diff --git a/assignment-client/src/metavoxels/MetavoxelServer.cpp b/assignment-client/src/metavoxels/MetavoxelServer.cpp
index 4d9c45ed6c..598d8ea722 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/metavoxels/MetavoxelServer.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/metavoxels/MetavoxelServer.cpp
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ void MetavoxelServer::run() {
     _persister = new MetavoxelPersister(this);
     QThread* persistenceThread = new QThread(this);
     _persister->moveToThread(persistenceThread);
+    _persister->connect(persistenceThread, SIGNAL(finished()), SLOT(deleteLater()));
     persistenceThread->start();
     
     // queue up the load
diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 48181d0244..bc6db5d7b6 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -3641,6 +3641,7 @@ ScriptEngine* Application::loadScript(const QString& scriptName, bool loadScript
     scriptEngine->registerGlobalObject("AnimationCache", &_animationCache);
     scriptEngine->registerGlobalObject("AudioReflector", &_audioReflector);
     scriptEngine->registerGlobalObject("Account", AccountScriptingInterface::getInstance());
+    scriptEngine->registerGlobalObject("Metavoxels", &_metavoxels);
     
     scriptEngine->registerGlobalObject("AvatarManager", &_avatarManager);
     
diff --git a/libraries/metavoxels/src/AttributeRegistry.cpp b/libraries/metavoxels/src/AttributeRegistry.cpp
index 64b2646261..1cd41500fc 100644
--- a/libraries/metavoxels/src/AttributeRegistry.cpp
+++ b/libraries/metavoxels/src/AttributeRegistry.cpp
@@ -213,7 +213,12 @@ void Attribute::writeMetavoxelDelta(const MetavoxelNode& root, const MetavoxelNo
 }
 
 void Attribute::readMetavoxelSubdivision(MetavoxelData& data, MetavoxelStreamState& state) {
-    data.getRoot(state.attribute)->readSubdivision(state);
+    // copy if changed
+    MetavoxelNode* oldRoot = data.getRoot(state.attribute);
+    MetavoxelNode* newRoot = oldRoot->readSubdivision(state);
+    if (newRoot != oldRoot) {
+        data.setRoot(state.attribute, newRoot);
+    }
 }
 
 void Attribute::writeMetavoxelSubdivision(const MetavoxelNode& root, MetavoxelStreamState& state) {
diff --git a/libraries/metavoxels/src/Bitstream.cpp b/libraries/metavoxels/src/Bitstream.cpp
index 0d4f8a52b4..f49ae1c04f 100644
--- a/libraries/metavoxels/src/Bitstream.cpp
+++ b/libraries/metavoxels/src/Bitstream.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include <QCryptographicHash>
 #include <QDataStream>
 #include <QMetaType>
+#include <QScriptEngine>
 #include <QScriptValueIterator>
 #include <QUrl>
 #include <QtDebug>
@@ -128,6 +129,21 @@ QList<const QMetaObject*> Bitstream::getMetaObjectSubClasses(const QMetaObject*
     return getMetaObjectSubClasses().values(metaObject);
 }
 
+QScriptValue sharedObjectPointerToScriptValue(QScriptEngine* engine, const SharedObjectPointer& pointer) {
+    return pointer ? engine->newQObject(pointer.data()) : engine->nullValue();
+}
+
+void sharedObjectPointerFromScriptValue(const QScriptValue& object, SharedObjectPointer& pointer) {
+    pointer = qobject_cast<SharedObject*>(object.toQObject());
+}
+
+void Bitstream::registerTypes(QScriptEngine* engine) {
+    foreach (const QMetaObject* metaObject, getMetaObjects()) {
+        engine->globalObject().setProperty(metaObject->className(), engine->newQMetaObject(metaObject));
+    }
+    qScriptRegisterMetaType(engine, sharedObjectPointerToScriptValue, sharedObjectPointerFromScriptValue);
+}
+
 Bitstream::Bitstream(QDataStream& underlying, MetadataType metadataType, GenericsMode genericsMode, QObject* parent) :
     QObject(parent),
     _underlying(underlying),
diff --git a/libraries/metavoxels/src/Bitstream.h b/libraries/metavoxels/src/Bitstream.h
index dacfeb2ee9..7602424ded 100644
--- a/libraries/metavoxels/src/Bitstream.h
+++ b/libraries/metavoxels/src/Bitstream.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 class QByteArray;
 class QColor;
 class QDataStream;
+class QScriptEngine;
 class QScriptValue;
 class QUrl;
 
