diff --git a/include/QF/model.h b/include/QF/model.h
index 0efd7be00..9f308e997 100644
--- a/include/QF/model.h
+++ b/include/QF/model.h
@@ -280,7 +280,6 @@ typedef struct mod_brush_s {
 
 // SPRITE MODELS ==============================================================
 
-// FIXME: shorten these?
 typedef struct mspriteframe_s {
 	int		width;
 	int		height;
@@ -304,11 +303,10 @@ typedef struct {
 } mspriteframedesc_t;
 
 typedef struct {
-	int					type;
-	int					maxwidth;
-	int					maxheight;
-	float				beamlength;
-	int					numframes;
+	int         type;
+	float       beamlength;
+	int         numframes;
+	int         data;
 	mspriteframedesc_t	frames[1];
 } msprite_t;
 
diff --git a/include/QF/plugin/vid_render.h b/include/QF/plugin/vid_render.h
index 699bef12e..8ed240c84 100644
--- a/include/QF/plugin/vid_render.h
+++ b/include/QF/plugin/vid_render.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ struct cvar_s;
 struct skin_s;
 
 struct mod_alias_ctx_s;
+struct mod_sprite_ctx_s;
 
 /*
 	All video plugins must export these functions
@@ -99,8 +100,7 @@ typedef struct vid_model_funcs_s {
 	void (*Mod_LoadExternalSkins) (struct mod_alias_ctx_s *alias_ctx);
 	void (*Mod_IQMFinish) (model_t *mod);
 	int alias_cache;
-	void (*Mod_SpriteLoadTexture) (model_t *mod, mspriteframe_t *pspriteframe,
-								   int framenum);
+	void (*Mod_SpriteLoadFrames) (struct mod_sprite_ctx_s *sprite_ctx);
 
 	struct skin_s *(*Skin_SetColormap) (struct skin_s *skin, int cmap);
 	struct skin_s *(*Skin_SetSkin) (struct skin_s *skin, int cmap,
diff --git a/include/mod_internal.h b/include/mod_internal.h
index b82de630b..9126a3280 100644
--- a/include/mod_internal.h
+++ b/include/mod_internal.h
@@ -19,9 +19,18 @@ typedef struct mod_alias_ctx_s {
 	trivertxset_t poseverts;
 	int         aliasbboxmins[3];
 	int         aliasbboxmaxs[3];
-
 } mod_alias_ctx_t;
 
+typedef struct mod_sprite_ctx_s {
+	model_t    *mod;
+	dsprite_t  *dsprite;
+	msprite_t  *sprite;
+	int         numframes;
+	int        *frame_numbers;
+	dspriteframe_t **dframes;	///< array of pointers to dframes (in)
+	mspriteframe_t ***frames;	///< array of pointers to mframe pointers (out)
+} mod_sprite_ctx_t;
+
 int Mod_CalcFullbright (byte *out, const byte *in, size_t pixels);
 int Mod_ClearFullbright (byte *out, const byte *in, size_t pixels);
 void Mod_FloodFillSkin (byte *skin, int skinwidth, int skinheight);
@@ -79,12 +88,10 @@ void Vulkan_Mod_SubdivideSurface (model_t *mod, msurface_t *fa,
 void Vulkan_Mod_ProcessTexture (model_t *mod, texture_t *tx,
 								struct vulkan_ctx_s *ctx);
 
-void gl_Mod_SpriteLoadTexture (model_t *mod, mspriteframe_t *pspriteframe,
-							   int framenum);
-void glsl_Mod_SpriteLoadTexture (model_t *mod, mspriteframe_t *pspriteframe,
-								 int framenum);
-void sw_Mod_SpriteLoadTexture (model_t *mod, mspriteframe_t *pspriteframe,
-							   int framenum);
+void Mod_LoadSpriteFrame (mspriteframe_t *frame, const dspriteframe_t *dframe);
+void gl_Mod_SpriteLoadFrames (mod_sprite_ctx_t *sprite_ctx);
+void glsl_Mod_SpriteLoadFrames (mod_sprite_ctx_t *sprite_ctx);
+void sw_Mod_SpriteLoadFrames (mod_sprite_ctx_t *sprite_ctx);
 
