diff --git a/src/graphics/ui/elements/ModelViewer.cpp b/src/graphics/ui/elements/ModelViewer.cpp
index acc8170c..c1d736d7 100644
--- a/src/graphics/ui/elements/ModelViewer.cpp
+++ b/src/graphics/ui/elements/ModelViewer.cpp
@@ -79,6 +79,33 @@ void ModelViewer::act(float delta) {
     camera.position = center - camera.front * distance;
 }
 
+static util::TextureRegion determine_texture_region(
+    const Assets& assets, const std::string& texture
+) {
+    static std::array<std::string, 6> faces {
+        "blocks:dbg_north",
+        "blocks:dbg_south",
+        "blocks:dbg_top",
+        "blocks:dbg_bottom",
+        "blocks:dbg_west",
+        "blocks:dbg_east",
+    };
+
+    if (texture.length() < 2 || texture.at(0) != '$') {
+        return util::get_texture_region(assets, texture, "blocks:notfound");
+    }
+
+    unsigned char sideIndex = texture.at(1) - '0';
+    if (sideIndex < faces.size()) {
+        return util::get_texture_region(
+            assets,
+            faces.at(texture.at(1) - '0'),
+            "blocks:notfound"
+        );
+    }
+    return util::get_texture_region(assets, "blocks:notfound", "");
+}
+
 void ModelViewer::draw(const DrawContext& pctx, const Assets& assets) {
     camera.setAspectRatio(size.x / size.y);
     camera.updateVectors();
@@ -104,26 +131,10 @@ void ModelViewer::draw(const DrawContext& pctx, const Assets& assets) {
         ui3dShader.uniformMatrix("u_apply", glm::mat4(1.0f));
         ui3dShader.uniformMatrix("u_projview", camera.getProjView());
         batch->begin();
+
         for (const auto& mesh : model->meshes) {
-            util::TextureRegion region;
-            if (!mesh.texture.empty() && mesh.texture[0] == '$') {
-                // todo: refactor
-                static std::array<std::string, 6> faces {
-                    "blocks:dbg_north",
-                    "blocks:dbg_south",
-                    "blocks:dbg_top",
-                    "blocks:dbg_bottom",
-                    "blocks:dbg_west",
-                    "blocks:dbg_east",
-                };
-                region = util::get_texture_region(
-                    assets,
-                    faces.at(mesh.texture.at(1) - '0'),
-                    "blocks:notfound"
-                );
-            } else {
-                region = util::get_texture_region(assets, mesh.texture, "blocks:notfound");
-            }
+            auto region = determine_texture_region(assets, mesh.texture);
+
             batch->texture(region.texture);
             batch->setRegion(region.region);
             for (const auto& vertex : mesh.vertices) {