diff --git a/interface/src/Menu.cpp b/interface/src/Menu.cpp
index 84b17fddca..74df3e4f63 100644
--- a/interface/src/Menu.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Menu.cpp
@@ -505,7 +505,7 @@ void Menu::loadSettings(QSettings* settings) {
     // MyAvatar caches some menu options, so we have to update them whenever we load settings.
     // TODO: cache more settings in MyAvatar that are checked with very high frequency.
     MyAvatar* myAvatar = Application::getInstance()->getAvatar();
-    myAvatar->updateCollisionFlags();
+    myAvatar->updateCollisionGroups();
 
     if (lockedSettings) {
         Application::getInstance()->unlockSettings();
@@ -1368,13 +1368,13 @@ void Menu::addAvatarCollisionSubMenu(QMenu* overMenu) {
     Application* appInstance = Application::getInstance();
     QObject* avatar = appInstance->getAvatar();
     addCheckableActionToQMenuAndActionHash(subMenu, MenuOption::CollideWithEnvironment,
-            0, false, avatar, SLOT(updateCollisionFlags()));
+            0, false, avatar, SLOT(updateCollisionGroups()));
     addCheckableActionToQMenuAndActionHash(subMenu, MenuOption::CollideWithAvatars,
-            0, true, avatar, SLOT(updateCollisionFlags()));
+            0, true, avatar, SLOT(updateCollisionGroups()));
     addCheckableActionToQMenuAndActionHash(subMenu, MenuOption::CollideWithVoxels,
-            0, false, avatar, SLOT(updateCollisionFlags()));
+            0, false, avatar, SLOT(updateCollisionGroups()));
     addCheckableActionToQMenuAndActionHash(subMenu, MenuOption::CollideWithParticles,
-            0, true, avatar, SLOT(updateCollisionFlags()));
+            0, true, avatar, SLOT(updateCollisionGroups()));
 }
 
 QAction* Menu::getActionFromName(const QString& menuName, QMenu* menu) {
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
index 2df1fd2302..b060c3421a 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ Avatar::Avatar() :
     _mouseRayOrigin(0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f),
     _mouseRayDirection(0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f),
     _moving(false),
-    _collisionFlags(0),
+    _collisionGroups(0),
     _initialized(false),
     _shouldRenderBillboard(true)
 {
@@ -550,7 +550,7 @@ bool Avatar::findCollisions(const QVector<const Shape*>& shapes, CollisionList&
 }
 
 bool Avatar::findParticleCollisions(const glm::vec3& particleCenter, float particleRadius, CollisionList& collisions) {
-    if (_collisionFlags & COLLISION_GROUP_PARTICLES) {
+    if (_collisionGroups & COLLISION_GROUP_PARTICLES) {
         return false;
     }
     bool collided = false;
@@ -740,19 +740,19 @@ void Avatar::renderJointConnectingCone(glm::vec3 position1, glm::vec3 position2,
     glEnd();
 }
 
-void Avatar::updateCollisionFlags() {
-    _collisionFlags = 0;
+void Avatar::updateCollisionGroups() {
+    _collisionGroups = 0;
     if (Menu::getInstance()->isOptionChecked(MenuOption::CollideWithEnvironment)) {
-        _collisionFlags |= COLLISION_GROUP_ENVIRONMENT;
+        _collisionGroups |= COLLISION_GROUP_ENVIRONMENT;
     }
     if (Menu::getInstance()->isOptionChecked(MenuOption::CollideWithAvatars)) {
-        _collisionFlags |= COLLISION_GROUP_AVATARS;
+        _collisionGroups |= COLLISION_GROUP_AVATARS;
     }
     if (Menu::getInstance()->isOptionChecked(MenuOption::CollideWithVoxels)) {
-        _collisionFlags |= COLLISION_GROUP_VOXELS;
+        _collisionGroups |= COLLISION_GROUP_VOXELS;
     }
     if (Menu::getInstance()->isOptionChecked(MenuOption::CollideWithParticles)) {
-        _collisionFlags |= COLLISION_GROUP_PARTICLES;
+        _collisionGroups |= COLLISION_GROUP_PARTICLES;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h
index 805a60d425..6106b9f39c 100755
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ public:
     void updateShapePositions();
 
 public slots:
-    void updateCollisionFlags();
+    void updateCollisionGroups();
 
 signals:
     void collisionWithAvatar(const QUuid& myUUID, const QUuid& theirUUID, const CollisionInfo& collision);
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ protected:
     float _stringLength;
     bool _moving; ///< set when position is changing
 
-    uint32_t _collisionFlags;
+    uint32_t _collisionGroups;
 
     // protected methods...
     glm::vec3 getBodyRightDirection() const { return getOrientation() * IDENTITY_RIGHT; }
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index 17ff79c443..9f70f41631 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ void MyAvatar::simulate(float deltaTime) {
     _thrust *= glm::vec3(0.0f);
 
     // now that we're done stepping the avatar forward in time, compute new collisions
-    if (_collisionFlags != 0) {
+    if (_collisionGroups != 0) {
         Camera* myCamera = Application::getInstance()->getCamera();
 
         float radius = getSkeletonHeight() * COLLISION_RADIUS_SCALE;
@@ -292,15 +292,15 @@ void MyAvatar::simulate(float deltaTime) {
             radius = myCamera->getAspectRatio() * (myCamera->getNearClip() / cos(myCamera->getFieldOfView() / 2.0f));
             radius *= COLLISION_RADIUS_SCALAR;
         }
-        if (_collisionFlags) {
+        if (_collisionGroups) {
             updateShapePositions();
-            if (_collisionFlags & COLLISION_GROUP_ENVIRONMENT) {
+            if (_collisionGroups & COLLISION_GROUP_ENVIRONMENT) {
                 updateCollisionWithEnvironment(deltaTime, radius);
             }
-            if (_collisionFlags & COLLISION_GROUP_VOXELS) {
+            if (_collisionGroups & COLLISION_GROUP_VOXELS) {
                 updateCollisionWithVoxels(deltaTime, radius);
             }
-            if (_collisionFlags & COLLISION_GROUP_AVATARS) {
+            if (_collisionGroups & COLLISION_GROUP_AVATARS) {
                 updateCollisionWithAvatars(deltaTime);
             }
         }
@@ -408,17 +408,13 @@ void MyAvatar::renderDebugBodyPoints() {
     glTranslatef(position.x, position.y, position.z);
     glutSolidSphere(0.15, 10, 10);
     glPopMatrix();
-
-
 }
 
 // virtual
 void MyAvatar::render(const glm::vec3& cameraPosition, RenderMode renderMode) {
-    // don't render if we've been asked to disable local rendering
-    if (!_shouldRender) {
-        return; // exit early
+    if (_shouldRender) {
+        Avatar::render(cameraPosition, renderMode);
     }
-    Avatar::render(cameraPosition, renderMode);
 }
 
 void MyAvatar::renderHeadMouse() const {