diff --git a/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/Source/Characters/AICharacter.cs b/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/Source/Characters/AICharacter.cs
index c12fa49e0..4ccc10788 100644
--- a/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/Source/Characters/AICharacter.cs
+++ b/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/Source/Characters/AICharacter.cs
@@ -1,10 +1,17 @@
 using Microsoft.Xna.Framework;
-using System;
 
 namespace Barotrauma
 {
     partial class AICharacter : Character
     {
+        //characters that are further than this from the camera (and all clients)
+        //have all their limb physics bodies disabled
+        const float EnableSimplePhysicsDist = 10000.0f;        
+        const float DisableSimplePhysicsDist = EnableSimplePhysicsDist * 0.9f;
+
+        const float EnableSimplePhysicsDistSqr = EnableSimplePhysicsDist * EnableSimplePhysicsDist;
+        const float DisableSimplePhysicsDistSqr = DisableSimplePhysicsDist * DisableSimplePhysicsDist;
+        
         private AIController aiController;
         
         public override AIController AIController
@@ -32,17 +39,34 @@ namespace Barotrauma
 
             if (!IsRemotePlayer)
             {
-                float dist = Vector2.DistanceSquared(cam.WorldViewCenter, WorldPosition);
-                if (dist > 8000.0f * 8000.0f)
+                float characterDist = Vector2.DistanceSquared(cam.WorldViewCenter, WorldPosition);
+                if (GameMain.Server != null)
+                {
+                    //get the distance from the closest player to this character
+                    foreach (Character c in CharacterList)
+                    {
+                        if (c != this && (c.IsRemotePlayer || c == GameMain.Server.Character))
+                        {
+                            float dist = Vector2.DistanceSquared(c.WorldPosition, WorldPosition);
+                            if (dist < characterDist)
+                            {
+                                characterDist = dist;
+                                if (characterDist < DisableSimplePhysicsDistSqr) break;
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+
+                if (characterDist > EnableSimplePhysicsDistSqr)
                 {
                     AnimController.SimplePhysicsEnabled = true;
                 }
-                else if (dist < 7000.0f * 7000.0f)
+                else if (characterDist < DisableSimplePhysicsDistSqr)
                 {
                     AnimController.SimplePhysicsEnabled = false;
                 }
             }
-            
+
             if (IsDead || Health <= 0.0f || IsUnconscious || Stun > 0.0f) return;
             if (Controlled == this || !aiController.Enabled) return;