diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index acb199bb97..7bb34253c1 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -125,6 +125,18 @@ QString userRecenterModelToString(MyAvatar::SitStandModelType model) {
     }
 }
 
+static const QStringList REACTION_NAMES = {
+    QString("positive"),
+    QString("negative"),
+    QString("raiseHand"),
+    QString("applaud"),
+    QString("point")
+};
+
+static int reactionNameToIndex(const QString& reactionName) {
+    return REACTION_NAMES.indexOf(reactionName);
+}
+
 MyAvatar::MyAvatar(QThread* thread) :
     Avatar(thread),
     _yawSpeed(YAW_SPEED_DEFAULT),
@@ -5808,6 +5820,53 @@ void MyAvatar::setModelScale(float scale) {
     }
 }
 
+QStringList MyAvatar::getReactions() const {
+    return REACTION_NAMES;
+}
+
+bool MyAvatar::triggerReaction(QString reactionName) {
+    int reactionIndex = reactionNameToIndex(reactionName);
+    if (reactionIndex >= 0 && reactionIndex < (int)NUM_AVATAR_REACTIONS) {
+        std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(_reactionLock);
+        _reactionTriggers[reactionIndex] = true;
+        return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
+bool MyAvatar::beginReaction(QString reactionName) {
+    int reactionIndex = reactionNameToIndex(reactionName);
+    if (reactionIndex >= 0 && reactionIndex < (int)NUM_AVATAR_REACTIONS) {
+        std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(_reactionLock);
+        _reactionEnabledRefCounts[reactionIndex]++;
+        return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
+bool MyAvatar::endReaction(QString reactionName) {
+    int reactionIndex = reactionNameToIndex(reactionName);
+    if (reactionIndex >= 0 && reactionIndex < (int)NUM_AVATAR_REACTIONS) {
+        std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(_reactionLock);
+        _reactionEnabledRefCounts[reactionIndex]--;
+        return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
+void MyAvatar::updateRigControllerParameters(Rig::ControllerParameters& params) {
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(_reactionLock);
+    for (int i = 0; i < NUM_AVATAR_REACTIONS; i++) {
+
+        // copy current state into params.
+        params.reactionEnabledFlags[i] = _reactionEnabledRefCounts[i] > 0;
+        params.reactionTriggers[i] = _reactionTriggers[i];
+
+        // clear reaction triggers here as well
+        _reactionTriggers[i] = false;
+    }
+}
+
 SpatialParentTree* MyAvatar::getParentTree() const {
     auto entityTreeRenderer = qApp->getEntities();
     EntityTreePointer entityTree = entityTreeRenderer ? entityTreeRenderer->getTree() : nullptr;
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
index d092122863..45687bd82d 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
@@ -1839,6 +1839,10 @@ public:
     bool getFlowActive() const;
     bool getNetworkGraphActive() const;
 
+    // sets the reaction enabled and triggered parameters of the passed in params
+    // also clears internal reaction triggers
+    void updateRigControllerParameters(Rig::ControllerParameters& params);
+
 public slots:
 
    /**jsdoc
@@ -2192,6 +2196,33 @@ public slots:
      */
     virtual void setModelScale(float scale) override;
 
+    /**jsdoc
+     * MyAvatar.getReactions
+     * @returns {string[]} Array of reaction names.
+     */
+    QStringList getReactions() const;
+
+    /**jsdoc
+     * MyAvatar.triggerReaction
+     * @param {string} reactionName - reaction name
+     * @returns {bool} false if the given reaction is not supported.
+     */
+    bool triggerReaction(QString reactionName);
+
+    /**jsdoc
+     * MyAvatar.beginReaction
+     * @param {string} reactionName - reaction name
+     * @returns {bool} false if the given reaction is not supported.
+     */
+    bool beginReaction(QString reactionName);
+
+    /**jsdoc
+     * MyAvatar.endReaction
+     * @param {string} reactionName - reaction name
+     * @returns {bool} false if the given reaction is not supported.
+     */
+    bool endReaction(QString reactionName);
+
 signals:
 
     /**jsdoc
@@ -2823,6 +2854,10 @@ private:
     mutable std::mutex _scriptEngineLock;
     QScriptEngine* _scriptEngine { nullptr };
     bool _needToSaveAvatarEntitySettings { false };
+
+    int _reactionEnabledRefCounts[NUM_AVATAR_REACTIONS] { 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 };
+    bool _reactionTriggers[NUM_AVATAR_REACTIONS] { false, false, false, false, false };
+    mutable std::mutex _reactionLock;
 };
 
 QScriptValue audioListenModeToScriptValue(QScriptEngine* engine, const AudioListenerMode& audioListenerMode);
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MySkeletonModel.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MySkeletonModel.cpp
index df46b428e7..9c555aa35b 100755
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MySkeletonModel.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MySkeletonModel.cpp
@@ -294,8 +294,6 @@ void MySkeletonModel::updateRig(float deltaTime, glm::mat4 parentTransform) {
         _prevIsEstimatingHips = false;
     }
 
-    params.isTalking = head->getTimeWithoutTalking() <= 1.5f;
-
     // pass detailed torso k-dops to rig.
     int hipsJoint = _rig.indexOfJoint("Hips");
     if (hipsJoint >= 0) {
@@ -314,6 +312,10 @@ void MySkeletonModel::updateRig(float deltaTime, glm::mat4 parentTransform) {
         params.spine2ShapeInfo = hfmModel.joints[spine2Joint].shapeInfo;
     }
 
+    params.isTalking = head->getTimeWithoutTalking() <= 1.5f;
+
+    myAvatar->updateRigControllerParameters(params);
+
     _rig.updateFromControllerParameters(params, deltaTime);
 