@@ -320,6 +321,10 @@ public:
     /// subclasses.
     static QList<const QMetaObject*> getMetaObjectSubClasses(const QMetaObject* metaObject);
 
+    /// Configures the supplied script engine with our registered meta-objects, allowing all of them to be instantiated from
+    /// scripts.
+    static void registerTypes(QScriptEngine* engine);
+
     enum MetadataType { NO_METADATA, HASH_METADATA, FULL_METADATA };
 
     enum GenericsMode { NO_GENERICS, FALLBACK_GENERICS, ALL_GENERICS }; 
diff --git a/libraries/metavoxels/src/DatagramSequencer.h b/libraries/metavoxels/src/DatagramSequencer.h
index 4a01679c68..9a1f5a4ae0 100644
--- a/libraries/metavoxels/src/DatagramSequencer.h
+++ b/libraries/metavoxels/src/DatagramSequencer.h
@@ -426,9 +426,9 @@ private:
     int _writePositionResetPacketNumber;
     SpanList _acknowledged;
     bool _messagesEnabled;
-    int _messageLengthPlaceholder;
-    int _messageReceivedOffset;
-    int _messageSize;
+    int _messageLengthPlaceholder; ///< the location in the buffer of the message length for the current message
+    int _messageReceivedOffset; ///< when reached, indicates that the most recent sent message has been received
+    int _messageSize; ///< the size of the most recent sent message; only valid when _messageReceivedOffset has been set
 };
 
 #endif // hifi_DatagramSequencer_h
diff --git a/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelClientManager.cpp b/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelClientManager.cpp
index f3ea1ae8c5..0b9e3f3d8c 100644
--- a/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelClientManager.cpp
+++ b/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelClientManager.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 //  See the accompanying file LICENSE or http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.html
 //
 
+#include <QThread>
+
 #include "MetavoxelClientManager.h"
 #include "MetavoxelMessages.h"
 
@@ -53,7 +55,24 @@ SharedObjectPointer MetavoxelClientManager::findFirstRaySpannerIntersection(cons
     return closestSpanner;
 }
 
+void MetavoxelClientManager::setSphere(const glm::vec3& center, float radius, const QColor& color) {
+    Sphere* sphere = new Sphere();
+    sphere->setTranslation(center);
+    sphere->setScale(radius);
+    sphere->setColor(color);
+    setSpanner(sphere);
+}
+
+void MetavoxelClientManager::setSpanner(const SharedObjectPointer& object, bool reliable) {
+    MetavoxelEditMessage edit = { QVariant::fromValue(SetSpannerEdit(object)) };
+    applyEdit(edit, reliable);
+}
+
 void MetavoxelClientManager::applyEdit(const MetavoxelEditMessage& edit, bool reliable) {
+    if (QThread::currentThread() != thread()) {
+        QMetaObject::invokeMethod(this, "applyEdit", Q_ARG(const MetavoxelEditMessage&, edit), Q_ARG(bool, reliable));
+        return;
+    }
     foreach (const SharedNodePointer& node, NodeList::getInstance()->getNodeHash()) {
         if (node->getType() == NodeType::MetavoxelServer) {
             QMutexLocker locker(&node->getMutex());
diff --git a/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelClientManager.h b/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelClientManager.h
index ad6c86c8fc..191af794f7 100644
--- a/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelClientManager.h
+++ b/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelClientManager.h
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ public:
 
     SharedObjectPointer findFirstRaySpannerIntersection(const glm::vec3& origin, const glm::vec3& direction,
         const AttributePointer& attribute, float& distance);
+
+    Q_INVOKABLE void setSphere(const glm::vec3& center, float radius, const QColor& color = QColor(Qt::gray));
+
+    Q_INVOKABLE void setSpanner(const SharedObjectPointer& object, bool reliable = false);
         
