diff --git a/examples/disableAvatarAnimations.js b/examples/disableAvatarAnimations.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fc3415fb80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/disableAvatarAnimations.js
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+//
+//  disableAvatarAnimations.js
+//  examples
+//
+//  Copyright 2016 High Fidelity, Inc.
+//
+//  When launched, it will replace all of the avatars animations with a single frame idle pose.
+//  full body IK and hand grabbing animations will still continue to function, but all other
+//  animations will be replaced.
+//
+//  Distributed under the Apache License, Version 2.0.
+//  See the accompanying file LICENSE or http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.html
+
+var skeletonModelURL = "";
+var jointCount = 0;
+
+var excludedRoles = ["rightHandGraspOpen", "rightHandGraspClosed", "leftHandGraspOpen", "leftHandGraspClosed"];
+var IDLE_URL = "http://hifi-content.s3.amazonaws.com/ozan/dev/anim/standard_anims_160127/idle.fbx";
+
+function overrideAnims() {
+    var roles = MyAvatar.getAnimationRoles();
+    var i, l = roles.length;
+    for (i = 0; i < l; i++) {
+        if (excludedRoles.indexOf(roles[i]) == -1) {
+            MyAvatar.overrideRoleAnimation(roles[i], IDLE_URL, 30, false, 1, 1);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+function restoreAnims() {
+    var roles = MyAvatar.getAnimationRoles();
+    var i, l = roles.length;
+    for (i = 0; i < l; i++) {
+        if (excludedRoles.indexOf(roles[i]) == -1) {
+            MyAvatar.restoreRoleAnimation(roles[i]);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+overrideAnims();
+
+MyAvatar.onLoadComplete.connect(function () {
+    overrideAnims();
+});
+
+Script.scriptEnding.connect(function () {
+    restoreAnims();
+});
+
+
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index f388c275a6..ea713e2d96 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -198,6 +198,8 @@ MyAvatar::MyAvatar(RigPointer rig) :
             _headData->setLookAtPosition(headData->getLookAtPosition());
         }
     });
+
+    connect(rig.get(), SIGNAL(onLoadComplete()), this, SIGNAL(onLoadComplete()));
 }
 
 MyAvatar::~MyAvatar() {
@@ -1576,6 +1578,7 @@ glm::vec3 MyAvatar::applyKeyboardMotor(float deltaTime, const glm::vec3& localVe
                 float speedIncreaseFactor = 1.8f;
                 motorSpeed *= 1.0f + glm::clamp(deltaTime / speedGrowthTimescale , 0.0f, 1.0f) * speedIncreaseFactor;
                 const float maxBoostSpeed = getUniformScale() * MAX_BOOST_SPEED;
+
                 if (motorSpeed < maxBoostSpeed) {
                     // an active keyboard motor should never be slower than this
                     float boostCoefficient = (maxBoostSpeed - motorSpeed) / maxBoostSpeed;
@@ -2090,7 +2093,7 @@ float MyAvatar::getAccelerationEnergy() {
     int changeInVelocity = abs(velocity.length() - priorVelocity.length());
     float changeInEnergy = priorVelocity.length() * changeInVelocity * AVATAR_MOVEMENT_ENERGY_CONSTANT;
     priorVelocity = velocity;
-    
+
     return changeInEnergy;
 }
 
@@ -2112,4 +2115,3 @@ bool MyAvatar::didTeleport() {
     lastPosition = pos;
     return (changeInPosition.length() > MAX_AVATAR_MOVEMENT_PER_FRAME);
 }
-
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
index b15f812197..35caabe0f7 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ signals:
     void collisionWithEntity(const Collision& collision);
     void energyChanged(float newEnergy);
     void positionGoneTo();
-
+    void onLoadComplete();
 
 private:
 
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp
index 9e2ba46ddb..b3f5e30d40 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp
@@ -1161,6 +1161,7 @@ void Rig::initAnimGraph(const QUrl& url) {
             overrideAnimation(origState.url, origState.fps, origState.loop, origState.firstFrame, origState.lastFrame);
         }
 
+        emit onLoadComplete();
     });
     connect(_animLoader.get(), &AnimNodeLoader::error, [url](int error, QString str) {
         qCCritical(animation) << "Error loading" << url.toDisplayString() << "code = " << error << "str =" << str;
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h
index cbf4696723..897fa358e8 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ typedef std::shared_ptr<Rig> RigPointer;
 // However only specific methods thread-safe.  Noted below.
 
 class Rig : public QObject, public std::enable_shared_from_this<Rig> {
+    Q_OBJECT
 public:
     struct StateHandler {
         AnimVariantMap results;
@@ -223,7 +224,10 @@ public:
 
     const glm::mat4& getGeometryToRigTransform() const { return _geometryToRigTransform; }
 
- protected:
+signals:
+    void onLoadComplete();
+
+protected:
     bool isIndexValid(int index) const { return _animSkeleton && index >= 0 && index < _animSkeleton->getNumJoints(); }
     void updateAnimationStateHandlers();
     void applyOverridePoses();