 bool LeapManager::_libraryExists = false;
+bool LeapManager::_doFakeFingers = false;
 Leap::Controller* LeapManager::_controller = NULL;
 HifiLeapListener* LeapManager::_listener = NULL;
 
+namespace {
+glm::vec3 fakeHandOffset(0.0f, 50.0f, 50.0f);
+}   // end anonymous namespace
+
 class HifiLeapListener  : public Leap::Listener {
 public:
     HifiLeapListener() {}
@@ -76,47 +81,91 @@ void LeapManager::terminate() {
 }
 
 void LeapManager::nextFrame() {
-    if (_listener && _controller)
+    if (controllersExist()) {
         _listener->onFrame(*_controller);
+    }
+}
+
+void LeapManager::enableFakeFingers(bool enable) {
+    _doFakeFingers = enable;
+}
+
+bool LeapManager::controllersExist() {
+#ifdef LEAP_STUBS
+    return false;
+#else
+    return _listener && _controller && _controller->devices().count() > 0;
+#endif
 }
 
 const std::vector<glm::vec3>& LeapManager::getFingerTips() {
-    if (_listener) {
+    if (controllersExist()) {
         return _listener->fingerTips;
     }
     else {
-        static std::vector<glm::vec3> empty;
-        return empty;
+        static std::vector<glm::vec3> stubData;
+        stubData.clear();
+        if (_doFakeFingers) {
+            // Simulated data
+            float scale = 1.5f;
+            stubData.push_back(glm::vec3( -60.0f, 0.0f, -40.0f) * scale + fakeHandOffset);
+            stubData.push_back(glm::vec3( -20.0f, 0.0f, -60.0f) * scale + fakeHandOffset);
+            stubData.push_back(glm::vec3(  20.0f, 0.0f, -60.0f) * scale + fakeHandOffset);
+            stubData.push_back(glm::vec3(  60.0f, 0.0f, -40.0f) * scale + fakeHandOffset);
+            stubData.push_back(glm::vec3( -50.0f, 0.0f,  30.0f) * scale + fakeHandOffset);
+        }
+        return stubData;
     }
 }
 
 const std::vector<glm::vec3>& LeapManager::getFingerRoots() {
-    if (_listener) {
+    if (controllersExist()) {
         return _listener->fingerRoots;
     }
     else {
-        static std::vector<glm::vec3> empty;
-        return empty;
+        static std::vector<glm::vec3> stubData;
+        stubData.clear();
+        if (_doFakeFingers) {
+            // Simulated data
+            float scale = 0.75f;
+            stubData.push_back(glm::vec3( -60.0f, 0.0f, -40.0f) * scale + fakeHandOffset);
+            stubData.push_back(glm::vec3( -20.0f, 0.0f, -60.0f) * scale + fakeHandOffset);
+            stubData.push_back(glm::vec3(  20.0f, 0.0f, -60.0f) * scale + fakeHandOffset);
+            stubData.push_back(glm::vec3(  60.0f, 0.0f, -40.0f) * scale + fakeHandOffset);
+            stubData.push_back(glm::vec3( -50.0f, 0.0f,  30.0f) * scale + fakeHandOffset);
+        }
+        return stubData;
     }
 }
 
 const std::vector<glm::vec3>& LeapManager::getHandPositions() {
-    if (_listener) {
+    if (controllersExist()) {
         return _listener->handPositions;
     }
     else {
-        static std::vector<glm::vec3> empty;
-        return empty;
+        static std::vector<glm::vec3> stubData;
+        stubData.clear();
+        if (_doFakeFingers) {
+            // Simulated data
+            glm::vec3 handOffset(0.0f, 50.0f, 50.0f);
+            stubData.push_back(glm::vec3( 0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f) + fakeHandOffset);
+        }
+        return stubData;
     }
 }
 
 const std::vector<glm::vec3>& LeapManager::getHandNormals() {
-    if (_listener) {
+    if (controllersExist()) {
         return _listener->handNormals;
     }
     else {
-        static std::vector<glm::vec3> empty;
-        return empty;
+        static std::vector<glm::vec3> stubData;
+        stubData.clear();
+        if (_doFakeFingers) {
+            // Simulated data
+            stubData.push_back(glm::vec3(0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f));
+        }
+        return stubData;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/interface/src/LeapManager.h b/interface/src/LeapManager.h
index f6ed925c6b..e6ac304677 100755
--- a/interface/src/LeapManager.h
+++ b/interface/src/LeapManager.h
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ namespace Leap {
 
 class LeapManager {
 public:
-    static void nextFrame();  // called once per frame to get new Leap data
+    static void nextFrame();                    // called once per frame to get new Leap data
+    static bool controllersExist();             // Returns true if there's at least one active Leap plugged in
+    static void enableFakeFingers(bool enable); // put fake data in if there's no Leap plugged in
     static const std::vector<glm::vec3>& getFingerTips();
     static const std::vector<glm::vec3>& getFingerRoots();
     static const std::vector<glm::vec3>& getHandPositions();
@@ -31,6 +33,7 @@ public:
     
 private:
     static bool _libraryExists;            // The library is present, so we won't crash if we call it.
+    static bool _doFakeFingers;
     static Leap::Controller* _controller;
     static HifiLeapListener* _listener;
 };
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Hand.h b/interface/src/avatar/Hand.h
index 244ff0dafd..1c25c85fbc 100755
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Hand.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Hand.h
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ public:
     // getters
     const glm::vec3& getLeapBallPosition       (int ball)       const { return _leapBalls[ball].position;}
 
+    // position conversion
+    glm::vec3 leapPositionToWorldPosition(const glm::vec3& leapPosition);
+
 private:
     // disallow copies of the Hand, copy of owning Avatar is disallowed too
     Hand(const Hand&);
@@ -66,7 +69,6 @@ private:
     // private methods
     void renderHandSpheres();
     void calculateGeometry();
-    glm::vec3 leapPositionToWorldPosition(const glm::vec3& leapPosition);
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/libraries/avatars/src/HandData.h b/libraries/avatars/src/HandData.h
index b0d71b4dee..50a4843153 100755
--- a/libraries/avatars/src/HandData.h
+++ b/libraries/avatars/src/HandData.h
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ class HandData {
 public:
     HandData(AvatarData* owningAvatar);
     
+    // These methods return the positions in Leap-relative space.
+    // To convert to world coordinates, use Hand::leapPositionToWorldPosition.
     const std::vector<glm::vec3>& getFingerTips() const { return _fingerTips; }
     const std::vector<glm::vec3>& getFingerRoots() const { return _fingerRoots; }
     const std::vector<glm::vec3>& getHandPositions() const { return _handPositions; }