diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/dialogs/RunningScripts.qml b/interface/resources/qml/dialogs/RunningScripts.qml
index 4c347aef3d..0d771b79cd 100644
--- a/interface/resources/qml/dialogs/RunningScripts.qml
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/dialogs/RunningScripts.qml
@@ -111,8 +111,7 @@ Window {
                 Button { text: "Stop all"; onClicked: stopAll() }
             }
 
-            ListView {
-                clip: true
+            ScrollView {
                 anchors {
                     top: allButtons.bottom;
                     left: parent.left;
@@ -122,45 +121,49 @@ Window {
                     bottomMargin: 8
                 }
 
-                model: runningScriptsModel
+                ListView {
+                    clip: true
+                    anchors { fill: parent; margins: 0 }
 
-                delegate: Rectangle {
-                    radius: 3
-                    anchors { left: parent.left; right: parent.right }
+                    model: runningScriptsModel
 
-                    height: scriptName.height + 12
-                    color: index % 2 ? "#ddd" : "#eee"
+                    delegate: Rectangle {
+                        radius: 3
+                        anchors { left: parent.left; right: parent.right }
 
-                    Text {
-                        anchors { left: parent.left; leftMargin: 4; verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter }
-                        id: scriptName
-                        text: name
-                    }
+                        height: scriptName.height + 12
+                        color: index % 2 ? "#ddd" : "#eee"
 
-                    Row {
-                        anchors.verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter
-                        anchors.right: parent.right
-                        anchors.rightMargin: 4
-                        spacing: 4
-                        HifiControls.FontAwesome {
-                            text: "\uf021"; size: scriptName.height;
-                            MouseArea {
-                                anchors { fill: parent; margins: -2; }
-                                onClicked: reloadScript(model.url)
-                            }
+                        Text {
+                            anchors { left: parent.left; leftMargin: 4; verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter }
+                            id: scriptName
+                            text: name
                         }
-                        HifiControls.FontAwesome {
-                            size: scriptName.height; text: "\uf00d"
-                            MouseArea {
-                                anchors { fill: parent; margins: -2; }
-                                onClicked: stopScript(model.url)
+
+                        Row {
+                            anchors.verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter
+                            anchors.right: parent.right
+                            anchors.rightMargin: 4
+                            spacing: 4
+                            HifiControls.FontAwesome {
+                                text: "\uf021"; size: scriptName.height;
+                                MouseArea {
+                                    anchors { fill: parent; margins: -2; }
+                                    onClicked: reloadScript(model.url)
+                                }
+                            }
+                            HifiControls.FontAwesome {
+                                size: scriptName.height; text: "\uf00d"
+                                MouseArea {
+                                    anchors { fill: parent; margins: -2; }
+                                    onClicked: stopScript(model.url)
+                                }
                             }
                         }
                     }
                 }
             }
 
-
             Text {
                 id: loadLabel
                 text: "Load Scripts"
diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 7dcb863049..fa730c5d40 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -2653,6 +2653,8 @@ void Application::loadSettings() {
 
     Menu::getInstance()->loadSettings();
     getMyAvatar()->loadData();
+
+    _settingsLoaded = true;
 }
 
 void Application::saveSettings() {
@@ -3276,6 +3278,10 @@ int Application::sendNackPackets() {
 
 void Application::queryOctree(NodeType_t serverType, PacketType packetType, NodeToJurisdictionMap& jurisdictions) {
 
+    if (!_settingsLoaded) {
+        return; // bail early if settings are not loaded
+    }
+
     //qCDebug(interfaceapp) << ">>> inside... queryOctree()... _viewFrustum.getFieldOfView()=" << _viewFrustum.getFieldOfView();
     bool wantExtraDebugging = getLogger()->extraDebugging();
 
diff --git a/interface/src/Application.h b/interface/src/Application.h
index 3840e10c93..30cda33051 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.h
+++ b/interface/src/Application.h
@@ -510,6 +510,8 @@ private:
     bool _reticleClickPressed { false };
 
     int _avatarAttachmentRequest = 0;
+
+    bool _settingsLoaded { false };
 };
 
