diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index 7ee8c9032e..8df9b95fda 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -230,6 +230,15 @@ <h4>experimental-pmrem</h4>
             the built-in scene lights. Refer to <a href="https://wiki.jmonkeyengine.org/jme3/advanced/pbr_part3.html" target="_blank">this article</a>
             for in-depth details related to this lighting mode.</p>
           </li>
+          <li>
+            <h4>interaction-prompt-threshold</h4>
+            <p>When camera-controls are enabled, &lt;model-viewer&gt; will
+            prompt the user visually (and audibly, for screen readers) to
+            interact if they focus it but don't interact with it for some time.
+            This attribute allows you to set how long &lt;model-viewer&gt;
+            should wait (in milliseconds) before prompting to interact. Defaults
+            to 3000.</p>
+          </li>
           <li>
             <h4>ios-src</h4>
             <p>The url to a <a href="https://graphics.pixar.com/usd/docs/Usdz-File-Format-Specification.html">USDZ</a> model which will be used on <a href="https://www.apple.com/ios/augmented-reality/">supported iOS 12+ devices</a> via <a href="https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2018/603/">AR Quick Look</a> on Safari. See <a href="https://github.com/GoogleWebComponents/model-viewer#augmented-reality">Augmented Reality</a>.</p>
diff --git a/src/assets/controls-svg.js b/src/assets/controls-svg.js
index 9cd0e56baa..7195ff9091 100644
--- a/src/assets/controls-svg.js
+++ b/src/assets/controls-svg.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 export default `
-<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" width="250px" height="200px" viewBox="0 0 250 200" fill="transparent">
+<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" width="250px" height="200px" viewBox="0 0 250 200" fill="transparent" focusable="false" aria-hidden="true">
   <!-- Rotation arc -->
   <path id="orbit"
         d="M50,75 C55,50 195,50 200,75 C195,100 55,100 50,75"
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ export default `
         stroke-dasharray="140 220"
         stroke="white"
         stroke-width="7"
-
         fill="transparent">
     <animate attributeName="stroke-dashoffset"
            dur="1.75s"
diff --git a/src/assets/view-in-ar-material-svg.js b/src/assets/view-in-ar-material-svg.js
index d9aa0c6c5e..8d8513f7ab 100644
--- a/src/assets/view-in-ar-material-svg.js
+++ b/src/assets/view-in-ar-material-svg.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ export default `
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <!-- Generator: Adobe Illustrator 21.1.0, SVG Export Plug-In . SVG Version: 6.00 Build 0)  -->
 <svg version="1.1" id="Layer_1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" x="0px" y="0px"
-	 width="24px" height="24px" viewBox="0 0 24 24" enable-background="new 0 0 24 24" xml:space="preserve">
+	 width="24px" height="24px" viewBox="0 0 24 24" enable-background="new 0 0 24 24" xml:space="preserve" focusable="false" aria-hidden="true">
 <rect fill="none" width="24" height="24"/>
 <g>
 	<path d="M18.25,7.6l-5.5-3.18c-0.46-0.27-1.04-0.27-1.5,0L5.75,7.6C5.29,7.87,5,8.36,5,8.9v6.35c0,0.54,0.29,1.03,0.75,1.3
diff --git a/src/features/controls.ts b/src/features/controls.ts
index 187b01de5a..af0c8e1d0e 100644
--- a/src/features/controls.ts
+++ b/src/features/controls.ts
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ const POLAR_TRIENT_LABELS = ['upper-', '', 'lower-'];
 const ORBIT_CAMERA_NEAR_PLANE = FRAMED_HEIGHT / 10.0;
 const ORBIT_CAMERA_FAR_PLANE = FRAMED_HEIGHT * 10.0;
 