     Rig::CharacterControllerState ccState = convertCharacterControllerState(myAvatar->getCharacterController()->getState());
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp
index 0f0c67b846..0f637bf082 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp
@@ -1873,6 +1873,61 @@ void Rig::updateFeet(bool leftFootEnabled, bool rightFootEnabled, bool headEnabl
     }
 }
 
+void Rig::updateReactions(const ControllerParameters& params) {
+
+    // enable/disable animVars
+    bool enabled = params.reactionEnabledFlags[AVATAR_REACTION_POSITIVE];
+    _animVars.set("reactionPositiveEnabled", enabled);
+    _animVars.set("reactionPositiveDisabled", !enabled);
+
+    enabled = params.reactionEnabledFlags[AVATAR_REACTION_NEGATIVE];
+    _animVars.set("reactionNegativeEnabled", enabled);
+    _animVars.set("reactionNegativeDisabled", !enabled);
+
+    enabled = params.reactionEnabledFlags[AVATAR_REACTION_RAISE_HAND];
+    _animVars.set("reactionRaiseHandEnabled", enabled);
+    _animVars.set("reactionRaiseHandDisabled", !enabled);
+
+    enabled = params.reactionEnabledFlags[AVATAR_REACTION_APPLAUD];
+    _animVars.set("reactionApplaudEnabled", enabled);
+    _animVars.set("reactionApplaudDisabled", !enabled);
+
+    enabled = params.reactionEnabledFlags[AVATAR_REACTION_POINT];
+    _animVars.set("reactionPointEnabled", enabled);
+    _animVars.set("reactionPointDisabled", !enabled);
+
+    // trigger animVars
+    if (params.reactionTriggers[AVATAR_REACTION_POSITIVE]) {
+        _animVars.set("reactionPositiveTrigger", true);
+    } else {
+        _animVars.set("reactionPositiveTrigger", false);
+    }
+
+    if (params.reactionTriggers[AVATAR_REACTION_NEGATIVE]) {
+        _animVars.set("reactionNegativeTrigger", true);
+    } else {
+        _animVars.set("reactionNegativeTrigger", false);
+    }
+
+    if (params.reactionTriggers[AVATAR_REACTION_RAISE_HAND]) {
+        _animVars.set("reactionRaiseHandTrigger", true);
+    } else {
+        _animVars.set("reactionRaiseHandTrigger", false);
+    }
+
+    if (params.reactionTriggers[AVATAR_REACTION_APPLAUD]) {
+        _animVars.set("reactionApplaudTrigger", true);
+    } else {
+        _animVars.set("reactionApplaudTrigger", false);
+    }
+
+    if (params.reactionTriggers[AVATAR_REACTION_POINT]) {
+        _animVars.set("reactionPointTrigger", true);
+    } else {
+        _animVars.set("reactionPointTrigger", false);
+    }
+}
+
 void Rig::updateEyeJoint(int index, const glm::vec3& modelTranslation, const glm::quat& modelRotation, const glm::vec3& lookAtSpot, const glm::vec3& saccade) {
 
     // TODO: does not properly handle avatar scale.
@@ -2152,6 +2207,8 @@ void Rig::updateFromControllerParameters(const ControllerParameters& params, flo
         }
     }
 
+    updateReactions(params);
+
     _previousControllerParameters = params;
 }
 
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h
index 9baf4644f2..d3fa61e5e7 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@ public:
         AnimPose secondaryControllerPoses[NumSecondaryControllerTypes];  // rig space
         uint8_t secondaryControllerFlags[NumSecondaryControllerTypes];
         bool isTalking;
+        bool reactionEnabledFlags[NUM_AVATAR_REACTIONS];
+        bool reactionTriggers[NUM_AVATAR_REACTIONS];
         HFMJointShapeInfo hipsShapeInfo;
         HFMJointShapeInfo spineShapeInfo;
         HFMJointShapeInfo spine1ShapeInfo;
@@ -268,6 +270,7 @@ protected:
     void updateFeet(bool leftFootEnabled, bool rightFootEnabled, bool headEnabled,
                     const AnimPose& leftFootPose, const AnimPose& rightFootPose,
                     const glm::mat4& rigToSensorMatrix, const glm::mat4& sensorToRigMatrix);
+    void updateReactions(const ControllerParameters& params);
 
     void updateEyeJoint(int index, const glm::vec3& modelTranslation, const glm::quat& modelRotation, const glm::vec3& lookAt, const glm::vec3& saccade);
     void calcAnimAlpha(float speed, const std::vector<float>& referenceSpeeds, float* alphaOut) const;
diff --git a/libraries/shared/src/AvatarConstants.h b/libraries/shared/src/AvatarConstants.h
index fcf84a49cb..c4a8b91ed5 100644
--- a/libraries/shared/src/AvatarConstants.h
+++ b/libraries/shared/src/AvatarConstants.h
@@ -106,4 +106,13 @@ static const float AVATAR_WALK_SPEED_SCALAR = 1.0f;
 static const float AVATAR_DESKTOP_SPRINT_SPEED_SCALAR = 3.0f;
 static const float AVATAR_HMD_SPRINT_SPEED_SCALAR = 2.0f;
 
+enum AvatarReaction {
+    AVATAR_REACTION_POSITIVE = 0,
+    AVATAR_REACTION_NEGATIVE,
+    AVATAR_REACTION_RAISE_HAND,
+    AVATAR_REACTION_APPLAUD,
+    AVATAR_REACTION_POINT,
+    NUM_AVATAR_REACTIONS
+};
+
 #endif // hifi_AvatarConstants_h