     Q_INVOKABLE void applyEdit(const MetavoxelEditMessage& edit, bool reliable = false);
 
diff --git a/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelData.cpp b/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelData.cpp
index 1362731a8a..41cf2b2a20 100644
--- a/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelData.cpp
+++ b/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelData.cpp
@@ -47,13 +47,8 @@ bool MetavoxelLOD::becameSubdivided(const glm::vec3& minimum, float size,
     if (!shouldSubdivide(minimum, size, multiplier)) {
         return false; // this one must be subdivided
     }
-    // the general check is whether we've gotten closer (as multiplied by the threshold) to any point in the volume,
-    // which we approximate as a sphere for simplicity
-    float halfSize = size * 0.5f;
-    glm::vec3 center = minimum + glm::vec3(halfSize, halfSize, halfSize);
-    float radius = sqrtf(3 * halfSize * halfSize);
-    return qMax(0.0f, glm::distance(position, center) - radius) * threshold <=
-        qMax(0.0f, glm::distance(reference.position, center) - radius) * reference.threshold;
+    // TODO: find some way of culling subtrees that can't possibly contain subdivided nodes
+    return true;
 }
 
 MetavoxelData::MetavoxelData() : _size(1.0f) {
@@ -603,12 +598,18 @@ void MetavoxelData::writeDelta(const MetavoxelData& reference, const MetavoxelLO
     }
 }
 
-MetavoxelNode* MetavoxelData::createRoot(const AttributePointer& attribute) {
-    MetavoxelNode*& root = _roots[attribute];
-    if (root) {
-        root->decrementReferenceCount(attribute);
+void MetavoxelData::setRoot(const AttributePointer& attribute, MetavoxelNode* root) {
+    MetavoxelNode*& rootReference = _roots[attribute];
+    if (rootReference) {
+        rootReference->decrementReferenceCount(attribute);
     }
-    return root = new MetavoxelNode(attribute);
+    rootReference = root;
+}
+
+MetavoxelNode* MetavoxelData::createRoot(const AttributePointer& attribute) {
+    MetavoxelNode* root = new MetavoxelNode(attribute);
+    setRoot(attribute, root);
+    return root;
 }
 
 bool MetavoxelData::deepEquals(const MetavoxelData& other, const MetavoxelLOD& lod) const {
@@ -761,7 +762,7 @@ void MetavoxelNode::mergeChildren(const AttributePointer& attribute, bool postRe
         childValues[i] = _children[i]->_attributeValue;
         allLeaves &= _children[i]->isLeaf();
     }
-    if (attribute->merge(_attributeValue, childValues, postRead) && allLeaves) {
+    if (attribute->merge(_attributeValue, childValues, postRead) && allLeaves && !postRead) {
         clearChildren(attribute);
     }
 }
@@ -843,10 +844,14 @@ void MetavoxelNode::readDelta(const MetavoxelNode& reference, MetavoxelStreamSta
                     _children[i] = new MetavoxelNode(state.attribute);
                     _children[i]->readDelta(*reference._children[i], nextState);
                 } else {
-                    _children[i] = reference._children[i];
-                    _children[i]->incrementReferenceCount();
                     if (nextState.becameSubdivided()) {
-                        _children[i]->readSubdivision(nextState);
+                        _children[i] = reference._children[i]->readSubdivision(nextState);
+                        if (_children[i] == reference._children[i]) {
+                            _children[i]->incrementReferenceCount();
+                        }
+                    } else {
+                        _children[i] = reference._children[i];
+                        _children[i]->incrementReferenceCount();    
                     }
                 }
             }
@@ -888,58 +893,68 @@ void MetavoxelNode::writeDelta(const MetavoxelNode& reference, MetavoxelStreamSt
     }
 }
 