-export const IDLE_PROMPT_THRESHOLD_MS = 3000;
-export const IDLE_PROMPT =
+export const DEFAULT_INTERACTION_PROMPT_THRESHOLD = 3000;
+export const INTERACTION_PROMPT =
     'Use mouse, touch or arrow keys to control the camera!';
 
 export const $controls = Symbol('controls');
@@ -58,9 +58,12 @@ const $defaultCamera = Symbol('defaultCamera');
 const $blurHandler = Symbol('blurHandler');
 const $focusHandler = Symbol('focusHandler');
 const $changeHandler = Symbol('changeHandler');
+const $promptTransitionendHandler = Symbol('promptTransitionendHandler');
+
 const $onBlur = Symbol('onBlur');
 const $onFocus = Symbol('onFocus');
 const $onChange = Symbol('onChange');
+const $onPromptTransitionend = Symbol('onPromptTransitionend');
 
 const $shouldPromptUserToInteract = Symbol('shouldPromptUserToInteract');
 const $waitingToPromptUser = Symbol('waitingToPromptUser');
@@ -80,7 +83,11 @@ export const ControlsMixin = (ModelViewerElement:
             {type: String, attribute: 'camera-orbit', hasChanged: () => true})
         cameraOrbit: string = DEFAULT_CAMERA_ORBIT;
 
-        protected[$promptElement]: HTMLElement|null;
+        @property({type: Number, attribute: 'interaction-prompt-threshold'})
+        interactionPromptThreshold: number =
+            DEFAULT_INTERACTION_PROMPT_THRESHOLD;
+
+        protected[$promptElement]: Element;
 
         protected[$defaultCamera]: PerspectiveCamera;
         protected[$orbitCamera]: PerspectiveCamera;
@@ -98,12 +105,15 @@ export const ControlsMixin = (ModelViewerElement:
         protected[$focusHandler]: () => void = () => this[$onFocus]();
         protected[$blurHandler]: () => void = () => this[$onBlur]();
 
+        protected[$promptTransitionendHandler]:
+            () => void = () => this[$onPromptTransitionend]();
+
         constructor() {
           super();
           const scene = (this as any)[$scene];
 
           this[$promptElement] =
-              this.shadowRoot!.querySelector('.controls-prompt');
+              this.shadowRoot!.querySelector('.controls-prompt')!;
 
           this[$defaultCamera] = scene.getCamera();
           this[$orbitCamera] = this[$defaultCamera].clone();
@@ -127,12 +137,17 @@ export const ControlsMixin = (ModelViewerElement:
         connectedCallback() {
           super.connectedCallback();
 
+          this[$promptTransitionendHandler]();
+          this[$promptElement].addEventListener(
+              'transitionend', this[$promptTransitionendHandler]);
           this[$controls].addEventListener('change', this[$changeHandler]);
         }
 
         disconnectedCallback() {
           super.disconnectedCallback();
 
+          this[$promptElement].removeEventListener(
+              'transitionend', this[$promptTransitionendHandler]);
           this[$controls].removeEventListener('change', this[$changeHandler]);
         }
 
@@ -189,11 +204,13 @@ export const ControlsMixin = (ModelViewerElement:
           super[$tick](time, delta);
 
           if (this[$waitingToPromptUser]) {
-            this[$idleTime] += delta;
+            if (this.loaded) {
+              this[$idleTime] += delta;
+            }
 
-            if (this[$idleTime] > IDLE_PROMPT_THRESHOLD_MS) {
+            if (this[$idleTime] > this.interactionPromptThreshold) {
               (this as any)[$scene].canvas.setAttribute(
-                  'aria-label', IDLE_PROMPT);
+                  'aria-label', INTERACTION_PROMPT);
 
               // NOTE(cdata): After notifying users that the controls are
               // available, we flag that the user has been prompted at least
@@ -203,7 +220,7 @@ export const ControlsMixin = (ModelViewerElement:
               this[$userPromptedOnce] = true;
               this[$waitingToPromptUser] = false;
 
-              this[$promptElement]!.classList.add('visible');
+              this[$promptElement].classList.add('visible');
             }
           }
 
@@ -288,6 +305,23 @@ export const ControlsMixin = (ModelViewerElement:
           }
         }
 
