diff --git a/src/polyrenderer/scene/poly_playersprite.cpp b/src/polyrenderer/scene/poly_playersprite.cpp
index cf0f808a76..8a387401f0 100644
--- a/src/polyrenderer/scene/poly_playersprite.cpp
+++ b/src/polyrenderer/scene/poly_playersprite.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 EXTERN_CVAR(Bool, r_drawplayersprites)
 EXTERN_CVAR(Bool, r_deathcamera)
 EXTERN_CVAR(Bool, r_fullbrightignoresectorcolor)
+EXTERN_CVAR(Bool, r_models)
 
 void RenderPolyPlayerSprites::Render(PolyRenderThread *thread)
 {
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@ void RenderPolyPlayerSprites::Render(PolyRenderThread *thread)
 		(r_deathcamera && viewpoint.camera->health <= 0))
 		return;
 
-	renderHUDModel = gl_IsHUDModelForPlayerAvailable(players[consoleplayer].camera->player);
+	renderHUDModel = r_models && gl_IsHUDModelForPlayerAvailable(players[consoleplayer].camera->player);
 
 	PolyTransferHeights fakeflat(viewpoint.camera->subsector);
 
diff --git a/src/polyrenderer/scene/poly_sprite.cpp b/src/polyrenderer/scene/poly_sprite.cpp
index 65e50ea33d..00641a7e52 100644
--- a/src/polyrenderer/scene/poly_sprite.cpp
+++ b/src/polyrenderer/scene/poly_sprite.cpp
@@ -74,15 +74,18 @@ bool RenderPolySprite::GetLine(AActor *thing, DVector2 &left, DVector2 &right)
 
 void RenderPolySprite::Render(PolyRenderThread *thread, const PolyClipPlane &clipPlane, AActor *thing, subsector_t *sub, uint32_t stencilValue, float t1, float t2)
 {
-	int spritenum = thing->sprite;
-	bool isPicnumOverride = thing->picnum.isValid();
-	FSpriteModelFrame *modelframe = isPicnumOverride ? nullptr : gl_FindModelFrame(thing->GetClass(), spritenum, thing->frame, !!(thing->flags & MF_DROPPED));
-	if (modelframe)
+	if (r_models)
 	{
-		const auto &viewpoint = PolyRenderer::Instance()->Viewpoint;
-		DVector3 pos = thing->InterpolatedPosition(viewpoint.TicFrac);
-		PolyRenderModel(thread, PolyRenderer::Instance()->WorldToClip, clipPlane, stencilValue, (float)pos.X, (float)pos.Y, (float)pos.Z, modelframe, thing);
-		return;
+		int spritenum = thing->sprite;
+		bool isPicnumOverride = thing->picnum.isValid();
+		FSpriteModelFrame *modelframe = isPicnumOverride ? nullptr : gl_FindModelFrame(thing->GetClass(), spritenum, thing->frame, !!(thing->flags & MF_DROPPED));
+		if (modelframe)
+		{
+			const auto &viewpoint = PolyRenderer::Instance()->Viewpoint;
+			DVector3 pos = thing->InterpolatedPosition(viewpoint.TicFrac);
+			PolyRenderModel(thread, PolyRenderer::Instance()->WorldToClip, clipPlane, stencilValue, (float)pos.X, (float)pos.Y, (float)pos.Z, modelframe, thing);
+			return;
+		}
 	}
 
 	DVector2 line[2];
diff --git a/src/swrenderer/scene/r_scene.cpp b/src/swrenderer/scene/r_scene.cpp
index 9e28e0c10a..27c5af2932 100644
--- a/src/swrenderer/scene/r_scene.cpp
+++ b/src/swrenderer/scene/r_scene.cpp
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ void PeekThreadedErrorPane();
 EXTERN_CVAR(Int, r_clearbuffer)
 
 CVAR(Bool, r_scene_multithreaded, false, 0);
-CVAR(Bool, r_models, true, 0);
+CVAR(Bool, r_models, false, 0);
 
 namespace swrenderer
 {