diff --git a/examples/sit.js b/examples/sit.js
index c157d4854d..0f4b199855 100644
--- a/examples/sit.js
+++ b/examples/sit.js
@@ -255,13 +255,24 @@ function update(deltaTime){
         }
         frame++;
     }
+
+    var locationChanged = false;
+    if (location.hostname != oldHost) {
+        print("Changed domain");
+        for (model in models) {
+            removeIndicators(models[model]);
+        }
+        oldHost = location.hostname;
+        locationChanged = true;
+    }
 	
-    if (MyAvatar.position.x != avatarOldPosition.x &&
-        MyAvatar.position.y != avatarOldPosition.y &&
-        MyAvatar.position.z != avatarOldPosition.z) {
+    if (MyAvatar.position.x != avatarOldPosition.x ||
+        MyAvatar.position.y != avatarOldPosition.y ||
+        MyAvatar.position.z != avatarOldPosition.z ||
+        locationChanged) {
         avatarOldPosition = MyAvatar.position;
         
-        var SEARCH_RADIUS = 10;
+        var SEARCH_RADIUS = 50;
         var foundModels = Models.findModels(MyAvatar.position, SEARCH_RADIUS);
         // Let's remove indicator that got out of radius
         for (model in models) {
@@ -274,7 +285,10 @@ function update(deltaTime){
         for (var i = 0; i < foundModels.length; ++i) {
             var model = foundModels[i];
             if (typeof(models[model.id]) == "undefined") {
-                addIndicators(model);
+                model.properties = Models.getModelProperties(model);
+                if (Vec3.distance(model.properties.position, MyAvatar.position) < SEARCH_RADIUS) {
+                    addIndicators(model);
+                }
             }
         }
         
@@ -283,9 +297,9 @@ function update(deltaTime){
         }
     }
 }
+var oldHost = location.hostname;
 
 function addIndicators(modelID) {
-    modelID.properties = Models.getModelProperties(modelID);
     if (modelID.properties.sittingPoints.length > 0) {
         for (var i = 0; i < modelID.properties.sittingPoints.length; ++i) {
             modelID.properties.sittingPoints[i].indicator = new SeatIndicator(modelID.properties, i);
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/overlays/BillboardOverlay.cpp b/interface/src/ui/overlays/BillboardOverlay.cpp
index e7d5cef3be..7d85d54fef 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/overlays/BillboardOverlay.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/overlays/BillboardOverlay.cpp
@@ -17,10 +17,11 @@ BillboardOverlay::BillboardOverlay()
 : _fromImage(-1,-1,-1,-1),
   _scale(1.0f),
   _isFacingAvatar(true) {
+      _isLoaded = false;
 }
 
 void BillboardOverlay::render() {
-    if (!_visible) {
+    if (!_visible || !_isLoaded) {
         return;
     }
     
@@ -85,16 +86,7 @@ void BillboardOverlay::render() {
                              ((float)_fromImage.y() + (float)_fromImage.height()) / (float)_size.height());
                 glVertex2f(-x, y);
             } glEnd();
-        } else {
-            glColor4f(0.5f, 0.5f, 0.5f, 1.0f);
-            glBegin(GL_QUADS); {
-                glVertex2f(-1.0f, -1.0f);
-                glVertex2f(1.0f, -1.0f);
-                glVertex2f(1.0f, 1.0f);
-                glVertex2f(-1.0f, 1.0f);
-            } glEnd();
         }
-        
     } glPopMatrix();
     
     glDisable(GL_TEXTURE_2D);
@@ -167,6 +159,7 @@ void BillboardOverlay::setProperties(const QScriptValue &properties) {
 }
 
 void BillboardOverlay::setBillboardURL(const QUrl url) {
+    _isLoaded = false;
     QNetworkReply* reply = NetworkAccessManager::getInstance().get(QNetworkRequest(url));
     connect(reply, &QNetworkReply::finished, this, &BillboardOverlay::replyFinished);
 }
@@ -175,4 +168,5 @@ void BillboardOverlay::replyFinished() {
     // replace our byte array with the downloaded data
     QNetworkReply* reply = static_cast<QNetworkReply*>(sender());
     _billboard = reply->readAll();
+    _isLoaded = true;
 }
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/overlays/ImageOverlay.cpp b/interface/src/ui/overlays/ImageOverlay.cpp
index aeea781eb6..7104b3aced 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/overlays/ImageOverlay.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/overlays/ImageOverlay.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ ImageOverlay::ImageOverlay() :
     _textureBound(false),
     _wantClipFromImage(false)
 {
+    _isLoaded = false;
 }
 