 #endif // hifi_Application_h
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/UpdateDialog.cpp b/interface/src/ui/UpdateDialog.cpp
index 6fa2d858fb..4001e615a1 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/UpdateDialog.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/UpdateDialog.cpp
@@ -51,10 +51,10 @@ void UpdateDialog::closeDialog() {
 }
 
 void UpdateDialog::hide() {
-    ((QQuickItem*)parent())->setEnabled(false);
+    ((QQuickItem*)parent())->setVisible(false);
 }
 
 void UpdateDialog::triggerUpgrade() {
     auto applicationUpdater = DependencyManager::get<AutoUpdater>();
     applicationUpdater.data()->performAutoUpdate(applicationUpdater.data()->getBuildData().lastKey());
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableModelEntityItem.cpp b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableModelEntityItem.cpp
index 57a29de596..72dc79b882 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableModelEntityItem.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableModelEntityItem.cpp
@@ -772,8 +772,14 @@ int RenderableModelEntityItem::getJointIndex(const QString& name) const {
     return -1;
 }
 
-
-// TODO -- expose a way to list joint names
-// RenderableModelEntityItem::QStringList getJointNames() const {
-// rig->nameOfJoint(i);
-// }
+QStringList RenderableModelEntityItem::getJointNames() const {
+    QStringList result;
+    if (_model && _model->isActive()) {
+        RigPointer rig = _model->getRig();
+        int jointCount = rig->getJointStateCount();
+        for (int jointIndex = 0; jointIndex < jointCount; jointIndex++) {
+            result << rig->nameOfJoint(jointIndex);
+        }
+    }
+    return result;
+}
diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableModelEntityItem.h b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableModelEntityItem.h
index 834513ecf7..20afb3c157 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableModelEntityItem.h
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableModelEntityItem.h
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ public:
     virtual void resizeJointArrays(int newSize = -1) override;
 
     virtual int getJointIndex(const QString& name) const override;
+    virtual QStringList getJointNames() const override;
 
 private:
     QVariantMap parseTexturesToMap(QString textures);
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h
index f40ee88960..9be018183a 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h
@@ -396,6 +396,7 @@ public:
     virtual bool setAbsoluteJointTranslationInObjectFrame(int index, const glm::vec3& translation) override { return false; }
 
     virtual int getJointIndex(const QString& name) const { return -1; }
+    virtual QStringList getJointNames() const { return QStringList(); }
 
     virtual void loader() {} // called indirectly when urls for geometry are updated
 
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityScriptingInterface.cpp b/libraries/entities/src/EntityScriptingInterface.cpp
index f78cd4fd8c..8fd7be912e 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityScriptingInterface.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityScriptingInterface.cpp
@@ -977,6 +977,18 @@ int EntityScriptingInterface::getJointIndex(const QUuid& entityID, const QString
     if (!_entityTree) {
         return -1;
     }
-    EntityItemPointer entity = _entityTree->findEntityByEntityItemID(entityID);
-    return entity->getJointIndex(name);
+    int result;
+    QMetaObject::invokeMethod(_entityTree.get(), "getJointIndex", Qt::BlockingQueuedConnection,
+                              Q_RETURN_ARG(int, result), Q_ARG(QUuid, entityID), Q_ARG(QString, name));
+    return result;
+}
+
+QStringList EntityScriptingInterface::getJointNames(const QUuid& entityID) {
+    if (!_entityTree) {
+        return QStringList();
+    }
+    QStringList result;
+    QMetaObject::invokeMethod(_entityTree.get(), "getJointNames", Qt::BlockingQueuedConnection,
+                              Q_RETURN_ARG(QStringList, result), Q_ARG(QUuid, entityID));
+    return result;
 }
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityScriptingInterface.h b/libraries/entities/src/EntityScriptingInterface.h
index e7a4c0e071..641da7518e 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityScriptingInterface.h
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityScriptingInterface.h
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ public slots:
                                                         const QVector<glm::vec3>& translations);
 