-void MetavoxelNode::readSubdivision(MetavoxelStreamState& state) {
-    bool leaf;
-    bool subdivideReference = state.shouldSubdivideReference();
-    if (!subdivideReference) {
+MetavoxelNode* MetavoxelNode::readSubdivision(MetavoxelStreamState& state) {
+    if (!state.shouldSubdivideReference()) {
+        bool leaf;
         state.stream >> leaf;
-    } else {
-        leaf = isLeaf();
-    }
-    if (leaf) {
-        clearChildren(state.attribute);
-        
-    } else {
+        if (leaf) {
+            return isLeaf() ? this : new MetavoxelNode(getAttributeValue(state.attribute));
+            
+        } else {
+            MetavoxelNode* newNode = new MetavoxelNode(getAttributeValue(state.attribute));
+            MetavoxelStreamState nextState = { glm::vec3(), state.size * 0.5f, state.attribute,
+                state.stream, state.lod, state.referenceLOD };
+            for (int i = 0; i < CHILD_COUNT; i++) {
+                nextState.setMinimum(state.minimum, i);
+                newNode->_children[i] = new MetavoxelNode(state.attribute);
+                newNode->_children[i]->read(nextState);
+            }
+            return newNode;
+        }
+    } else if (!isLeaf()) {
+        MetavoxelNode* node = this;
         MetavoxelStreamState nextState = { glm::vec3(), state.size * 0.5f, state.attribute,
             state.stream, state.lod, state.referenceLOD };
-        if (!subdivideReference) {
-            clearChildren(state.attribute);
-            for (int i = 0; i < CHILD_COUNT; i++) {
-                nextState.setMinimum(state.minimum, i);
-                _children[i] = new MetavoxelNode(state.attribute);
-                _children[i]->read(nextState);
-            }
-        } else {
-            for (int i = 0; i < CHILD_COUNT; i++) {
-                nextState.setMinimum(state.minimum, i);
-                if (nextState.becameSubdivided()) {
-                    _children[i]->readSubdivision(nextState);
+        for (int i = 0; i < CHILD_COUNT; i++) {
+            nextState.setMinimum(state.minimum, i);
+            if (nextState.becameSubdivided()) {
+                MetavoxelNode* child = _children[i]->readSubdivision(nextState);
+                if (child != _children[i]) {
+                    if (node == this) {
+                        node = new MetavoxelNode(state.attribute, this);
+                    }
+                    node->_children[i] = child;   
+                    _children[i]->decrementReferenceCount(state.attribute);
                 }
             }
         }
+        if (node != this) {
+            node->mergeChildren(state.attribute, true);
+        }
+        return node;
     }
+    return this;
 }
 
 void MetavoxelNode::writeSubdivision(MetavoxelStreamState& state) const {
     bool leaf = isLeaf();
-    bool subdivideReference = state.shouldSubdivideReference();
-    if (!subdivideReference) {
+    if (!state.shouldSubdivideReference()) {
         state.stream << leaf;
-    }
-    if (!leaf) {
-        MetavoxelStreamState nextState = { glm::vec3(), state.size * 0.5f, state.attribute,
-            state.stream, state.lod, state.referenceLOD };
-        if (!subdivideReference) {
+        if (!leaf) {
+            MetavoxelStreamState nextState = { glm::vec3(), state.size * 0.5f, state.attribute,
+                state.stream, state.lod, state.referenceLOD };
             for (int i = 0; i < CHILD_COUNT; i++) {
                 nextState.setMinimum(state.minimum, i);
                 _children[i]->write(nextState);
             }
-        } else {
-            for (int i = 0; i < CHILD_COUNT; i++) {
-                nextState.setMinimum(state.minimum, i);
-                if (nextState.becameSubdivided()) {
-                    _children[i]->writeSubdivision(nextState);
-                }
+        }
+    } else if (!leaf) {
+        MetavoxelStreamState nextState = { glm::vec3(), state.size * 0.5f, state.attribute,
+            state.stream, state.lod, state.referenceLOD };
+        for (int i = 0; i < CHILD_COUNT; i++) {
+            nextState.setMinimum(state.minimum, i);
+            if (nextState.becameSubdivided()) {
+                _children[i]->writeSubdivision(nextState);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -1042,13 +1057,16 @@ void MetavoxelNode::destroy(const AttributePointer& attribute) {
     }
 }
 
-void MetavoxelNode::clearChildren(const AttributePointer& attribute) {
+bool MetavoxelNode::clearChildren(const AttributePointer& attribute) {
+    bool cleared = false;
     for (int i = 0; i < CHILD_COUNT; i++) {
         if (_children[i]) {
             _children[i]->decrementReferenceCount(attribute);
             _children[i] = NULL;
+            cleared = true;
         }
     }
+    return cleared;
 }
 
 bool MetavoxelNode::deepEquals(const AttributePointer& attribute, const MetavoxelNode& other,
diff --git a/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelData.h b/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelData.h
index f558bf8e80..eeab5bd0f4 100644
--- a/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelData.h
+++ b/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelData.h
@@ -118,7 +118,8 @@ public:
     void writeDelta(const MetavoxelData& reference, const MetavoxelLOD& referenceLOD,
         Bitstream& out, const MetavoxelLOD& lod) const;
 
-    MetavoxelNode* getRoot(const AttributePointer& attribute) const { return _roots.value(attribute); }
+    void setRoot(const AttributePointer& attribute, MetavoxelNode* root);
+    MetavoxelNode* getRoot(const AttributePointer& attribute) const { return _roots.value(attribute); }    
     MetavoxelNode* createRoot(const AttributePointer& attribute);
 
