diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.cpp b/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.cpp
index 8a498e99e3..d295b07caf 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.cpp
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.cpp
@@ -354,15 +354,14 @@ void ModelMeshPartPayload::notifyLocationChanged() {
 
 }
 
-void ModelMeshPartPayload::updateTransformForSkinnedMesh(const Transform& transform, const Transform& offsetTransform, const glm::mat4* clusterMatrices, size_t numClusterMatrices) {
+void ModelMeshPartPayload::updateTransformForSkinnedMesh(const Transform& transform, const Transform& offsetTransform, const QVector<glm::mat4>& clusterMatrices) {
     ModelMeshPartPayload::updateTransform(transform, offsetTransform);
 
-    if (numClusterMatrices > 0) {
-
+    if (clusterMatrices.size() > 0) {
         _worldBound = AABox();
-        for (size_t i = 0; i < numClusterMatrices; i++) {
+        for (auto& clusterMatrix : clusterMatrices) {
             AABox clusterBound = _localBound;
-            clusterBound.transform(clusterMatrices[i]);
+            clusterBound.transform(clusterMatrix);
             _worldBound += clusterBound;
         }
 
diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.h b/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.h
index 08c606271c..41869ec7e3 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.h
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.h
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ public:
     typedef Payload::DataPointer Pointer;
 
     void notifyLocationChanged() override;
-    void updateTransformForSkinnedMesh(const Transform& transform, const Transform& offsetTransform, const glm::mat4* clusterMatrices, size_t numClusterMatrices);
+    void updateTransformForSkinnedMesh(const Transform& transform, const Transform& offsetTransform, const QVector<glm::mat4>& clusterMatrices);
 
     // Render Item interface
     render::ItemKey getKey() const override;
diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp b/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp
index a29c090bfc..8d59d5f736 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/Model.cpp
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ void Model::enqueueLocationChange() {
         modelTransform.setRotation(self->_rotation);
 
         Transform modelMeshOffset;
-        if (self->_geometry && self->_geometry->isLoaded()) {
+        if (self->isLoaded()) {
             // includes model offset and unitScale.
             modelMeshOffset = Transform(self->_rig->getGeometryToRigTransform());
         } else {
@@ -171,8 +171,7 @@ void Model::enqueueLocationChange() {
 
                 // update the model transform and bounding box for this render item.
                 const Model::MeshState& state = data._model->_meshStates.at(data._meshIndex);
-                size_t numClusterMatrices = data._model->getGeometry()->getFBXGeometry().meshes.at(data._meshIndex).clusters.size();
-                data.updateTransformForSkinnedMesh(modelTransform, modelMeshOffset, &state.clusterMatrices[0], numClusterMatrices);
+                data.updateTransformForSkinnedMesh(modelTransform, modelMeshOffset, state.clusterMatrices);
             });
         }