diff --git a/common/com_image.h b/common/com_image.h
index 4e2563f7..e3bf5236 100644
--- a/common/com_image.h
+++ b/common/com_image.h
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ typedef enum
 	IL_LOAD_PLAYER_DECAL = BIT(7), // special mode for player decals
 	IL_KTX2_RAW = BIT(8), // renderer can consume raw KTX2 files (e.g. ref_vk)
 	IL_ALLOW_WAD3_LUMA = BIT(9), // allow usage of luma textures in wad3 (tilde textures)
+	IL_HOST_ENDIAN = BIT(10), // buffer is already in host endian, skip byte-swapping
 } ilFlags_t;
 
 // goes into rgbdata_t->encode
diff --git a/engine/common/imagelib/img_wad.c b/engine/common/imagelib/img_wad.c
index eb12bfc1..a1ca1371 100644
--- a/engine/common/imagelib/img_wad.c
+++ b/engine/common/imagelib/img_wad.c
@@ -437,7 +437,8 @@ qboolean Image_LoadMIP( const char *name, const byte *buffer, fs_offset_t filesi
 		return false;
 
 	memcpy( &mip, buffer, sizeof( mip ));
-	le_struct_swap( mip_swap, &mip );
+	if( !Image_CheckFlag( IL_HOST_ENDIAN ))
+		le_struct_swap( mip_swap, &mip );
 	image.width = mip.width;
 	image.height = mip.height;
 
diff --git a/engine/common/mod_bmodel.c b/engine/common/mod_bmodel.c
index 59575ed1..532fd735 100644
--- a/engine/common/mod_bmodel.c
+++ b/engine/common/mod_bmodel.c
@@ -2723,6 +2723,7 @@ static void Mod_InitSkyClouds( model_t *mod, const mip_t *mt, texture_t *tx, qbo
 		if( custom_palette )
 			size += sizeof( short ) + 768;
 
+		Image_SetForceFlags( IL_HOST_ENDIAN );
 		r_sky = FS_LoadImage( texname, (byte *)mt, size );
 	}
 	else
@@ -2905,7 +2906,7 @@ static void Mod_LoadTextureData( model_t *mod, dbspmodel_t *bmod, int textureInd
 		const size_t size = Mod_CalculateMipTexSize( mipTex, usesCustomPalette );
 
 		Q_snprintf( texName, sizeof( texName ), "#%s:%s.mip", loadstat.name, mipTex->name );
-		Image_SetForceFlags( texture_force_flags );
+		Image_SetForceFlags( texture_force_flags | IL_HOST_ENDIAN );
 		texture->gl_texturenum = ref.dllFuncs.GL_LoadTexture( texName, (byte *)mipTex, size, txFlags );
 	}
 
@@ -2938,7 +2939,7 @@ static void Mod_LoadTextureData( model_t *mod, dbspmodel_t *bmod, int textureInd
 
 		Q_snprintf( texName, sizeof( texName ), "#%s:%s_luma.mip", loadstat.name, mipTex->name );
 
-		Image_SetForceFlags( texture_force_flags );
+		Image_SetForceFlags( texture_force_flags | IL_HOST_ENDIAN );
 
 		if( mipTex->offsets[0] > 0 )
 		{