diff --git a/stepmania/src/Model.cpp b/stepmania/src/Model.cpp
index 3a2d9f86ba..b056f26cd7 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Model.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Model.cpp
@@ -111,7 +111,22 @@ void Model::LoadPieces( CString sMeshesPath, CString sMaterialsPath, CString sBo
 	//
     // Setup temp vertices (if necessary)
 	//
-	m_bUseTempVertices = m_mapNameToAnimation[DEFAULT_ANIMATION_NAME].Bones.size() > 0;	// if there are no bones, then there's no reason to use temp vertices
+	bool bHasAnyPerVertexBones = false;
+	for (int i = 0; i < (int)m_pGeometry->m_Meshes.size(); i++)
+	{
+		msMesh& mesh = m_pGeometry->m_Meshes[i];
+		for (int j = 0; j < (int)mesh.Vertices.size(); j++)
+		{
+			RageModelVertex &vert = mesh.Vertices[j];
+			if( vert.boneIndex != -1 )
+			{
+				bHasAnyPerVertexBones = true;
+				break;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	m_bUseTempVertices = bHasAnyPerVertexBones;
 	if( m_bUseTempVertices )
 	{
 		m_vTempVerticesByMesh.resize( m_pGeometry->m_Meshes.size() );
@@ -476,9 +491,6 @@ void Model::DrawPrimitives()
 					// UGLY:  This overrides the Actor's BlendMode
 					DISPLAY->SetTextureModeAdd();
 				}
-
-				DISPLAY->DrawIndexedTriangles( &TempVertices[0], pMesh->Vertices.size(), (Uint16*)&pMesh->Triangles[0], pMesh->Triangles.size()*3 );
-				DISPLAY->SetSphereEnironmentMapping( false );
 			}
 			else
 			{
@@ -495,7 +507,23 @@ void Model::DrawPrimitives()
 					shininess );
 				DISPLAY->ClearAllTextures();
 				DISPLAY->SetSphereEnironmentMapping( false );
-				DISPLAY->DrawIndexedTriangles( &TempVertices[0], pMesh->Vertices.size(), (Uint16*)&pMesh->Triangles[0], pMesh->Triangles.size()*3 );
+			}
+
+			// apply mesh-specific bone (if any)
+			if( pMesh->nBoneIndex != -1 )
+			{
+				DISPLAY->PushMatrix();
+
+				RageMatrix &mat = m_vpBones[pMesh->nBoneIndex].mFinal;
+				DISPLAY->PreMultMatrix( mat );
+			}
+
+			DISPLAY->DrawIndexedTriangles( &TempVertices[0], pMesh->Vertices.size(), (Uint16*)&pMesh->Triangles[0], pMesh->Triangles.size()*3 );
+			DISPLAY->SetSphereEnironmentMapping( false );
+
+			if( pMesh->nBoneIndex != -1 )
+			{
+				DISPLAY->PopMatrix();
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -611,12 +639,14 @@ void Model::PlayAnimation( CString sAniName, float fPlayRate )
 		}
 	}
 
+	// subtract out the bone's resting position
 	for (i = 0; i < (int)m_pGeometry->m_Meshes.size(); i++)
 	{
 		msMesh *pMesh = &m_pGeometry->m_Meshes[i];
 		for (j = 0; j < (int)pMesh->Vertices.size(); j++)
 		{
 			RageModelVertex *pVertex = &pMesh->Vertices[j];
+			int nBoneIndex = (pMesh->nBoneIndex!=-1) ? pMesh->nBoneIndex : pVertex->boneIndex;
 			if (pVertex->boneIndex != -1)
 			{
 				pVertex->p[0] -= m_vpBones[pVertex->boneIndex].mAbsolute.m[3][0];
@@ -785,9 +815,9 @@ void Model::Update( float fDelta )
 	}
 
 	//
-	// process vertices
+	// process per-vertex bones
 	//
-	if( m_bUseTempVertices && m_pGeometry )
+	if( m_pGeometry && m_bUseTempVertices )
 	{
 		for (int i = 0; i < (int)m_pGeometry->m_Meshes.size(); i++)
 		{
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ModelManager.h b/stepmania/src/ModelManager.h
index 9e55bf7b2d..36b02ac24c 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ModelManager.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/ModelManager.h
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 	Chris Danford
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 */
-#include "Model.h"
+#include "RageModelGeometry.h"
 
 #include <map>
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ModelTypes.h b/stepmania/src/ModelTypes.h
index 27a3069687..360e7196cf 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ModelTypes.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/ModelTypes.h
@@ -78,6 +78,11 @@ typedef struct msMesh
 
 //  vector<msVec3>     Normals;	// each vertex holds its own normal
 
+	// OPTIMIZATION: If all verts in a mesh are transformed by the same bone, 
+	// then send the transform to the graphics card for the whole mesh instead
+	// of transforming each vertex on the CPU;
+	char        nBoneIndex;	// -1 = no bone
+
     vector<msTriangle> Triangles;
 } msMesh;
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageModelGeometry.cpp b/stepmania/src/RageModelGeometry.cpp
index fa47505b0a..0a132ff85b 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageModelGeometry.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageModelGeometry.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,41 @@ RageModelGeometry::~RageModelGeometry ()
 {
 }
 
+void RageModelGeometry::OptimizeBones()
+{
+    for (unsigned i = 0; i < m_Meshes.size(); i++)
+    {
+		msMesh& mesh = m_Meshes[i];
+
+		// check to see if all vertices have the same bone index
+		bool bAllVertsUseSameBone = true;
+		char nBoneIndex = !mesh.Vertices.empty() ? mesh.Vertices[0].boneIndex : -1;
+		if( nBoneIndex != -1 )
+		{
+			for (unsigned j = 1; j < mesh.Vertices.size(); j++)
+			{
+				RageModelVertex& vertex = mesh.Vertices[j];
+				if( vertex.boneIndex != nBoneIndex )
+				{
+					bAllVertsUseSameBone = false;
+					break;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		if( bAllVertsUseSameBone )
+		{
+			mesh.nBoneIndex = nBoneIndex;
+
+			// clear all vertex/bone associations;
+			for (unsigned j = 0; j < mesh.Vertices.size(); j++)
+			{
+				RageModelVertex& vertex = mesh.Vertices[j];
+				vertex.boneIndex = -1;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 #define THROW RageException::Throw( "Parse at line %d: '%s'", sLine.c_str() );
 
 void RageModelGeometry::LoadMilkshapeAscii( CString sPath )
@@ -81,6 +116,8 @@ void RageModelGeometry::LoadMilkshapeAscii( CString sPath )
 //                mesh.nFlags = nFlags;
                 mesh.nMaterialIndex = (byte)nIndex;
 
+				mesh.nBoneIndex = -1;
+
                 //
                 // vertices
                 //
@@ -119,7 +156,6 @@ void RageModelGeometry::LoadMilkshapeAscii( CString sPath )
                 }
 
 
-
                 //
                 // normals
                 //
@@ -193,6 +229,8 @@ void RageModelGeometry::LoadMilkshapeAscii( CString sPath )
         }
     }
 
+	OptimizeBones();
+
 	f.Close();
 }
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageModelGeometry.h b/stepmania/src/RageModelGeometry.h
index 75b22f0e7a..e12a98ad01 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageModelGeometry.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageModelGeometry.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ public:
 
 public:
 	void LoadMilkshapeAscii( CString sMilkshapeAsciiFile );
+	void OptimizeBones();
 
 	int m_iRefCount;