diff --git a/interface/src/Avatar.cpp b/interface/src/Avatar.cpp
index 3f3715a89b..cb1f4d671f 100644
--- a/interface/src/Avatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Avatar.cpp
@@ -128,19 +128,19 @@ void Avatar::reset() {
 
 //  Update avatar head rotation with sensor data
 void Avatar::updateHeadFromGyros(float deltaTime, SerialInterface* serialInterface, glm::vec3* gravity) {
-    float measuredPitchRate = 0.0f;
-    float measuredRollRate = 0.0f;
-    float measuredYawRate = 0.0f;
+    const float AMPLIFY_PITCH = 2.f;
+    const float AMPLIFY_YAW = 2.f;
+    const float AMPLIFY_ROLL = 2.f;
     
-    measuredPitchRate = serialInterface->getLastPitchRate();
-    measuredYawRate = serialInterface->getLastYawRate();
-    measuredRollRate = serialInterface->getLastRollRate();
+    float measuredPitchRate = serialInterface->getLastPitchRate();
+    float measuredYawRate = serialInterface->getLastYawRate();
+    float measuredRollRate = serialInterface->getLastRollRate();
    
     //  Update avatar head position based on measured gyro rates
     
-    _head.addPitch(measuredPitchRate * deltaTime);
-    _head.addYaw  (measuredYawRate   * deltaTime);
-    _head.addRoll (measuredRollRate  * deltaTime);
+    _head.addPitch(measuredPitchRate * AMPLIFY_PITCH * deltaTime);
+    _head.addYaw  (measuredYawRate   * AMPLIFY_YAW * deltaTime);
+    _head.addRoll (measuredRollRate  * AMPLIFY_ROLL * deltaTime);
     
     //  Update head lean distance based on accelerometer data
     glm::vec3 headRotationRates(_head.getPitch(), _head.getYaw(), _head.getRoll());
diff --git a/interface/src/Head.cpp b/interface/src/Head.cpp
index 33a5f792ee..cb42c6cc54 100644
--- a/interface/src/Head.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Head.cpp
@@ -76,10 +76,10 @@ void Head::simulate(float deltaTime, bool isMine) {
         _roll  *= (1.0f - HEAD_MOTION_DECAY * _returnSpringScale * deltaTime);
     }
     
-    //  For invensense gyro, decay only slightly when roughly centered
+    //  For invensense gyro, decay only slightly when near center (until we add fusion)
     if (isMine) {
         const float RETURN_RANGE = 15.0;
-        const float RETURN_STRENGTH = 2.0;
+        const float RETURN_STRENGTH = 0.5;
         if (fabs(_pitch) < RETURN_RANGE) { _pitch *= (1.0f - RETURN_STRENGTH * deltaTime); }
         if (fabs(_yaw  ) < RETURN_RANGE) { _yaw   *= (1.0f - RETURN_STRENGTH * deltaTime); }
         if (fabs(_roll ) < RETURN_RANGE) { _roll  *= (1.0f - RETURN_STRENGTH * deltaTime); }