     Q_INVOKABLE int getJointIndex(const QUuid& entityID, const QString& name);
+    Q_INVOKABLE QStringList getJointNames(const QUuid& entityID);
 
 signals:
     void collisionWithEntity(const EntityItemID& idA, const EntityItemID& idB, const Collision& collision);
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp
index eb23034506..2a8d3352b0 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp
@@ -1291,12 +1291,13 @@ void EntityTree::remapIDs() {
     recurseTreeWithOperator(&theOperator);
 }
 
-bool EntityTree::writeToMap(QVariantMap& entityDescription, OctreeElementPointer element, bool skipDefaultValues) {
+bool EntityTree::writeToMap(QVariantMap& entityDescription, OctreeElementPointer element, bool skipDefaultValues,
+                            bool skipThoseWithBadParents) {
     if (! entityDescription.contains("Entities")) {
         entityDescription["Entities"] = QVariantList();
     }
     QScriptEngine scriptEngine;
-    RecurseOctreeToMapOperator theOperator(entityDescription, element, &scriptEngine, skipDefaultValues);
+    RecurseOctreeToMapOperator theOperator(entityDescription, element, &scriptEngine, skipDefaultValues, skipThoseWithBadParents);
     recurseTreeWithOperator(&theOperator);
     return true;
 }
@@ -1358,7 +1359,6 @@ void EntityTree::trackIncomingEntityLastEdited(quint64 lastEditedTime, int bytes
     }
 }
 
-
 void EntityTree::callLoader(EntityItemID entityID) {
     // this is used to bounce from the networking thread to the main thread
     EntityItemPointer entity = findEntityByEntityItemID(entityID);
@@ -1366,3 +1366,21 @@ void EntityTree::callLoader(EntityItemID entityID) {
         entity->loader();
     }
 }
+
+int EntityTree::getJointIndex(const QUuid& entityID, const QString& name) const {
+    EntityTree* nonConstThis = const_cast<EntityTree*>(this);
+    EntityItemPointer entity = nonConstThis->findEntityByEntityItemID(entityID);
+    if (!entity) {
+        return -1;
+    }
+    return entity->getJointIndex(name);
+}
+
+QStringList EntityTree::getJointNames(const QUuid& entityID) const {
+    EntityTree* nonConstThis = const_cast<EntityTree*>(this);
+    EntityItemPointer entity = nonConstThis->findEntityByEntityItemID(entityID);
+    if (!entity) {
+        return QStringList();
+    }
+    return entity->getJointNames();
+}
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.h b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.h
index 0f77c4af9a..b1d8a31254 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.h
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.h
@@ -199,7 +199,8 @@ public:
 
     void remapIDs();
 
-    virtual bool writeToMap(QVariantMap& entityDescription, OctreeElementPointer element, bool skipDefaultValues) override;
+    virtual bool writeToMap(QVariantMap& entityDescription, OctreeElementPointer element, bool skipDefaultValues,
+                            bool skipThoseWithBadParents) override;
     virtual bool readFromMap(QVariantMap& entityDescription) override;
 
     float getContentsLargestDimension();
@@ -236,6 +237,10 @@ public:
         return _deletedEntityItemIDs.contains(id);
     }
 
+    // these are used to call through to EntityItems
+    Q_INVOKABLE int getJointIndex(const QUuid& entityID, const QString& name) const;
+    Q_INVOKABLE QStringList getJointNames(const QUuid& entityID) const;
+
 public slots:
     void callLoader(EntityItemID entityID);
 
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/RecurseOctreeToMapOperator.cpp b/libraries/entities/src/RecurseOctreeToMapOperator.cpp
index 81465bfaf5..e930d5ef5f 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/RecurseOctreeToMapOperator.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/RecurseOctreeToMapOperator.cpp
@@ -16,12 +16,14 @@
 RecurseOctreeToMapOperator::RecurseOctreeToMapOperator(QVariantMap& map,
                                                        OctreeElementPointer top,
                                                        QScriptEngine* engine,
-                                                       bool skipDefaultValues) :
+                                                       bool skipDefaultValues,
+                                                       bool skipThoseWithBadParents) :
         RecurseOctreeOperator(),
         _map(map),
         _top(top),
         _engine(engine),
-        _skipDefaultValues(skipDefaultValues)
+        _skipDefaultValues(skipDefaultValues),
+        _skipThoseWithBadParents(skipThoseWithBadParents)
 {
     // if some element "top" was given, only save information for that element and its children.
     if (_top) {
@@ -47,6 +49,10 @@ bool RecurseOctreeToMapOperator::postRecursion(OctreeElementPointer element) {
     QVariantList entitiesQList = qvariant_cast<QVariantList>(_map["Entities"]);
 
