diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index 249a765d92..3eef1dac3c 100755
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -1473,6 +1473,15 @@ void MyAvatar::setSkeletonModelURL(const QUrl& skeletonModelURL) {
     std::shared_ptr<QMetaObject::Connection> skeletonConnection = std::make_shared<QMetaObject::Connection>();
     *skeletonConnection = QObject::connect(_skeletonModel.get(), &SkeletonModel::skeletonLoaded, [this, skeletonModelChangeCount, skeletonConnection]() {
        if (skeletonModelChangeCount == _skeletonModelChangeCount) {
+
+           if (_fullAvatarModelName.isEmpty()) {
+               // Store the FST file name into preferences
+               const auto& mapping = _skeletonModel->getGeometry()->getMapping();
+               if (mapping.value("name").isValid()) {
+                   _fullAvatarModelName = mapping.value("name").toString();
+               }
+           }
+
            initHeadBones();
            _skeletonModel->setCauterizeBoneSet(_headBoneSet);
            _fstAnimGraphOverrideUrl = _skeletonModel->getGeometry()->getAnimGraphOverrideUrl();
@@ -1535,12 +1544,7 @@ void MyAvatar::useFullAvatarURL(const QUrl& fullAvatarURL, const QString& modelN
 
     if (_fullAvatarURLFromPreferences != fullAvatarURL) {
         _fullAvatarURLFromPreferences = fullAvatarURL;
-        if (modelName.isEmpty()) {
-            QVariantHash fullAvatarFST = FSTReader::downloadMapping(_fullAvatarURLFromPreferences.toString());
-            _fullAvatarModelName = fullAvatarFST["name"].toString();
-        } else {
-            _fullAvatarModelName = modelName;
-        }
+        _fullAvatarModelName = modelName;
     }
 
     const QString& urlString = fullAvatarURL.toString();
@@ -1548,8 +1552,8 @@ void MyAvatar::useFullAvatarURL(const QUrl& fullAvatarURL, const QString& modelN
         setSkeletonModelURL(fullAvatarURL);
         UserActivityLogger::getInstance().changedModel("skeleton", urlString);
     }
+
     markIdentityDataChanged();
-    
 }
 
 void MyAvatar::setAttachmentData(const QVector<AttachmentData>& attachmentData) {
diff --git a/libraries/model-networking/src/model-networking/ModelCache.cpp b/libraries/model-networking/src/model-networking/ModelCache.cpp
index f17cdbb7e8..939168f1b1 100644
--- a/libraries/model-networking/src/model-networking/ModelCache.cpp
+++ b/libraries/model-networking/src/model-networking/ModelCache.cpp
@@ -63,16 +63,18 @@ void GeometryMappingResource::downloadFinished(const QByteArray& data) {
     PROFILE_ASYNC_BEGIN(resource_parse_geometry, "GeometryMappingResource::downloadFinished", _url.toString(),
                          { { "url", _url.toString() } });
 
-    auto mapping = FSTReader::readMapping(data);
+    // store parsed contents of FST file
+    _mapping = FSTReader::readMapping(data);
+
+    QString filename = _mapping.value("filename").toString();
 
-    QString filename = mapping.value("filename").toString();
     if (filename.isNull()) {
         qCDebug(modelnetworking) << "Mapping file" << _url << "has no \"filename\" field";
         finishedLoading(false);
     } else {
         QUrl url = _url.resolved(filename);
 
-        QString texdir = mapping.value(TEXDIR_FIELD).toString();
+        QString texdir = _mapping.value(TEXDIR_FIELD).toString();
         if (!texdir.isNull()) {
             if (!texdir.endsWith('/')) {
                 texdir += '/';
@@ -82,7 +84,8 @@ void GeometryMappingResource::downloadFinished(const QByteArray& data) {
             _textureBaseUrl = url.resolved(QUrl("."));
         }
 
-        auto animGraphVariant = mapping.value("animGraphUrl");
+        auto animGraphVariant = _mapping.value("animGraphUrl");
+
         if (animGraphVariant.isValid()) {
             QUrl fstUrl(animGraphVariant.toString());
             if (fstUrl.isValid()) {
@@ -95,7 +98,7 @@ void GeometryMappingResource::downloadFinished(const QByteArray& data) {
         }
 
         auto modelCache = DependencyManager::get<ModelCache>();
-        GeometryExtra extra{ mapping, _textureBaseUrl, false };
+        GeometryExtra extra{ _mapping, _textureBaseUrl, false };
 
         // Get the raw GeometryResource
         _geometryResource = modelCache->getResource(url, QUrl(), &extra).staticCast<GeometryResource>();
@@ -362,6 +365,7 @@ Geometry::Geometry(const Geometry& geometry) {
     }
 
     _animGraphOverrideUrl = geometry._animGraphOverrideUrl;
+    _mapping = geometry._mapping;
 }
 
 void Geometry::setTextures(const QVariantMap& textureMap) {
diff --git a/libraries/model-networking/src/model-networking/ModelCache.h b/libraries/model-networking/src/model-networking/ModelCache.h
index 9532f39ce0..6978e0077e 100644
--- a/libraries/model-networking/src/model-networking/ModelCache.h
+++ b/libraries/model-networking/src/model-networking/ModelCache.h
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ public:
 
     virtual bool areTexturesLoaded() const;
     const QUrl& getAnimGraphOverrideUrl() const { return _animGraphOverrideUrl; }
+    const QVariantHash& getMapping() const { return _mapping; }
 
 protected:
     friend class GeometryMappingResource;
@@ -68,6 +69,7 @@ protected:
     NetworkMaterials _materials;
 
     QUrl _animGraphOverrideUrl;
+    QVariantHash _mapping;  // parsed contents of FST file.
 
 private:
     mutable bool _areTexturesLoaded { false };