+        [$onPromptTransitionend]() {
+          const svg = this[$promptElement].querySelector('svg');
+
+          if (svg == null) {
+            return;
+          }
+
+          // NOTE(cdata): We need to make sure that SVG animations are paused
+          // when the prompt is not visible, otherwise we may a significant
+          // compositing cost even while the prompt is at opacity 0.
+          if (this[$promptElement].classList.contains('visible')) {
+            svg.unpauseAnimations();
+          } else {
+            svg.pauseAnimations();
+          }
+        }
+
         [$onResize](e: Event) {
           super[$onResize](e);
           this[$updateOrbitCamera]();
@@ -324,7 +358,7 @@ export const ControlsMixin = (ModelViewerElement:
 
         [$onBlur]() {
           this[$waitingToPromptUser] = false;
-          this[$promptElement]!.classList.remove('visible');
+          this[$promptElement].classList.remove('visible');
         }
 
         [$onChange]() {
diff --git a/src/test/features/controls-spec.js b/src/test/features/controls-spec.js
index 795e5a2d81..4810554f01 100644
--- a/src/test/features/controls-spec.js
+++ b/src/test/features/controls-spec.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-import {$controls, $promptElement, ControlsMixin, IDLE_PROMPT, IDLE_PROMPT_THRESHOLD_MS} from '../../features/controls.js';
+import {$controls, $promptElement, ControlsMixin, DEFAULT_INTERACTION_PROMPT_THRESHOLD, INTERACTION_PROMPT} from '../../features/controls.js';
 import ModelViewerElementBase, {$scene} from '../../model-viewer-base.js';
 import {FRAMED_HEIGHT} from '../../three-components/ModelScene.js';
 import {assetPath, dispatchSyntheticEvent, rafPasses, timePasses, until, waitForEvent} from '../helpers.js';
@@ -229,28 +229,61 @@ suite('ModelViewerElementBase with ControlsMixin', () => {
 
           canvas.focus();
 
-          await until(() => canvas.getAttribute('aria-label') === IDLE_PROMPT);
+          await until(
+              () => canvas.getAttribute('aria-label') === INTERACTION_PROMPT);
 
           expect(promptElement.classList.contains('visible')).to.be.equal(true);
         });
 
+        test(
+            'does not prompt users to interact before a model is loaded',
+            async () => {
+              Object.defineProperty(
+                  element, 'loaded', {value: false, configurable: true});
+
+              element.interactionPromptThreshold = 500;
+
+              const {canvas} = element[$scene];
+              const promptElement = element[$promptElement];
+              const controls = element[$controls];
+
+              settleControls(controls);
+
+              await rafPasses();
+
+              canvas.focus();
+
+              await timePasses(element.interactionPromptThreshold + 100);
+
+              expect(promptElement.classList.contains('visible'))
+                  .to.be.equal(false);
+
+              Object.defineProperty(
+                  element, 'loaded', {value: true, configurable: true});
+
+              await timePasses(element.interactionPromptThreshold + 100);
+
+              expect(promptElement.classList.contains('visible'))
+                  .to.be.equal(true);
+            });
+
         test('does not prompt if user already interacted', async () => {
           const {canvas} = element[$scene];
           const promptElement = element[$promptElement];
           const originalLabel = canvas.getAttribute('aria-label');
 
-          expect(originalLabel).to.not.be.equal(IDLE_PROMPT);
+          expect(originalLabel).to.not.be.equal(INTERACTION_PROMPT);
 
           canvas.focus();
 
-          await timePasses(IDLE_PROMPT_THRESHOLD_MS / 2.0);
+          await timePasses(DEFAULT_INTERACTION_PROMPT_THRESHOLD / 2.0);
 
           interactWith(canvas);
 
-          await timePasses(IDLE_PROMPT_THRESHOLD_MS + 100);
+          await timePasses(DEFAULT_INTERACTION_PROMPT_THRESHOLD + 100);
 
           expect(canvas.getAttribute('aria-label'))
-              .to.not.be.equal(IDLE_PROMPT);
+              .to.not.be.equal(INTERACTION_PROMPT);
           expect(promptElement.classList.contains('visible'))
               .to.be.equal(false);
         });