diff --git a/src/assets/gltf-model-import.js b/src/assets/gltf-model-import.js
index 67af01da..b5ac87d3 100644
--- a/src/assets/gltf-model-import.js
+++ b/src/assets/gltf-model-import.js
@@ -328,7 +328,11 @@ function rewriteGltfResourceUris(gltfJson, files) {
     };
 }
 function cloneTemplateScene(scene) {
-    return scene.clone(true);
+    // Use SkeletonUtils.clone so that SkinnedMesh.skeleton.bones are remapped
+    // to the cloned hierarchy. A plain scene.clone(true) leaves the bones array
+    // pointing at the original loader's nodes, which are gone after parsing,
+    // making every skinned mesh invisible at runtime.
+    return cloneSkeleton(scene);
 }
 function cloneMaterial(material) {
     return material.clone();
diff --git a/src/assets/gltf-model-import.ts b/src/assets/gltf-model-import.ts
index aa819167..383aae16 100644
--- a/src/assets/gltf-model-import.ts
+++ b/src/assets/gltf-model-import.ts
@@ -453,7 +453,11 @@ function rewriteGltfResourceUris(
 }
 
 function cloneTemplateScene(scene: Group): Group {
-  return scene.clone(true);
+  // Use SkeletonUtils.clone so that SkinnedMesh.skeleton.bones are remapped
+  // to the cloned hierarchy. A plain scene.clone(true) leaves the bones array
+  // pointing at the original loader's nodes, which are gone after parsing,
+  // making every skinned mesh invisible at runtime.
+  return cloneSkeleton(scene) as Group;
 }
 
 function cloneMaterial(material: Material): Material {