diff --git a/include/pipeline/wowee_model.hpp b/include/pipeline/wowee_model.hpp
index a0bba030..487eda21 100644
--- a/include/pipeline/wowee_model.hpp
+++ b/include/pipeline/wowee_model.hpp
@@ -90,7 +90,12 @@ public:
 
     // Convenience: try loading <path-without-ext>.wom from the standard editor
     // search paths (custom_zones/models/, output/models/). Returns valid model on hit.
-    static WoweeModel tryLoadByGamePath(const std::string& gamePath);
+    // `extraPrefixes` are tried before the defaults — pass per-zone roots like
+    // {"output/<map>/models/", "custom_zones/<map>/models/"} when the caller
+    // knows the active zone.
+    static WoweeModel tryLoadByGamePath(
+        const std::string& gamePath,
+        const std::vector<std::string>& extraPrefixes = {});
 };
 
 } // namespace pipeline
diff --git a/src/pipeline/wowee_model.cpp b/src/pipeline/wowee_model.cpp
index 922f7606..91d3695c 100644
--- a/src/pipeline/wowee_model.cpp
+++ b/src/pipeline/wowee_model.cpp
@@ -500,17 +500,26 @@ M2Model WoweeModelLoader::toM2(const WoweeModel& wom) {
     return m;
 }
 
-WoweeModel WoweeModelLoader::tryLoadByGamePath(const std::string& gamePath) {
+WoweeModel WoweeModelLoader::tryLoadByGamePath(
+    const std::string& gamePath,
+    const std::vector<std::string>& extraPrefixes) {
     std::string base = gamePath;
     auto dot = base.rfind('.');
     if (dot != std::string::npos) base = base.substr(0, dot);
     std::replace(base.begin(), base.end(), '\\', '/');
-    for (const char* prefix : {"custom_zones/models/", "output/models/"}) {
-        std::string full = std::string(prefix) + base;
+    auto tryPrefix = [&](const std::string& prefix) -> WoweeModel {
+        std::string full = prefix + base;
         if (exists(full)) {
             auto wom = load(full);
             if (wom.isValid()) return wom;
         }
+        return {};
+    };
+    for (const auto& p : extraPrefixes) {
+        if (auto w = tryPrefix(p); w.isValid()) return w;
+    }
+    for (const char* p : {"custom_zones/models/", "output/models/"}) {
+        if (auto w = tryPrefix(p); w.isValid()) return w;
     }
     return {};
 }
diff --git a/src/rendering/terrain_manager.cpp b/src/rendering/terrain_manager.cpp
index 5ea6b940..37e84bda 100644
--- a/src/rendering/terrain_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/rendering/terrain_manager.cpp
@@ -482,25 +482,22 @@ std::shared_ptr<PendingTile> TerrainManager::prepareTile(int x, int y) {
         }
 
         // Check for WOM open format first (custom zone models)
-        std::string womBase = m2Path;
-        auto womDot = womBase.rfind('.');
-        if (womDot != std::string::npos) womBase = womBase.substr(0, womDot);
-        // Check custom_zones and output directories
-        std::vector<std::string> womPrefixes = {"custom_zones/models/", "output/" + mapName + "/models/"};
-        for (const std::string& prefix : womPrefixes) {
-            std::string womPath = prefix + womBase;
-            std::replace(womPath.begin(), womPath.end(), '\\', '/');
-            if (pipeline::WoweeModelLoader::exists(womPath)) {
-                auto wom = pipeline::WoweeModelLoader::load(womPath);
-                if (wom.isValid()) {
-                    // toM2() handles WOM1/WOM2/WOM3 (multi-batch + materials)
-                    auto m2Model = pipeline::WoweeModelLoader::toM2(wom);
-                    pending->m2Models.push_back({modelId, std::move(m2Model), {}});
-                    preparedModelIds.insert(modelId);
-                    LOG_INFO("Loaded WOM model: ", womPath, " (v", wom.version,
-                             ", ", wom.batches.size(), " batches)");
-                    return true;
-                }
+        // Try open WOM format first via shared helper. Per-zone prefixes are
+        // checked before the global fallback so a zone export overrides a
+        // generic custom asset of the same name.
+        {
+            std::vector<std::string> extraPrefixes = {
+                "output/" + mapName + "/models/",
+                "custom_zones/" + mapName + "/models/",
+            };
+            auto wom = pipeline::WoweeModelLoader::tryLoadByGamePath(m2Path, extraPrefixes);
+            if (wom.isValid()) {
+                auto m2Model = pipeline::WoweeModelLoader::toM2(wom);
+                pending->m2Models.push_back({modelId, std::move(m2Model), {}});
+                preparedModelIds.insert(modelId);
+                LOG_INFO("Loaded WOM model: ", m2Path, " (v", wom.version,
+                         ", ", wom.batches.size(), " batches)");
+                return true;
             }
         }