diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/model_normal_map.slv b/libraries/render-utils/src/model_normal_map.slv
index f7711cd326..4f45902dae 100755
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/model_normal_map.slv
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/model_normal_map.slv
@@ -26,10 +26,12 @@ out vec2 _texCoord0;
 out vec3 _normal;
 out vec3 _tangent;
 out vec3 _color;
+out float _alpha;
 
 void main(void) {
     // pass along the color
-    _color = colorToLinearRGB(inColor.xyz);
+    _color = colorToLinearRGB(inColor.rgb);
+    _alpha = inColor.a;
 
     // and the texture coordinates
     _texCoord0 = (texcoordMatrices[0] * vec4(inTexCoord0.xy, 0.0, 1.0)).st;
diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/skin_model.slv b/libraries/render-utils/src/skin_model.slv
index 199b97ba53..e5d1857d44 100755
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/skin_model.slv
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/skin_model.slv
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ out vec4 _position;
 out vec2 _texCoord0;
 out vec3 _normal;
 out vec3 _color;
+out float _alpha;
 
 void main(void) {
     vec4 position = vec4(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0);
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ void main(void) {
 
     // pass along the color
     _color = colorToLinearRGB(inColor.rgb);
+    _alpha = inColor.a;
 
     // and the texture coordinates
     _texCoord0 = (texcoordMatrices[0] * vec4(inTexCoord0.st, 0.0, 1.0)).st;
diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/skin_model_normal_map.slv b/libraries/render-utils/src/skin_model_normal_map.slv
index 003b35b79b..5348ad5234 100755
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/skin_model_normal_map.slv
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/skin_model_normal_map.slv
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ out vec2 _texCoord0;
 out vec3 _normal;
 out vec3 _tangent;
 out vec3 _color;
+out float _alpha;
 
 void main(void) {
     vec4 position = vec4(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0);
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ void main(void) {
 
     // pass along the color
     _color = colorToLinearRGB(inColor.rgb);
+    _alpha = inColor.a;
 
     // and the texture coordinates
     _texCoord0 = (texcoordMatrices[0] * vec4(inTexCoord0.st, 0.0, 1.0)).st;