diff --git a/include/rendering/renderer.hpp b/include/rendering/renderer.hpp
index 1a99a6f4..92c1de59 100644
--- a/include/rendering/renderer.hpp
+++ b/include/rendering/renderer.hpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <future>
 #include <cstddef>
 #include <unordered_map>
+#include <unordered_set>
 #include <glm/glm.hpp>
 #include <vulkan/vulkan.h>
 #include <vk_mem_alloc.h>
@@ -343,6 +344,7 @@ private:
     std::unordered_map<uint32_t, std::string> spellVisualCastPath_;   // visualId → cast M2 path
     std::unordered_map<uint32_t, std::string> spellVisualImpactPath_; // visualId → impact M2 path
     std::unordered_map<std::string, uint32_t> spellVisualModelIds_;   // M2 path → M2Renderer modelId
+    std::unordered_set<uint32_t> spellVisualFailedModels_;           // modelIds that failed to load (negative cache)
     uint32_t nextSpellVisualModelId_ = 999000; // Reserved range 999000-999799
     bool spellVisualDbcLoaded_ = false;
     void loadSpellVisualDbc();
diff --git a/src/rendering/renderer.cpp b/src/rendering/renderer.cpp
index c3241337..4dad508d 100644
--- a/src/rendering/renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/rendering/renderer.cpp
@@ -2860,16 +2860,21 @@ void Renderer::playSpellVisual(uint32_t visualId, const glm::vec3& worldPosition
         spellVisualModelIds_[modelPath] = modelId;
     }
 
+    // Skip models that have previously failed to load (avoid repeated I/O)
+    if (spellVisualFailedModels_.count(modelId)) return;
+
     // Load the M2 model if not already loaded
     if (!m2Renderer->hasModel(modelId)) {
         auto m2Data = cachedAssetManager->readFile(modelPath);
         if (m2Data.empty()) {
             LOG_DEBUG("SpellVisual: could not read model: ", modelPath);
+            spellVisualFailedModels_.insert(modelId);
             return;
         }
         pipeline::M2Model model = pipeline::M2Loader::load(m2Data);
         if (model.vertices.empty() && model.particleEmitters.empty()) {
             LOG_DEBUG("SpellVisual: empty model: ", modelPath);
+            spellVisualFailedModels_.insert(modelId);
             return;
         }
         // Load skin file for WotLK-format M2s
@@ -2880,6 +2885,7 @@ void Renderer::playSpellVisual(uint32_t visualId, const glm::vec3& worldPosition
         }
         if (!m2Renderer->loadModel(model, modelId)) {
             LOG_WARNING("SpellVisual: failed to load model to GPU: ", modelPath);
+            spellVisualFailedModels_.insert(modelId);
             return;
         }
         LOG_DEBUG("SpellVisual: loaded model id=", modelId, " path=", modelPath);