 ImageOverlay::~ImageOverlay() {
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ ImageOverlay::~ImageOverlay() {
 
 // TODO: handle setting image multiple times, how do we manage releasing the bound texture?
 void ImageOverlay::setImageURL(const QUrl& url) {
+    _isLoaded = false;
     NetworkAccessManager& networkAccessManager = NetworkAccessManager::getInstance();
     QNetworkReply* reply = networkAccessManager.get(QNetworkRequest(url));
     connect(reply, &QNetworkReply::finished, this, &ImageOverlay::replyFinished);
@@ -47,10 +49,11 @@ void ImageOverlay::replyFinished() {
     QByteArray rawData = reply->readAll();
     _textureImage.loadFromData(rawData);
     _renderImage = true;
+    _isLoaded = true;
 }
 
 void ImageOverlay::render() {
-    if (!_visible) {
+    if (!_visible || !_isLoaded) {
         return; // do nothing if we're not visible
     }
     if (_renderImage && !_textureBound) {
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/overlays/ModelOverlay.cpp b/interface/src/ui/overlays/ModelOverlay.cpp
index 57f098aee3..b1d55de12a 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/overlays/ModelOverlay.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/overlays/ModelOverlay.cpp
@@ -15,8 +15,10 @@
 ModelOverlay::ModelOverlay()
     : _model(),
       _scale(1.0f),
-      _updateModel(false) {
+      _updateModel(false)
+{
     _model.init();
+    _isLoaded = false;
 }
 
 void ModelOverlay::update(float deltatime) {
@@ -32,6 +34,7 @@ void ModelOverlay::update(float deltatime) {
     } else {
         _model.simulate(deltatime);
     }
+    _isLoaded = _model.isActive();
 }
 
 void ModelOverlay::render() {
@@ -90,6 +93,7 @@ void ModelOverlay::setProperties(const QScriptValue &properties) {
     if (urlValue.isValid()) {
         _url = urlValue.toVariant().toString();
         _updateModel = true;
+        _isLoaded = false;
     }
     
     QScriptValue scaleValue = properties.property("scale");
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlay.cpp b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlay.cpp
index bc7096c471..9d492c6e50 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlay.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlay.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 
 Overlay::Overlay() :
     _parent(NULL),
+    _isLoaded(true),
     _alpha(DEFAULT_ALPHA),
     _color(DEFAULT_OVERLAY_COLOR),
     _visible(true),
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlay.h b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlay.h
index f8d6400bf6..c5329688ff 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlay.h
+++ b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlay.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ public:
     virtual void render() = 0;
 
     // getters
+    bool isLoaded() { return _isLoaded; }
     bool getVisible() const { return _visible; }
     const xColor& getColor() const { return _color; }
     float getAlpha() const { return _alpha; }
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ public:
 
 protected:
     QGLWidget* _parent;
+    bool _isLoaded;
     float _alpha;
     xColor _color;
     bool _visible; // should the overlay be drawn at all
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlays.cpp b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlays.cpp
index 581947c074..5d16bd78e5 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlays.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlays.cpp
@@ -227,11 +227,23 @@ unsigned int Overlays::getOverlayAtPoint(const glm::vec2& point) {
         i.previous();
         unsigned int thisID = i.key();
         Overlay2D* thisOverlay = static_cast<Overlay2D*>(i.value());
-        if (thisOverlay->getVisible() && thisOverlay->getBounds().contains(point.x, point.y, false)) {
+        if (thisOverlay->getVisible() && thisOverlay->isLoaded() && thisOverlay->getBounds().contains(point.x, point.y, false)) {
             return thisID;
         }
     }
     return 0; // not found
 }
 
+bool Overlays::isLoaded(unsigned int id) {
+    QReadLocker lock(&_lock);
+    Overlay* overlay = _overlays2D.value(id);
+    if (!overlay) {
+        _overlays3D.value(id);
+    }
+    if (!overlay) {
+        return false; // not found
+    }
+
+    return overlay->isLoaded();
+}
 
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlays.h b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlays.h
index 2fbdb993f4..8bd8224f82 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlays.h
+++ b/interface/src/ui/overlays/Overlays.h
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ public slots:
 
     /// returns the top most overlay at the screen point, or 0 if not overlay at that point
     unsigned int getOverlayAtPoint(const glm::vec2& point);
+    
+    /// returns whether the overlay's assets are loaded or not
+    bool isLoaded(unsigned int id);
 
 private:
     QMap<unsigned int, Overlay*> _overlays2D;