     /// Performs a deep comparison between this data and the specified other (as opposed to the == operator, which does a
@@ -200,7 +201,7 @@ public:
     void readDelta(const MetavoxelNode& reference, MetavoxelStreamState& state);
     void writeDelta(const MetavoxelNode& reference, MetavoxelStreamState& state) const;
 
-    void readSubdivision(MetavoxelStreamState& state);
+    MetavoxelNode* readSubdivision(MetavoxelStreamState& state);
     void writeSubdivision(MetavoxelStreamState& state) const;
 
     void writeSpanners(MetavoxelStreamState& state) const;
@@ -216,7 +217,7 @@ public:
 
     void destroy(const AttributePointer& attribute);
 
-    void clearChildren(const AttributePointer& attribute);
+    bool clearChildren(const AttributePointer& attribute);
     
     /// Performs a deep comparison between this and the specified other node.
     bool deepEquals(const AttributePointer& attribute, const MetavoxelNode& other,
diff --git a/libraries/metavoxels/src/SharedObject.cpp b/libraries/metavoxels/src/SharedObject.cpp
index d0a1842d31..efc6aa4be6 100644
--- a/libraries/metavoxels/src/SharedObject.cpp
+++ b/libraries/metavoxels/src/SharedObject.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include <QItemEditorFactory>
 #include <QMetaProperty>
 #include <QVBoxLayout>
+#include <QWriteLocker>
 
 #include "Bitstream.h"
 #include "MetavoxelUtil.h"
@@ -27,10 +28,12 @@ SharedObject::SharedObject() :
     _remoteID(0),
     _remoteOriginID(0) {
     
+    QWriteLocker locker(&_weakHashLock);
     _weakHash.insert(_id, this);
 }
 
 void SharedObject::setID(int id) {
+    QWriteLocker locker(&_weakHashLock);
     _weakHash.remove(_id);
     _weakHash.insert(_id = id, this);
 }
@@ -41,7 +44,10 @@ void SharedObject::incrementReferenceCount() {
 
 void SharedObject::decrementReferenceCount() {
     if (!_referenceCount.deref()) {
-        _weakHash.remove(_id);
+        {
+            QWriteLocker locker(&_weakHashLock);
+            _weakHash.remove(_id);
+        }
         delete this;
     }
 }
@@ -127,6 +133,7 @@ void SharedObject::dump(QDebug debug) const {
 
 int SharedObject::_lastID = 0;
 WeakSharedObjectHash SharedObject::_weakHash;
+QReadWriteLock SharedObject::_weakHashLock;
 
 void pruneWeakSharedObjectHash(WeakSharedObjectHash& hash) {
     for (WeakSharedObjectHash::iterator it = hash.begin(); it != hash.end(); ) {
diff --git a/libraries/metavoxels/src/SharedObject.h b/libraries/metavoxels/src/SharedObject.h
index ba643b449c..5ff5aa9680 100644
--- a/libraries/metavoxels/src/SharedObject.h
+++ b/libraries/metavoxels/src/SharedObject.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include <QMetaType>
 #include <QObject>
 #include <QPointer>
+#include <QReadWriteLock>
 #include <QSet>
 #include <QWidget>
 #include <QtDebug>
@@ -36,6 +37,9 @@ public:
     /// Returns the weak hash under which all local shared objects are registered.
     static const WeakSharedObjectHash& getWeakHash() { return _weakHash; }
 
+    /// Returns a reference to the weak hash lock.
+    static QReadWriteLock& getWeakHashLock() { return _weakHashLock; }
+    
     Q_INVOKABLE SharedObject();
 
     /// Returns the unique local ID for this object.
@@ -85,6 +89,7 @@ private:
     
     static int _lastID;
     static WeakSharedObjectHash _weakHash;
+    static QReadWriteLock _weakHashLock;
 };
 
