diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp b/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp
index 72a6ab7afe..c38e768381 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/Model.cpp
@@ -1393,7 +1393,7 @@ int Model::renderMeshes(RenderMode mode, bool translucent, float alphaThreshold,
     bool cullMeshParts = args && !Menu::getInstance()->isOptionChecked(MenuOption::DontCullMeshParts);
 
     // depending on which parameters we were called with, pick the correct mesh group to render
-    QList<int>* whichList = NULL;
+    QVector<int>* whichList = NULL;
     if (translucent && !hasTangents && !hasSpecular && !isSkinned) {
         whichList = &_meshesTranslucent;
     } else if (translucent && hasTangents && !hasSpecular && !isSkinned) {
@@ -1434,7 +1434,7 @@ int Model::renderMeshes(RenderMode mode, bool translucent, float alphaThreshold,
         qDebug() << "unexpected!!! we don't know which list of meshes to render...";
         return 0;
     }
-    QList<int>& list = *whichList;
+    QVector<int>& list = *whichList;
 
     ProgramObject* program = &_program;
     Locations* locations = &_locations;
@@ -1486,6 +1486,14 @@ int Model::renderMeshes(RenderMode mode, bool translucent, float alphaThreshold,
     
     // i is the "index" from the original networkMeshes QVector...
     foreach (int i, list) {
+    
+        // if our index is ever out of range for either meshes or networkMeshes, then skip it, and set our _meshesGroupsKnown
+        // to false to rebuild out mesh groups.
+        
+        if (i < 0 || i >= networkMeshes.size() || i > geometry.meshes.size()) {
+            _meshesGroupsKnown = false; // regenerate these lists next time around.
+            continue;
+        }
         
         // exit early if the translucency doesn't match what we're drawing
         const NetworkMesh& networkMesh = networkMeshes.at(i);
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/Model.h b/interface/src/renderer/Model.h
index 55a2eed9d1..b3c319543b 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/Model.h
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/Model.h
@@ -337,25 +337,25 @@ private:
 
     bool _meshesGroupsKnown;
 
-    QList<int> _meshesTranslucent;
-    QList<int> _meshesTranslucentTangents;
-    QList<int> _meshesTranslucentTangentsSpecular;
-    QList<int> _meshesTranslucentSpecular;
+    QVector<int> _meshesTranslucent;
+    QVector<int> _meshesTranslucentTangents;
+    QVector<int> _meshesTranslucentTangentsSpecular;
+    QVector<int> _meshesTranslucentSpecular;
 
-    QList<int> _meshesTranslucentSkinned;
-    QList<int> _meshesTranslucentTangentsSkinned;
-    QList<int> _meshesTranslucentTangentsSpecularSkinned;
-    QList<int> _meshesTranslucentSpecularSkinned;
+    QVector<int> _meshesTranslucentSkinned;
+    QVector<int> _meshesTranslucentTangentsSkinned;
+    QVector<int> _meshesTranslucentTangentsSpecularSkinned;
+    QVector<int> _meshesTranslucentSpecularSkinned;
 
-    QList<int> _meshesOpaque;
-    QList<int> _meshesOpaqueTangents;
-    QList<int> _meshesOpaqueTangentsSpecular;
-    QList<int> _meshesOpaqueSpecular;
+    QVector<int> _meshesOpaque;
+    QVector<int> _meshesOpaqueTangents;
+    QVector<int> _meshesOpaqueTangentsSpecular;
+    QVector<int> _meshesOpaqueSpecular;
 
-    QList<int> _meshesOpaqueSkinned;
-    QList<int> _meshesOpaqueTangentsSkinned;
-    QList<int> _meshesOpaqueTangentsSpecularSkinned;
-    QList<int> _meshesOpaqueSpecularSkinned;
+    QVector<int> _meshesOpaqueSkinned;
+    QVector<int> _meshesOpaqueTangentsSkinned;
+    QVector<int> _meshesOpaqueTangentsSpecularSkinned;
+    QVector<int> _meshesOpaqueSpecularSkinned;
 
 };