diff --git a/src/core/application.cpp b/src/core/application.cpp
index a782363c..44a82570 100644
--- a/src/core/application.cpp
+++ b/src/core/application.cpp
@@ -8247,7 +8247,7 @@ void Application::processPendingTransportDoodads() {
             }
             if (!m2Model.isValid()) continue;
 
-            m2Renderer->loadModel(m2Model, doodadModelId);
+            if (!m2Renderer->loadModel(m2Model, doodadModelId)) continue;
             uint32_t m2InstanceId = m2Renderer->createInstance(doodadModelId, glm::vec3(0.0f), glm::vec3(0.0f), 1.0f);
             if (m2InstanceId == 0) continue;
             m2Renderer->setSkipCollision(m2InstanceId, true);
diff --git a/src/rendering/m2_renderer.cpp b/src/rendering/m2_renderer.cpp
index c5af6c76..d7ae0b2a 100644
--- a/src/rendering/m2_renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/rendering/m2_renderer.cpp
@@ -944,8 +944,9 @@ bool M2Renderer::loadModel(const pipeline::M2Model& model, uint32_t modelId) {
 
     bool hasGeometry = !model.vertices.empty() && !model.indices.empty();
     bool hasParticles = !model.particleEmitters.empty();
-    if (!hasGeometry && !hasParticles) {
-        LOG_WARNING("M2 model has no geometry and no particles: ", model.name);
+    bool hasRibbons   = !model.ribbonEmitters.empty();
+    if (!hasGeometry && !hasParticles && !hasRibbons) {
+        LOG_WARNING("M2 model has no renderable content: ", model.name);
         return false;
     }