diff --git a/src/playsim/actor.h b/src/playsim/actor.h
index 63ce2691d..a2a525089 100644
--- a/src/playsim/actor.h
+++ b/src/playsim/actor.h
@@ -1069,8 +1069,8 @@ public:
 	double			Speed;
 	double			FloatSpeed;
 	FName			modelDef;
-	int				models[16] = { -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1 }; //[SM] - I hate this solution, but it get's the job done
-	FTextureID		skins[16];
+	TArray<int>		models; 
+	TArray <FTextureID>		skins;
 
 // interaction info
 	FBlockNode		*BlockNode;			// links in blocks (if needed)
diff --git a/src/playsim/p_actionfunctions.cpp b/src/playsim/p_actionfunctions.cpp
index 791a33a50..56d61451d 100644
--- a/src/playsim/p_actionfunctions.cpp
+++ b/src/playsim/p_actionfunctions.cpp
@@ -5055,8 +5055,13 @@ DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION(AActor, A_ChangeModel)
 
 	mobj->hasmodel = modeldef == nullptr && !mobj->hasmodel ? 1 : 0;
 	mobj->modelDef = modeldef;
-	mobj->models[modelindex] = model != nullptr ? FindModel(modelpath.GetChars(), model.GetChars()) : -1;
-	mobj->skins[skinindex] = skin != nullptr ? LoadSkin(skinpath.GetChars(), skin.GetChars()) : mobj->skins[skinindex] = FNullTextureID();
+
+	mobj->models.Delete(modelindex);
+	mobj->skins.Delete(skinindex);
+	if(model != nullptr) mobj->models.Insert(modelindex, FindModel(modelpath.GetChars(), model.GetChars()));
+	else mobj->models.Insert(modelindex, -1);
+	if(skin != nullptr) mobj->skins.Insert(skinindex, LoadSkin(skinpath.GetChars(), skin.GetChars()));
+	else mobj->skins.Insert(skinindex, FNullTextureID());
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/r_data/models.cpp b/src/r_data/models.cpp
index 875e1d6fe..3bc5e2248 100644
--- a/src/r_data/models.cpp
+++ b/src/r_data/models.cpp
@@ -276,14 +276,25 @@ void RenderFrameModels(FModelRenderer *renderer, FLevelLocals *Level, const FSpr
 		}
 	}
 
+	//[SM] - these temporary arrays prevent actual smf data from being overwritten, which was the source of my problems
+	TArray<int> tempModelIDs = smf->modelIDs;
+	TArray<FTextureID> tempSkinIDs = smf->skinIDs;
 	for (int i = 0; i < smf->modelsAmount; i++)
-	{
-		if (actor->models[i] != -1)
-			smf->modelIDs[i] = actor->models[i];
-		if (smf->modelIDs[i] != -1)
+	{	
+		if (i < actor->models.Size())
 		{
-			FModel * mdl = Models[smf->modelIDs[i]];
-			auto tex = actor->skins[i].isValid() ? TexMan.GetGameTexture(actor->skins[i], true)  : smf->skinIDs[i].isValid() ? TexMan.GetGameTexture(smf->skinIDs[i], true) : nullptr;
+			if (actor->models[i] >= 0)
+				tempModelIDs[i] = actor->models[i];
+		}
+		if (tempModelIDs[i] != -1)
+		{
+			FModel * mdl = Models[tempModelIDs[i]];
+			if (i < actor->skins.Size())
+			{
+				if (actor->skins[i].isValid())
+					tempSkinIDs[i] = actor->skins[i];
+			}
+			auto tex = tempSkinIDs[i].isValid() ? TexMan.GetGameTexture(tempSkinIDs[i], true) : nullptr;
 			mdl->BuildVertexBuffer(renderer);
 
 			mdl->PushSpriteMDLFrame(smf, i);