diff --git a/src/LinearMath/btQuaternion.h b/src/LinearMath/btQuaternion.h
index a9b78022e..7bd39e6a3 100644
--- a/src/LinearMath/btQuaternion.h
+++ b/src/LinearMath/btQuaternion.h
@@ -355,7 +355,15 @@ public:
 	{
 		return btSqrt(length2());
 	}
-
+	btQuaternion& safeNormalize()
+	{
+		btScalar l2 = length2();
+		if (l2>SIMD_EPSILON)
+		{
+			normalize();
+		}
+		return *this;
+	}
   /**@brief Normalize the quaternion 
    * Such that x^2 + y^2 + z^2 +w^2 = 1 */
 	btQuaternion& normalize() 
diff --git a/src/LinearMath/btTransformUtil.h b/src/LinearMath/btTransformUtil.h
index 2303c2742..182cc43fa 100644
--- a/src/LinearMath/btTransformUtil.h
+++ b/src/LinearMath/btTransformUtil.h
@@ -47,13 +47,19 @@ public:
 	#ifdef QUATERNION_DERIVATIVE
 		btQuaternion predictedOrn = curTrans.getRotation();
 		predictedOrn += (angvel * predictedOrn) * (timeStep * btScalar(0.5));
-		predictedOrn.normalize();
+		predictedOrn.safeNormalize();
 	#else
 		//Exponential map
 		//google for "Practical Parameterization of Rotations Using the Exponential Map", F. Sebastian Grassia
 
 		btVector3 axis;
-		btScalar	fAngle = angvel.length(); 
+		btScalar	fAngle2 = angvel.length2();
+        	btScalar    fAngle = 0;
+        	if (fAngle2>SIMD_EPSILON)
+        	{
+            		fAngle = btSqrt(fAngle2);
+        	}
+
 		//limit the angular motion
 		if (fAngle*timeStep > ANGULAR_MOTION_THRESHOLD)
 		{
@@ -74,9 +80,16 @@ public:
 		btQuaternion orn0 = curTrans.getRotation();
 
 		btQuaternion predictedOrn = dorn * orn0;
-		predictedOrn.normalize();
+		predictedOrn.safeNormalize();
 	#endif
-		predictedTransform.setRotation(predictedOrn);
+		if (predictedOrn.length2()>SIMD_EPSILON)
+		{
+			predictedTransform.setRotation(predictedOrn);
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			predictedTransform.setBasis(curTrans.getBasis());
+		}
 	}
 
 	static void	calculateVelocityQuaternion(const btVector3& pos0,const btVector3& pos1,const btQuaternion& orn0,const btQuaternion& orn1,btScalar timeStep,btVector3& linVel,btVector3& angVel)