diff --git a/libraries/physics/src/ShapeFactory.cpp b/libraries/physics/src/ShapeFactory.cpp
index 137038e133..5182038c27 100644
--- a/libraries/physics/src/ShapeFactory.cpp
+++ b/libraries/physics/src/ShapeFactory.cpp
@@ -164,13 +164,24 @@ btTriangleIndexVertexArray* createStaticMeshArray(const ShapeInfo& info) {
     assert(info.getType() == SHAPE_TYPE_STATIC_MESH); // should only get here for mesh shapes
 
     const ShapeInfo::PointCollection& pointCollection = info.getPointCollection();
-    assert(pointCollection.size() == 1); // should only have one mesh
 
+    if (pointCollection.size() < 1) {
+        // no lists of points to work with
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+
+    // we only use the first point collection
     const ShapeInfo::PointList& pointList = pointCollection[0];
-    assert(pointList.size() > 2); // should have at least one triangle's worth of points
+    if (pointList.size() < 3) {
+        // not enough distinct points to make a non-degenerate triangle
+        return nullptr;
+    }
 
     const ShapeInfo::TriangleIndices& triangleIndices = info.getTriangleIndices();
-    assert(triangleIndices.size() > 2); // should have at least one triangle's worth of indices
+    if (triangleIndices.size() < 3) {
+        // not enough indices to make a single triangle
+        return nullptr;
+    }
 
     // allocate mesh buffers
     btIndexedMesh mesh;
@@ -328,7 +339,9 @@ btCollisionShape* ShapeFactory::createShapeFromInfo(const ShapeInfo& info) {
         break;
         case SHAPE_TYPE_STATIC_MESH: {
             btTriangleIndexVertexArray* dataArray = createStaticMeshArray(info);
-            shape = new StaticMeshShape(dataArray);
+            if (dataArray) {
+                shape = new StaticMeshShape(dataArray);
+            }
         }
         break;
     }