diff --git a/interface/src/ui/overlays/ModelOverlay.cpp b/interface/src/ui/overlays/ModelOverlay.cpp
index f70537a952..e17ab587f6 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/overlays/ModelOverlay.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/overlays/ModelOverlay.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ ModelOverlay::ModelOverlay()
       _modelTextures(QVariantMap())
 {
     _model->init();
+    _model->setSpatiallyNestableOverride(this);
     _isLoaded = false;
 }
 
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ ModelOverlay::ModelOverlay(const ModelOverlay* modelOverlay) :
     _updateModel(false)
 {
     _model->init();
+    _model->setSpatiallyNestableOverride(this);
     if (_url.isValid()) {
         _updateModel = true;
         _isLoaded = false;
diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableModelEntityItem.cpp b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableModelEntityItem.cpp
index 087fcda8e1..be64985fdb 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableModelEntityItem.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableModelEntityItem.cpp
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@ ModelPointer RenderableModelEntityItem::getModel(QSharedPointer<EntityTreeRender
         // If we don't have a model, allocate one *immediately*
         if (!_model) {
             _model = _myRenderer->allocateModel(getModelURL(), renderer->getEntityLoadingPriority(*this));
-            _model->setSpatiallyNestableOverride(shared_from_this());
+            _model->setSpatiallyNestableOverride(this);
             _needsInitialSimulation = true;
         // If we need to change URLs, update it *after rendering* (to avoid access violations)
         } else if (QUrl(getModelURL()) != _model->getURL()) {
diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp b/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp
index 59b997b2cc..b28b2022fc 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp
@@ -133,16 +133,15 @@ void Model::setRotation(const glm::quat& rotation) {
     updateRenderItems();
 }
 
-void Model::setSpatiallyNestableOverride(SpatiallyNestablePointer override) {
+void Model::setSpatiallyNestableOverride(SpatiallyNestable* override) {
     _spatiallyNestableOverride = override;
     updateRenderItems();
 }
 
 Transform Model::getTransform() const {
-    SpatiallyNestablePointer spatiallyNestableOverride = _spatiallyNestableOverride.lock();
-    if (spatiallyNestableOverride) {
+    if (_spatiallyNestableOverride) {
         bool success;
-        Transform transform = spatiallyNestableOverride->getTransform(success);
+        Transform transform = _spatiallyNestableOverride->getTransform(success);
         if (success) {
             transform.setScale(getScale());
             return transform;
diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.h b/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.h
index 8b6992394f..dfb6822eb5 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.h
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.h
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ public:
 
     void setTranslation(const glm::vec3& translation);
     void setRotation(const glm::quat& rotation);
-    void setSpatiallyNestableOverride(SpatiallyNestablePointer ptr);
+    void setSpatiallyNestableOverride(SpatiallyNestable* ptr);
 
     const glm::vec3& getTranslation() const { return _translation; }
     const glm::quat& getRotation() const { return _rotation; }
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ protected:
     glm::quat _rotation;
     glm::vec3 _scale;
 
-    SpatiallyNestableWeakPointer _spatiallyNestableOverride;
+    SpatiallyNestable* _spatiallyNestableOverride { nullptr };
 
     glm::vec3 _offset;