 /// Removes the null references from the supplied hash.
diff --git a/libraries/script-engine/src/ScriptEngine.cpp b/libraries/script-engine/src/ScriptEngine.cpp
index cd7c2670ec..c5d5019b1f 100644
--- a/libraries/script-engine/src/ScriptEngine.cpp
+++ b/libraries/script-engine/src/ScriptEngine.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include <AudioInjector.h>
 #include <AudioRingBuffer.h>
 #include <AvatarData.h>
+#include <Bitstream.h>
 #include <CollisionInfo.h>
 #include <ModelsScriptingInterface.h>
 #include <NetworkAccessManager.h>
@@ -229,6 +230,7 @@ void ScriptEngine::init() {
     registerMenuItemProperties(&_engine);
     registerAnimationTypes(&_engine);
     registerAvatarTypes(&_engine);
+    Bitstream::registerTypes(&_engine);
 
     qScriptRegisterMetaType(&_engine, ParticlePropertiesToScriptValue, ParticlePropertiesFromScriptValue);
     qScriptRegisterMetaType(&_engine, ParticleIDtoScriptValue, ParticleIDfromScriptValue);
diff --git a/libraries/shared/src/RegisteredMetaTypes.cpp b/libraries/shared/src/RegisteredMetaTypes.cpp
index 3e21a72fd5..afc439c586 100644
--- a/libraries/shared/src/RegisteredMetaTypes.cpp
+++ b/libraries/shared/src/RegisteredMetaTypes.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 //  See the accompanying file LICENSE or http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.html
 //
 
+#include <QColor>
+
 #include "RegisteredMetaTypes.h"
 
 static int vec4MetaTypeId = qRegisterMetaType<glm::vec4>();
@@ -25,6 +27,7 @@ void registerMetaTypes(QScriptEngine* engine) {
     qScriptRegisterMetaType(engine, vec2toScriptValue, vec2FromScriptValue);
     qScriptRegisterMetaType(engine, quatToScriptValue, quatFromScriptValue);
     qScriptRegisterMetaType(engine, xColorToScriptValue, xColorFromScriptValue);
+    qScriptRegisterMetaType(engine, qColorToScriptValue, qColorFromScriptValue);
     qScriptRegisterMetaType(engine, pickRayToScriptValue, pickRayFromScriptValue);
     qScriptRegisterMetaType(engine, collisionToScriptValue, collisionFromScriptValue);
 }
@@ -101,6 +104,29 @@ void xColorFromScriptValue(const QScriptValue &object, xColor& color) {
     color.blue = object.property("blue").toVariant().toInt();
 }
 
+QScriptValue qColorToScriptValue(QScriptEngine* engine, const QColor& color) {
+    QScriptValue object = engine->newObject();
+    object.setProperty("red", color.red());
+    object.setProperty("green", color.green());
+    object.setProperty("blue", color.blue());
+    object.setProperty("alpha", color.alpha());
+    return object;
+}
+
+void qColorFromScriptValue(const QScriptValue& object, QColor& color) {
+    if (object.isNumber()) {
+        color.setRgb(object.toUInt32());
+    
+    } else if (object.isString()) {
+        color.setNamedColor(object.toString());
+            
+    } else {
+        QScriptValue alphaValue = object.property("alpha");
+        color.setRgb(object.property("red").toInt32(), object.property("green").toInt32(), object.property("blue").toInt32(),
+            alphaValue.isNumber() ? alphaValue.toInt32() : 255);
+    }
+}
+
 QScriptValue pickRayToScriptValue(QScriptEngine* engine, const PickRay& pickRay) {
     QScriptValue obj = engine->newObject();
     QScriptValue origin = vec3toScriptValue(engine, pickRay.origin);
diff --git a/libraries/shared/src/RegisteredMetaTypes.h b/libraries/shared/src/RegisteredMetaTypes.h
index d876965723..b925639e8a 100644
--- a/libraries/shared/src/RegisteredMetaTypes.h
+++ b/libraries/shared/src/RegisteredMetaTypes.h
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 #include "CollisionInfo.h"
 #include "SharedUtil.h"
 
+class QColor;
+
 Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(glm::vec4)
 Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(glm::vec3)
 Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(glm::vec2)
@@ -42,6 +44,9 @@ void quatFromScriptValue(const QScriptValue &object, glm::quat& quat);
 QScriptValue xColorToScriptValue(QScriptEngine* engine, const xColor& color);
 void xColorFromScriptValue(const QScriptValue &object, xColor& color);
 
+QScriptValue qColorToScriptValue(QScriptEngine* engine, const QColor& color);
+void qColorFromScriptValue(const QScriptValue& object, QColor& color);
+
 class PickRay {
 public:
     PickRay() : origin(0), direction(0)  { };