diff --git a/include/rendering/character_renderer.hpp b/include/rendering/character_renderer.hpp
index dd6b31d3..e324622e 100644
--- a/include/rendering/character_renderer.hpp
+++ b/include/rendering/character_renderer.hpp
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ public:
     void render(VkCommandBuffer cmd, VkDescriptorSet perFrameSet, const Camera& camera);
     void recreatePipelines();
     bool initializeShadow(VkRenderPass shadowRenderPass);
-    void renderShadow(VkCommandBuffer cmd, const glm::mat4& lightSpaceMatrix);
+    void renderShadow(VkCommandBuffer cmd, const glm::mat4& lightSpaceMatrix,
+                      const glm::vec3& shadowCenter = glm::vec3(0), float shadowRadius = 1e9f);
 
     void setInstancePosition(uint32_t instanceId, const glm::vec3& position);
     void setInstanceRotation(uint32_t instanceId, const glm::vec3& rotation);
diff --git a/include/rendering/m2_renderer.hpp b/include/rendering/m2_renderer.hpp
index 79931692..6a5a08e2 100644
--- a/include/rendering/m2_renderer.hpp
+++ b/include/rendering/m2_renderer.hpp
@@ -251,7 +251,8 @@ public:
     /**
      * Render depth-only pass for shadow casting
      */
-    void renderShadow(VkCommandBuffer cmd, const glm::mat4& lightSpaceMatrix, float globalTime = 0.0f);
+    void renderShadow(VkCommandBuffer cmd, const glm::mat4& lightSpaceMatrix, float globalTime = 0.0f,
+                      const glm::vec3& shadowCenter = glm::vec3(0), float shadowRadius = 1e9f);
 
     /**
      * Render M2 particle emitters (point sprites)
diff --git a/include/rendering/renderer.hpp b/include/rendering/renderer.hpp
index 667adc19..c34119cd 100644
--- a/include/rendering/renderer.hpp
+++ b/include/rendering/renderer.hpp
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ private:
     std::unique_ptr<audio::MovementSoundManager> movementSoundManager;
     std::unique_ptr<game::ZoneManager> zoneManager;
     // Shadow mapping (Vulkan)
-    static constexpr uint32_t SHADOW_MAP_SIZE = 2048;
+    static constexpr uint32_t SHADOW_MAP_SIZE = 4096;
     VkImage shadowDepthImage = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
     VmaAllocation shadowDepthAlloc = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
     VkImageView shadowDepthView = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
diff --git a/include/rendering/wmo_renderer.hpp b/include/rendering/wmo_renderer.hpp
index 86b43352..9d4a62a6 100644
--- a/include/rendering/wmo_renderer.hpp
+++ b/include/rendering/wmo_renderer.hpp
@@ -152,7 +152,8 @@ public:
     /**
      * Render depth-only for shadow casting
      */
-    void renderShadow(VkCommandBuffer cmd, const glm::mat4& lightSpaceMatrix);
+    void renderShadow(VkCommandBuffer cmd, const glm::mat4& lightSpaceMatrix,
+                      const glm::vec3& shadowCenter = glm::vec3(0), float shadowRadius = 1e9f);
 
     /**
      * Get number of loaded models
diff --git a/src/core/application.cpp b/src/core/application.cpp
index 017ee7fe..feba2e76 100644
--- a/src/core/application.cpp
+++ b/src/core/application.cpp
@@ -3735,10 +3735,14 @@ void Application::spawnOnlineCreature(uint64_t guid, uint32_t displayId, float x
         }
 
         // Load skin file (only for WotLK M2s - vanilla has embedded skin)
-        std::string skinPath = m2Path.substr(0, m2Path.size() - 3) + "00.skin";
-        auto skinData = assetManager->readFile(skinPath);
-        if (!skinData.empty() && model.version >= 264) {
-            pipeline::M2Loader::loadSkin(skinData, model);
+        if (model.version >= 264) {
+            std::string skinPath = m2Path.substr(0, m2Path.size() - 3) + "00.skin";
+            auto skinData = assetManager->readFile(skinPath);
+            if (!skinData.empty()) {
+                pipeline::M2Loader::loadSkin(skinData, model);
+            } else {
+                LOG_WARNING("Missing skin file for WotLK creature M2: ", skinPath);
+            }
         }
 
         // Load external .anim files for sequences without flag 0x20
@@ -5951,10 +5955,14 @@ void Application::processPendingMount() {
         }
 
         // Load skin file (only for WotLK M2s - vanilla has embedded skin)
-        std::string skinPath = m2Path.substr(0, m2Path.size() - 3) + "00.skin";
-        auto skinData = assetManager->readFile(skinPath);
-        if (!skinData.empty() && model.version >= 264) {
-            pipeline::M2Loader::loadSkin(skinData, model);
+        if (model.version >= 264) {
+            std::string skinPath = m2Path.substr(0, m2Path.size() - 3) + "00.skin";
+            auto skinData = assetManager->readFile(skinPath);
+            if (!skinData.empty()) {
+                pipeline::M2Loader::loadSkin(skinData, model);
+            } else {
+                LOG_WARNING("Missing skin file for WotLK mount M2: ", skinPath);
+            }
         }
 
         // Load external .anim files (only idle + run needed for mounts)
diff --git a/src/rendering/renderer.cpp b/src/rendering/renderer.cpp
index 589b73b5..dcf9b586 100644
--- a/src/rendering/renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/rendering/renderer.cpp
@@ -3907,14 +3907,15 @@ void Renderer::renderShadowPass() {
     vkCmdSetScissor(currentCmd, 0, 1, &sc);
 
     // Phase 7/8: render shadow casters
+    constexpr float kShadowCullRadius = 180.0f;  // match kShadowHalfExtent
     if (wmoRenderer) {
-        wmoRenderer->renderShadow(currentCmd, lightSpaceMatrix);
+        wmoRenderer->renderShadow(currentCmd, lightSpaceMatrix, shadowCenter, kShadowCullRadius);
     }
     if (m2Renderer) {
-        m2Renderer->renderShadow(currentCmd, lightSpaceMatrix, globalTime);
+        m2Renderer->renderShadow(currentCmd, lightSpaceMatrix, globalTime, shadowCenter, kShadowCullRadius);
     }
     if (characterRenderer) {
-        characterRenderer->renderShadow(currentCmd, lightSpaceMatrix);
+        characterRenderer->renderShadow(currentCmd, lightSpaceMatrix, shadowCenter, kShadowCullRadius);
     }
 
     vkCmdEndRenderPass(currentCmd);