diff --git a/source/cl_parse.c b/source/cl_parse.c
index 545f0f4..c760cb0 100644
--- a/source/cl_parse.c
+++ b/source/cl_parse.c
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ if (bits&(1<<i))
 	
 	if (bits & U_MODEL)
 	{
-		modnum = MSG_ReadByte ();
+		modnum = MSG_ReadShort ();
 		if (modnum >= MAX_MODELS)
 			Host_Error ("CL_ParseModel: bad modnum");
 	}
@@ -569,7 +569,7 @@ void CL_ParseBaseline (entity_t *ent)
 {
 	int			i;
 	
-	ent->baseline.modelindex = MSG_ReadByte ();
+	ent->baseline.modelindex = MSG_ReadShort ();
 	ent->baseline.frame = MSG_ReadByte ();
 	ent->baseline.colormap = MSG_ReadByte();
 	ent->baseline.skin = MSG_ReadByte();
diff --git a/source/pr_cmds.c b/source/pr_cmds.c
index 7643176..34fcc78 100644
--- a/source/pr_cmds.c
+++ b/source/pr_cmds.c
@@ -3027,7 +3027,7 @@ void PF_makestatic (void)
 
 	MSG_WriteByte (&sv.signon,svc_spawnstatic);
 
-	MSG_WriteByte (&sv.signon, SV_ModelIndex(pr_strings + ent->v.model));
+	MSG_WriteShort (&sv.signon, SV_ModelIndex(pr_strings + ent->v.model));
 
 	MSG_WriteByte (&sv.signon, ent->v.frame);
 	MSG_WriteByte (&sv.signon, ent->v.colormap);
diff --git a/source/quakedef.h b/source/quakedef.h
index acd79af..e558c62 100644
--- a/source/quakedef.h
+++ b/source/quakedef.h
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ void	VID_UnlockBuffer (void);
 //
 #define	MAX_EDICTS		600			// FIXME: ouch! ouch! ouch!
 #define	MAX_LIGHTSTYLES	64
-#define	MAX_MODELS		256			// these are sent over the net as bytes
+#define	MAX_MODELS		300			// motolegacy -- nzp protocol(115), uses memory inefficient shorts for model indexes, yay!
 #define	MAX_SOUNDS		256			// so they cannot be blindly increased
 
 #define	SAVEGAME_COMMENT_LENGTH	39
diff --git a/source/sv_main.c b/source/sv_main.c
index 5bac80a..94d3f8e 100644
--- a/source/sv_main.c
+++ b/source/sv_main.c
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ void SV_WriteEntitiesToClient (edict_t	*clent, sizebuf_t *msg)
 			MSG_WriteByte (msg,e);
 
 		if (bits & U_MODEL)
-			MSG_WriteByte (msg,	ent->v.modelindex);
+			MSG_WriteShort (msg, ent->v.modelindex);
 		if (bits & U_FRAME)
 			MSG_WriteByte (msg, ent->v.frame);
 		if (bits & U_COLORMAP)
@@ -1045,7 +1045,7 @@ void SV_CreateBaseline (void)
 		MSG_WriteByte (&sv.signon,svc_spawnbaseline);		
 		MSG_WriteShort (&sv.signon,entnum);
 
-		MSG_WriteByte (&sv.signon, svent->baseline.modelindex);
+		MSG_WriteShort (&sv.signon, svent->baseline.modelindex);
 		MSG_WriteByte (&sv.signon, svent->baseline.frame);
 		MSG_WriteByte (&sv.signon, svent->baseline.colormap);
 		MSG_WriteByte (&sv.signon, svent->baseline.skin);