 void Mod_LoadIQM (model_t *mod, void *buffer);
 void Mod_FreeIQM (iqm_t *iqm);
diff --git a/libs/models/sprite/gl_model_sprite.c b/libs/models/sprite/gl_model_sprite.c
index 2abef1dfc..546e97e96 100644
--- a/libs/models/sprite/gl_model_sprite.c
+++ b/libs/models/sprite/gl_model_sprite.c
@@ -43,26 +43,36 @@
 #include "compat.h"
 #include "mod_internal.h"
 
-void
-gl_Mod_SpriteLoadTexture (model_t *mod, mspriteframe_t *pspriteframe,
-						  int framenum)
+static int
+load_texture (model_t *mod, int framenum, const dspriteframe_t *dframe)
 {
 	tex_t      *targa;
 	const char *name;
 
 	targa = LoadImage (name = va (0, "%s_%i", mod->path, framenum), 1);
 	if (targa) {
-		if (targa->format < 4)
-			pspriteframe->gl_texturenum = GL_LoadTexture (name,
-				targa->width, targa->height, targa->data,
-				true, false, 3);
-		else
-			pspriteframe->gl_texturenum = GL_LoadTexture (name,
-				targa->width, targa->height, targa->data,
-				true, true, 4);
-		return;
+		if (targa->format < 4) {
+			return GL_LoadTexture (name, targa->width, targa->height,
+								   targa->data, true, false, 3);
+		} else {
+			return GL_LoadTexture (name, targa->width, targa->height,
+								   targa->data, true, true, 4);
+		}
+	}
+	return GL_LoadTexture (name, dframe->width, dframe->height,
+						   (const byte *)(dframe + 1), true, true, 1);
+}
+
+void
+gl_Mod_SpriteLoadFrames (mod_sprite_ctx_t *ctx)
+{
+	for (int i = 0; i < ctx->numframes; i++) {
+		__auto_type dframe = ctx->dframes[i];
+		size_t      size = sizeof (mspriteframe_t);
+		mspriteframe_t *frame = Hunk_AllocName (0, size, ctx->mod->name);
+		*ctx->frames[i] = frame;
+		Mod_LoadSpriteFrame (frame, dframe);
+		frame->gl_texturenum = load_texture (ctx->mod, ctx->frame_numbers[i],
+											 dframe);
 	}
-	pspriteframe->gl_texturenum =
-		GL_LoadTexture (name, pspriteframe->width, pspriteframe->height,
-						pspriteframe->pixels, true, true, 1);
 }
diff --git a/libs/models/sprite/glsl_model_sprite.c b/libs/models/sprite/glsl_model_sprite.c
index ae1f12a10..c6f267d57 100644
--- a/libs/models/sprite/glsl_model_sprite.c
+++ b/libs/models/sprite/glsl_model_sprite.c
@@ -71,14 +71,19 @@ glsl_sprite_clear (model_t *m, void *data)
 }
 
 void
-glsl_Mod_SpriteLoadTexture (model_t *mod, mspriteframe_t *pspriteframe,
-							int framenum)
+glsl_Mod_SpriteLoadFrames (mod_sprite_ctx_t *ctx)
 {
-	const char *name;
-
-	mod->clear = glsl_sprite_clear;
-	name = va (0, "%s_%i", mod->path, framenum);
-	pspriteframe->gl_texturenum =
-		GLSL_LoadQuakeTexture (name, pspriteframe->width, pspriteframe->height,
-							   pspriteframe->pixels);
+	ctx->mod->clear = glsl_sprite_clear;
+	for (int i = 0; i < ctx->numframes; i++) {
+		__auto_type dframe = ctx->dframes[i];
+		size_t      size = sizeof (mspriteframe_t);
+		mspriteframe_t *frame = Hunk_AllocName (0, size, ctx->mod->name);
+		*ctx->frames[i] = frame;
+		Mod_LoadSpriteFrame (frame, dframe);
+		const char *name = va (0, "%s_%i", ctx->mod->path,
+							   ctx->frame_numbers[i]);
+		frame->gl_texturenum =
+			GLSL_LoadQuakeTexture (name, dframe->width, dframe->height,
+								   (const byte *)(dframe + 1));
+	}
 }
diff --git a/libs/models/sprite/model_sprite.c b/libs/models/sprite/model_sprite.c
index a38d66dfa..1bd9ca2cc 100644
--- a/libs/models/sprite/model_sprite.c
+++ b/libs/models/sprite/model_sprite.c
@@ -38,144 +38,187 @@
 #include "QF/qendian.h"
 #include "QF/sys.h"
 