     entityTreeElement->forEachEntity([&](EntityItemPointer entityItem) {
+        if (_skipThoseWithBadParents && !entityItem->isParentIDValid()) {
+            return;  // we weren't able to resolve a parent from _parentID, so don't save this entity.
+        }
+
         EntityItemProperties properties = entityItem->getProperties();
         QScriptValue qScriptValues;
         if (_skipDefaultValues) {
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/RecurseOctreeToMapOperator.h b/libraries/entities/src/RecurseOctreeToMapOperator.h
index 35c7f1b6a9..c64cf91b61 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/RecurseOctreeToMapOperator.h
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/RecurseOctreeToMapOperator.h
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@
 
 class RecurseOctreeToMapOperator : public RecurseOctreeOperator {
 public:
-    RecurseOctreeToMapOperator(QVariantMap& map, OctreeElementPointer top, QScriptEngine* engine, bool skipDefaultValues);
+    RecurseOctreeToMapOperator(QVariantMap& map, OctreeElementPointer top, QScriptEngine* engine, bool skipDefaultValues,
+                               bool skipThoseWithBadParents);
     bool preRecursion(OctreeElementPointer element);
     bool postRecursion(OctreeElementPointer element);
  private:
@@ -22,4 +23,5 @@ public:
     QScriptEngine* _engine;
     bool _withinTop;
     bool _skipDefaultValues;
+    bool _skipThoseWithBadParents;
 };
diff --git a/libraries/octree/src/Octree.cpp b/libraries/octree/src/Octree.cpp
index bdad5682a9..a685c2580c 100644
--- a/libraries/octree/src/Octree.cpp
+++ b/libraries/octree/src/Octree.cpp
@@ -1919,7 +1919,7 @@ void Octree::writeToJSONFile(const char* fileName, OctreeElementPointer element,
     entityDescription["Version"] = (int) expectedVersion;
 
     // store the entity data
-    bool entityDescriptionSuccess = writeToMap(entityDescription, top, true);
+    bool entityDescriptionSuccess = writeToMap(entityDescription, top, true, true);
     if (!entityDescriptionSuccess) {
         qCritical("Failed to convert Entities to QVariantMap while saving to json.");
         return;
diff --git a/libraries/octree/src/Octree.h b/libraries/octree/src/Octree.h
index 789d0f5600..0939ae37f6 100644
--- a/libraries/octree/src/Octree.h
+++ b/libraries/octree/src/Octree.h
@@ -304,7 +304,8 @@ public:
     void writeToFile(const char* filename, OctreeElementPointer element = NULL, QString persistAsFileType = "svo");
     void writeToJSONFile(const char* filename, OctreeElementPointer element = NULL, bool doGzip = false);
     void writeToSVOFile(const char* filename, OctreeElementPointer element = NULL);
-    virtual bool writeToMap(QVariantMap& entityDescription, OctreeElementPointer element, bool skipDefaultValues) = 0;
+    virtual bool writeToMap(QVariantMap& entityDescription, OctreeElementPointer element, bool skipDefaultValues,
+                            bool skipThoseWithBadParents) = 0;
 
     // Octree importers
     bool readFromFile(const char* filename);
diff --git a/libraries/shared/src/SpatiallyNestable.h b/libraries/shared/src/SpatiallyNestable.h
index dc38671091..75783fa6d5 100644
--- a/libraries/shared/src/SpatiallyNestable.h
+++ b/libraries/shared/src/SpatiallyNestable.h
@@ -118,6 +118,8 @@ public:
     void die() { _isDead = true; }
     bool isDead() const { return _isDead; }
 
+    bool isParentIDValid() const { bool success = false; getParentPointer(success); return success; }
+
 protected:
     const NestableType _nestableType; // EntityItem or an AvatarData
     QUuid _id;