diff --git a/src/content/ContentLoader.cpp b/src/content/ContentLoader.cpp
index 71b507c6..a801500e 100644
--- a/src/content/ContentLoader.cpp
+++ b/src/content/ContentLoader.cpp
@@ -219,14 +219,15 @@ void ContentLoader::loadBlock(
     }
 
     // block model
-    std::string modelName;
-    root.at("model").get(modelName);
-    if (auto model = BlockModel_from(modelName)) {
+    std::string modelTypeName;
+    root.at("model").get(modelTypeName);
+    root.at("model-name").get(def.modelName);
+    if (auto model = BlockModel_from(modelTypeName)) {
         if (*model == BlockModel::custom) {
             if (root.has("model-primitives")) {
                 def.customModelRaw = root["model-primitives"];
-            } else {
-                throw std::runtime_error(name + ": no 'model-primitives' found");
+            } else if (def.modelName.empty()) {
+                throw std::runtime_error(name + ": no 'model-primitives' or 'model-name' found");
             }
             for (uint i = 0; i < 6; i++) {
                 std::string& texture = def.textureFaces[i];
@@ -236,8 +237,8 @@ void ContentLoader::loadBlock(
             }
         }
         def.model = *model;
-    } else if (!modelName.empty()) {
-        logger.error() << "unknown model " << modelName;
+    } else if (!modelTypeName.empty()) {
+        logger.error() << "unknown model " << modelTypeName;
         def.model = BlockModel::none;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/engine.cpp b/src/engine.cpp
index a75d90ff..c5bae880 100644
--- a/src/engine.cpp
+++ b/src/engine.cpp
@@ -288,14 +288,17 @@ void Engine::loadAssets() {
     if (content) {
         for (auto& [name, def] : content->blocks.getDefs()) {
             if (def->model == BlockModel::custom) {
-                assets->store(
-                    std::make_unique<model::Model>(
-                        ModelsGenerator::loadCustomBlockModel(
-                            def->customModelRaw, *assets, !def->shadeless
-                        )
-                    ),
-                    name + ".model"
-                );
+                if (def->modelName.empty()) {
+                    assets->store(
+                        std::make_unique<model::Model>(
+                            ModelsGenerator::loadCustomBlockModel(
+                                def->customModelRaw, *assets, !def->shadeless
+                            )
+                        ),
+                        name + ".model"
+                    );
+                    def->modelName = def->name + ".model";
+                }
             }
         }
         for (auto& [name, def] : content->items.getDefs()) {
diff --git a/src/frontend/ContentGfxCache.cpp b/src/frontend/ContentGfxCache.cpp
index 00ce478b..8890a24e 100644
--- a/src/frontend/ContentGfxCache.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/ContentGfxCache.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ ContentGfxCache::ContentGfxCache(const Content* content, Assets* assets)
         }
         if (def->model == BlockModel::custom) {
             models[def->rt.id] =
-                assets->require<model::Model>(def->name + ".model");
+                assets->require<model::Model>(def->modelName);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/graphics/render/ModelsGenerator.cpp b/src/graphics/render/ModelsGenerator.cpp
index 84faa380..a1283bac 100644
--- a/src/graphics/render/ModelsGenerator.cpp
+++ b/src/graphics/render/ModelsGenerator.cpp
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ model::Model ModelsGenerator::generate(
                 "blocks:" + blockDef.textureFaces.at(0), assets
             );
         } else if (blockDef.model == BlockModel::custom) {
-            model = assets.require<model::Model>(blockDef.name+".model");
+            model = assets.require<model::Model>(blockDef.modelName);
             for (auto& mesh : model.meshes) {
                 mesh.scale(glm::vec3(0.3f));
             }
diff --git a/src/voxels/Block.hpp b/src/voxels/Block.hpp
index 74666a38..26b38469 100644
--- a/src/voxels/Block.hpp
+++ b/src/voxels/Block.hpp
@@ -135,6 +135,8 @@ public:
     /// @brief Custom model raw data
     dv::value customModelRaw = nullptr;
 
+    std::string modelName = "";
+
     /// @brief Does the block passing lights into itself
     bool lightPassing = false;