-#include "compat.h"
 #include "mod_internal.h"
+#include "qfalloca.h"
 
-static void *
-Mod_LoadSpriteFrame (model_t *mod, void *pin, mspriteframe_t **frame,
-					 int framenum)
+void
+Mod_LoadSpriteFrame (mspriteframe_t *frame, const dspriteframe_t *dframe)
 {
-	dspriteframe_t *in_frame;
-	int				width, height, size, origin[2];
+	frame->width = dframe->width;
+	frame->height = dframe->height;
 
-	in_frame = (dspriteframe_t *) pin;
-
-	width = LittleLong (in_frame->width);
-	height = LittleLong (in_frame->height);
-	size = width * height;
-
-	*frame = Hunk_AllocName (0, sizeof (mspriteframe_t) + size, mod->name);
-
-	(*frame)->width = width;
-	(*frame)->height = height;
-	origin[0] = LittleLong (in_frame->origin[0]);
-	origin[1] = LittleLong (in_frame->origin[1]);
-
-	(*frame)->up = origin[1];
-	(*frame)->down = origin[1] - height;
-	(*frame)->left = origin[0];
-	(*frame)->right = width + origin[0];
-
-	memcpy ((*frame)->pixels, (byte *) (in_frame + 1), size);
-
-	m_funcs->Mod_SpriteLoadTexture (mod, *frame, framenum);
-
-	return (void *) ((byte *) in_frame + sizeof (dspriteframe_t) + size);
+	frame->up = dframe->origin[1];
+	frame->down = dframe->origin[1] - dframe->height;
+	frame->left = dframe->origin[0];
+	frame->right = dframe->width + dframe->origin[0];
 }
 
 static void *
-Mod_LoadSpriteGroup (model_t *mod, void *pin, mspritegroup_t **group,
-					 int framenum)
+skip_frame (dspriteframe_t *frame)
 {
-	dspritegroup_t		*in_group;
-	dspriteinterval_t	*in_intervals;
-	float				*intervals;
-	int					 numframes, i;
-	void				*temp;
+	__auto_type pixels = (byte *) (frame + 1);
+	return pixels + frame->width * frame->height;
+}
 
-	in_group = (dspritegroup_t *) pin;
+static void *
+swap_frame (dspriteframe_t *frame)
+{
+	for (int i = 0; i < 2; i++) {
+		frame->origin[i] = LittleLong (frame->origin[i]);
+	}
+	frame->width = LittleLong (frame->width);
+	frame->height = LittleLong (frame->height);
+	return skip_frame (frame);
+}
 
-	numframes = LittleLong (in_group->numframes);
+static void *
+swap_group (dspritegroup_t *group)
+{
+	group->numframes = LittleLong (group->numframes);
+	__auto_type interval = (dspriteinterval_t *) (group + 1);
+	for (int i = 0; i < group->numframes; i++) {
+		interval->interval = LittleFloat (interval->interval);
+		interval++;
+	}
+	__auto_type frame = (dspriteframe_t *) interval;
+	for (int i = 0; i < group->numframes; i++) {
+		frame = swap_frame (frame);
+	}
+	return frame + 1;
+}
 
