diff --git a/src/hardware/hw_md2.c b/src/hardware/hw_md2.c
index 9101cdd9d..ed5ecb7b8 100644
--- a/src/hardware/hw_md2.c
+++ b/src/hardware/hw_md2.c
@@ -489,12 +489,20 @@ static void md2_loadBlendTexture(md2_t *model)
 // Don't spam the console, or the OS with fopen requests!
 static boolean nomd2s = false;
 
+typedef enum
+{
+	MD2M_MODELS = 0,
+	MD2M_BLANMODELS = 1,
+} md2modefile_e;
+
 void HWR_InitModels(void)
 {
 	size_t i;
 	INT32 s;
 	FILE *f;
 	char name[26], filename[32];
+	SINT8 loaded = MD2M_MODELS; // Check which model file has been loaded.
+	const char *modelfile = NULL;
 	// name[24] is used to check for names in the models.dat file that match with sprites or player skins
 	// sprite names are always 4 characters long, and names is for player skins can be up to 19 characters long
 	// PLAYERMODELPREFIX is 6 characters long
@@ -525,16 +533,29 @@ void HWR_InitModels(void)
 		md2_models[i].error = false;
 	}
 
-	// read the models.dat file
+loadmodelfile:
+	if (loaded == MD2M_MODELS)
+	{
+		modelfile = "models.dat";
+	}
+	else if (loaded == MD2M_BLANMODELS)
+	{
+		modelfile = "blanmodels.dat";
+	}
+
+	if (!modelfile)
+		return; // No modelfile somehow?
+
+	// read the models.dat/blanmodels.dat file
 	//Filename checking fixed ~Monster Iestyn and Golden
-	f = fopen(va("%s"PATHSEP"%s", srb2home, "models.dat"), "rt");
+	f = fopen(va("%s"PATHSEP"%s", srb2home, modelfile), "rt");
 
 	if (!f)
 	{
-		f = fopen(va("%s"PATHSEP"%s", srb2path, "models.dat"), "rt");
+		f = fopen(va("%s"PATHSEP"%s", srb2path, modelfile), "rt");
 		if (!f)
 		{
-			CONS_Printf("%s %s\n", M_GetText("Error while loading models.dat:"), strerror(errno));
+			CONS_Printf("Error while loading %s: %s\n", modelfile, strerror(errno));
 			nomd2s = true;
 			return;
 		}
@@ -595,6 +616,14 @@ modelfound:
 		// move on to next line...
 		continue;
 	}
+
+	if (loaded == MD2M_MODELS)
+	{
+		fclose(f);
+		loaded = MD2M_BLANMODELS;
+		goto loadmodelfile;
+	}
+
 	fclose(f);
 }