diff --git a/direct/src/controls/BattleWalker.py b/direct/src/controls/BattleWalker.py
index 5d716814d9..3a7d4a325d 100755
--- a/direct/src/controls/BattleWalker.py
+++ b/direct/src/controls/BattleWalker.py
@@ -37,9 +37,9 @@ class BattleWalker(GravityWalker.GravityWalker):
         # Determine what the speeds are based on the buttons:
         self.speed=(forward and self.avatarControlForwardSpeed or
                     reverse and -self.avatarControlReverseSpeed)
-        # Use reverse speed for strafe - that should be about what you want
-        self.slideSpeed=(slideLeft and -self.avatarControlReverseSpeed or
-                         slideRight and self.avatarControlReverseSpeed)
+        # Slide speed is a scaled down version of forward speed        
+        self.slideSpeed=(slideLeft and -self.avatarControlForwardSpeed or
+                         slideRight and self.avatarControlForwardSpeed) * 0.5
         self.rotationSpeed=not (slideLeft or slideRight) and (
                 (turnLeft and self.avatarControlRotateSpeed) or
                 (turnRight and -self.avatarControlRotateSpeed))
diff --git a/direct/src/controls/GravityWalker.py b/direct/src/controls/GravityWalker.py
index eb5d368643..fad53d19aa 100755
--- a/direct/src/controls/GravityWalker.py
+++ b/direct/src/controls/GravityWalker.py
@@ -456,9 +456,9 @@ class GravityWalker(DirectObject.DirectObject):
         # Determine what the speeds are based on the buttons:
         self.speed=(forward and self.avatarControlForwardSpeed or
                     reverse and -self.avatarControlReverseSpeed)
-        # Use reverse speed for strafe - that should be about what you want
-        self.slideSpeed=(slideLeft and -self.avatarControlReverseSpeed or
-                         slideRight and self.avatarControlReverseSpeed)
+        # Slide speed is a scaled down version of forward speed
+        self.slideSpeed=(slideLeft and -self.avatarControlForwardSpeed or
+                         slideRight and self.avatarControlForwardSpeed) * 0.5
         self.rotationSpeed=not (slideLeft or slideRight) and (
                 (turnLeft and self.avatarControlRotateSpeed) or
                 (turnRight and -self.avatarControlRotateSpeed))