-	int         size = field_offset (mspritegroup_t, frames[numframes]);
-	*group = Hunk_AllocName (0, size, mod->name);
+static int
+swap_sprite (dsprite_t *sprite)
+{
+	sprite->ident = LittleLong (sprite->ident);
+	sprite->version = LittleLong (sprite->version);
+	sprite->type = LittleLong (sprite->type);
+	sprite->boundingradius = LittleFloat (sprite->boundingradius);
+	sprite->width = LittleLong (sprite->width);
+	sprite->height = LittleLong (sprite->height);
+	sprite->numframes = LittleLong (sprite->numframes);
+	sprite->beamlength = LittleFloat (sprite->beamlength);
+	sprite->synctype = LittleLong (sprite->synctype);
 
+	int         numframes = 0;
+	__auto_type type = (dspriteframetype_t *) (sprite + 1);
+	for (int i = 0; i < sprite->numframes; i++) {
+		type->type = LittleLong (type->type);
+		if (type->type == SPR_SINGLE) {
+			__auto_type frame = (dspriteframe_t *) (type + 1);
+			type = swap_frame (frame);
+			numframes += 1;
+		} else {
+			__auto_type group = (dspritegroup_t *) (type + 1);
+			type = swap_group (group);
+			numframes += group->numframes;
+		}
+	}
+	return numframes;
+}
+
+static void *
+find_group_frames (mspritegroup_t **group, dspritegroup_t *dgroup,
+				   mspriteframe_t ***frames, dspriteframe_t **dframes,
+				   int *frame_numbers, const char *modname)
+{
+	int         numframes = dgroup->numframes;
+	size_t      size = field_offset (mspritegroup_t, frames[numframes]);
+	*group = Hunk_AllocName (0, size, modname);
 	(*group)->numframes = numframes;
+	(*group)->intervals = Hunk_AllocName (0, numframes * sizeof (float),
+										  modname);
 
-	in_intervals = (dspriteinterval_t *) (in_group + 1);
-
-	intervals = Hunk_AllocName (0, numframes * sizeof (float), mod->name);
-
-	(*group)->intervals = intervals;
-
-	for (i = 0; i < numframes; i++) {
-		*intervals = LittleFloat (in_intervals->interval);
-		if (*intervals <= 0.0)
-			Sys_Error ("Mod_LoadSpriteGroup: interval<=0");
-
-		intervals++;
-		in_intervals++;
+	__auto_type interval = (dspriteinterval_t *) (dgroup + 1);
+	for (int i = 0; i < numframes; i++) {
+		(*group)->intervals[i] = interval->interval;
+		interval++;
 	}
-
-	temp = (void *) in_intervals;
-
-	for (i = 0; i < numframes; i++) {
-		temp = Mod_LoadSpriteFrame (mod, temp, &(*group)->frames[i],
-									framenum * 100 + i);
+	__auto_type dframe = (dspriteframe_t *) interval;
+	for (int i = 0; i < numframes; i++) {
+		frames[i] = &(*group)->frames[i];
+		dframes[i] = dframe;
+		frame_numbers[i] = i;
+		dframe = skip_frame (dframe);
 	}
+	return dframe;
+}
 
-	return temp;
+static void
+find_frames (msprite_t *sprite, dsprite_t *dsprite,
+			 mspriteframe_t ***frames, dspriteframe_t **dframes,
+			 int *frame_numbers, const char *modname)
+{
+	int         frame_index = 0;
+	__auto_type type = (dspriteframetype_t *) (dsprite + 1);
+	for (int i = 0; i < dsprite->numframes; i++) {
+		sprite->frames[i].type = type->type;
+		if (type->type == SPR_SINGLE) {
+			__auto_type frame = (dspriteframe_t *) (type + 1);
+			dframes[frame_index] = frame;
+			frames[frame_index] = &sprite->frames[i].frame;
+			frame_numbers[frame_index] = i;
+			frame_index += 1;
+			type = skip_frame (frame);
+		} else {
+			__auto_type group = (dspritegroup_t *) (type + 1);
+			type = find_group_frames (&sprite->frames[i].group, group,
+									  frames + frame_index,
+									  dframes + frame_index,
+									  frame_numbers + frame_index,
+									  modname);
+			for (int j = 0; j < group->numframes; j++) {
+				frame_numbers[frame_index + j] += i * 100;
+			}
+			frame_index += group->numframes;
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 void
 Mod_LoadSpriteModel (model_t *mod, void *buffer)
 {
-	dsprite_t			*pin;
-	dspriteframetype_t	*pframetype;
-	int					 numframes, size, version, i;
-	msprite_t			*psprite;
+	__auto_type dsprite = (dsprite_t *) buffer;
+	msprite_t  *sprite;
 
-	pin = (dsprite_t *) buffer;
-
-	version = LittleLong (pin->version);
-	if (version != SPR_VERSION)
+	if (LittleLong (dsprite->version) != SPR_VERSION) {
 		Sys_Error ("%s has wrong version number (%i should be %i)",
-				   mod->path, version, SPR_VERSION);
-
-	numframes = LittleLong (pin->numframes);
-
-	size = field_offset (msprite_t, frames[numframes]);
-
-	psprite = Hunk_AllocName (0, size, mod->name);
-
-	mod->cache.data = psprite;
-
-	psprite->type = LittleLong (pin->type);
-	psprite->maxwidth = LittleLong (pin->width);
-	psprite->maxheight = LittleLong (pin->height);
-	psprite->beamlength = LittleFloat (pin->beamlength);
-	mod->synctype = LittleLong (pin->synctype);
-	psprite->numframes = numframes;
-
-	mod->mins[0] = mod->mins[1] = -psprite->maxwidth / 2;
-	mod->maxs[0] = mod->maxs[1] = psprite->maxwidth / 2;
-	mod->mins[2] = -psprite->maxheight / 2;
-	mod->maxs[2] = psprite->maxheight / 2;
-
-	// load the frames
-	if (numframes < 1)
-		Sys_Error ("Mod_LoadSpriteModel: Invalid # of frames: %d", numframes);
-
-	mod->numframes = numframes;
-
-	pframetype = (dspriteframetype_t *) (pin + 1);
-
-	for (i = 0; i < numframes; i++) {
-		spriteframetype_t	frametype;
-
-		frametype = LittleLong (pframetype->type);
-		psprite->frames[i].type = frametype;
-
-		if (frametype == SPR_SINGLE) {
-			pframetype = (dspriteframetype_t *)
-				Mod_LoadSpriteFrame (mod, pframetype + 1,
-									 &psprite->frames[i].frame, i);
-		} else {
-			pframetype = (dspriteframetype_t *)
-				Mod_LoadSpriteGroup (mod, pframetype + 1,
-									 &psprite->frames[i].group, i);
-		}
+				   mod->path, LittleLong (dsprite->version), SPR_VERSION);
 	}
 
+	// total number of frames (direct and in groups)
+	int         numframes = swap_sprite (dsprite);
+
+	if (numframes < 1) {
+		Sys_Error ("Mod_LoadSpriteModel: Invalid # of frames: %d", numframes);
+	}
+
+	sprite = Hunk_AllocName (0, field_offset (msprite_t,
+											  frames[dsprite->numframes]),
+							 mod->name);
+	sprite->type = dsprite->type;
+	sprite->beamlength = dsprite->beamlength;
+	sprite->numframes = dsprite->numframes;
+	sprite->data = 0;
+
+	mod->cache.data = sprite;
+	mod->mins[0] = mod->mins[1] = -dsprite->width / 2;
+	mod->maxs[0] = mod->maxs[1] = dsprite->width / 2;
+	mod->mins[2] = -dsprite->height / 2;
+	mod->maxs[2] = dsprite->height / 2;
+	mod->numframes = dsprite->numframes;
 	mod->type = mod_sprite;
+
+	mod_sprite_ctx_t sprite_ctx = {
+		.mod = mod,
+		.dsprite = dsprite,
+		.sprite = sprite,
+		.numframes = numframes,
+		.frame_numbers = alloca (numframes * sizeof (int)),
+		.dframes = alloca (numframes * sizeof (dspriteframe_t *)),
+		.frames = alloca (numframes * sizeof (mspriteframe_t **)),
+	};
+	find_frames (sprite, dsprite, sprite_ctx.frames, sprite_ctx.dframes,
+				 sprite_ctx.frame_numbers, mod->name);
+	m_funcs->Mod_SpriteLoadFrames (&sprite_ctx);
 }
diff --git a/libs/models/sprite/sw_model_sprite.c b/libs/models/sprite/sw_model_sprite.c
index 8dc5a5461..6834413e9 100644
--- a/libs/models/sprite/sw_model_sprite.c
+++ b/libs/models/sprite/sw_model_sprite.c
@@ -28,10 +28,24 @@
 # include "config.h"
 #endif
 
+#ifdef HAVE_STRING_H
+# include <string.h>
+#endif
+
+#include "QF/zone.h"
+
 #include "mod_internal.h"
 
 void
-sw_Mod_SpriteLoadTexture (model_t *mod, mspriteframe_t *pspriteframe,
-						  int framenum)
+sw_Mod_SpriteLoadFrames (mod_sprite_ctx_t *ctx)
 {
+	for (int i = 0; i < ctx->numframes; i++) {
+		__auto_type dframe = ctx->dframes[i];
+		size_t      pixels = dframe->width * dframe->height;
+		size_t      size = field_offset (mspriteframe_t, pixels[pixels]);
+		mspriteframe_t *frame = Hunk_AllocName (0, size, ctx->mod->name);
+		*ctx->frames[i] = frame;
+		Mod_LoadSpriteFrame (frame, dframe);
+		memcpy (frame->pixels, dframe + 1, pixels);
+	}
 }
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_gl.c b/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_gl.c
index 380ab3ca2..850d13beb 100644
--- a/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_gl.c
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_gl.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ static vid_model_funcs_t model_funcs = {
 	gl_Mod_LoadExternalSkins,
 	gl_Mod_IQMFinish,
 	1,
-	gl_Mod_SpriteLoadTexture,
+	gl_Mod_SpriteLoadFrames,
 
 	Skin_SetColormap,
 	Skin_SetSkin,
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_glsl.c b/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_glsl.c
index 17e7be558..a4ad536f4 100644
--- a/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_glsl.c
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_glsl.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ static vid_model_funcs_t model_funcs = {
 	glsl_Mod_LoadExternalSkins,
 	glsl_Mod_IQMFinish,
 	0,
-	glsl_Mod_SpriteLoadTexture,
+	glsl_Mod_SpriteLoadFrames,
 
 	Skin_SetColormap,
 	Skin_SetSkin,
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw.c b/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw.c
index 992292c7f..cc0186750 100644
--- a/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw.c
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw.c
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ static vid_model_funcs_t model_funcs = {
 	0,
 	sw_Mod_IQMFinish,
 	1,
-	sw_Mod_SpriteLoadTexture,
+	sw_Mod_SpriteLoadFrames,
 
 	Skin_SetColormap,
 	Skin_SetSkin,
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw32.c b/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw32.c
index 4139b9008..3a3638c1a 100644
--- a/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw32.c
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw32.c
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ static vid_model_funcs_t model_funcs = {
 	0,
 	sw_Mod_IQMFinish,
 	1,
-	sw_Mod_SpriteLoadTexture,
+	sw_Mod_SpriteLoadFrames,
 
 	Skin_SetColormap,
 	Skin_SetSkin,
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_vulkan.c b/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_vulkan.c
index 0114610b8..c2a5cca21 100644
--- a/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_vulkan.c
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_vulkan.c
@@ -505,8 +505,7 @@ vulkan_Mod_IQMFinish (model_t *mod)
 }
 
 static void
-vulkan_Mod_SpriteLoadTexture (model_t *mod, mspriteframe_t *pspriteframe,
-							  int framenum)
+vulkan_Mod_SpriteLoadFrames (mod_sprite_ctx_t *sprite_ctx)
 {
 }
 
@@ -582,7 +581,7 @@ static vid_model_funcs_t model_funcs = {
 	vulkan_Mod_LoadExternalSkins,
 	vulkan_Mod_IQMFinish,
 	0,
-	vulkan_Mod_SpriteLoadTexture,
+	vulkan_Mod_SpriteLoadFrames,
 
 	Skin_SetColormap,
 	Skin_SetSkin,