diff --git a/ref/gl/gl_local.h b/ref/gl/gl_local.h
index e6e77122..57cf2f44 100644
--- a/ref/gl/gl_local.h
+++ b/ref/gl/gl_local.h
@@ -736,6 +736,7 @@ extern convar_t	r_vbo_detail;
 extern convar_t	r_vbo_overbrightmode;
 extern convar_t r_studio_sort_textures;
 extern convar_t r_studio_drawelements;
+extern convar_t r_studio_builtin_renderer;
 extern convar_t r_shadows;
 extern convar_t r_ripple;
 extern convar_t r_ripple_updatetime;
diff --git a/ref/gl/gl_opengl.c b/ref/gl/gl_opengl.c
index 49e657eb..a09ea627 100644
--- a/ref/gl/gl_opengl.c
+++ b/ref/gl/gl_opengl.c
@@ -1149,6 +1149,7 @@ static void GL_InitCommands( void )
 	gEngfuncs.Cvar_RegisterVariable( &r_traceglow );
 	gEngfuncs.Cvar_RegisterVariable( &r_studio_sort_textures );
 	gEngfuncs.Cvar_RegisterVariable( &r_studio_drawelements );
+	gEngfuncs.Cvar_RegisterVariable( &r_studio_builtin_renderer );
 	gEngfuncs.Cvar_RegisterVariable( &r_ripple );
 	gEngfuncs.Cvar_RegisterVariable( &r_ripple_updatetime );
 	gEngfuncs.Cvar_RegisterVariable( &r_ripple_spawntime );
diff --git a/ref/gl/gl_studio.c b/ref/gl/gl_studio.c
index ffe56fc7..6f31707d 100644
--- a/ref/gl/gl_studio.c
+++ b/ref/gl/gl_studio.c
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ typedef struct
 // studio-related cvars
 CVAR_DEFINE_AUTO( r_studio_sort_textures, "0", FCVAR_GLCONFIG, "change draw order for additive meshes" );
 CVAR_DEFINE_AUTO( r_studio_drawelements, "1", FCVAR_GLCONFIG, "use glDrawElements for studiomodels" );
+CVAR_DEFINE_AUTO( r_studio_builtin_renderer, "0", 0, "use built-in studio model renderer instead of the one provided by client library (debugging)" );
 static cvar_t			*cl_righthand = NULL;
 
 static r_studio_interface_t	*pStudioDraw;
@@ -3192,6 +3193,12 @@ static void R_StudioDrawModelInternal( cl_entity_t *e, int flags )
 			R_StudioDrawPlayer( flags, &e->curstate );
 		else R_StudioDrawModel( flags );
 	}
+	else if( unlikely( r_studio_builtin_renderer.value ))
+	{
+		if( e->player )
+			R_StudioDrawPlayer( flags, R_StudioGetPlayerState( e->index - 1 ));
+		else R_StudioDrawModel( flags );
+	}
 	else
 	{
 		// select the properly method
diff --git a/ref/soft/r_local.h b/ref/soft/r_local.h
index a3a3f3ae..ace7a9f2 100644
--- a/ref/soft/r_local.h
+++ b/ref/soft/r_local.h
@@ -955,6 +955,7 @@ extern convar_t sw_texfilt;
 extern convar_t r_traceglow;
 extern convar_t sw_noalphabrushes;
 extern convar_t r_studio_sort_textures;
+extern convar_t r_studio_builtin_renderer;
 
 extern struct qfrustum_s
 {
diff --git a/ref/soft/r_main.c b/ref/soft/r_main.c
index bca07765..c446e623 100644
--- a/ref/soft/r_main.c
+++ b/ref/soft/r_main.c
@@ -1341,6 +1341,7 @@ qboolean GAME_EXPORT R_Init( void )
 #endif
 	gEngfuncs.Cvar_RegisterVariable( &r_novis );
 	gEngfuncs.Cvar_RegisterVariable( &r_studio_sort_textures );
+	gEngfuncs.Cvar_RegisterVariable( &r_studio_builtin_renderer );
 
 	r_temppool = Mem_AllocPool( "ref_soft zone" );
 
diff --git a/ref/soft/r_studio.c b/ref/soft/r_studio.c
index d6850464..9e1e84f3 100644
--- a/ref/soft/r_studio.c
+++ b/ref/soft/r_studio.c
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ typedef struct
 
 // studio-related cvars
 CVAR_DEFINE_AUTO( r_studio_sort_textures, "0", FCVAR_GLCONFIG, "change draw order for additive meshes" );
+CVAR_DEFINE_AUTO( r_studio_builtin_renderer, "0", 0, "use built-in studio model renderer instead of the one provided by client library (debugging)" );
 static cvar_t *cl_righthand = NULL;
 
 static r_studio_interface_t *pStudioDraw;
@@ -2822,6 +2823,13 @@ static void R_StudioDrawModelInternal( cl_entity_t *e, int flags )
 		else
 			R_StudioDrawModel( flags );
 	}
+	else if( unlikely( r_studio_builtin_renderer.value ))
+	{
+		if( e->player )
+			R_StudioDrawPlayer( flags, R_StudioGetPlayerState( e->index - 1 ));
+		else
+			R_StudioDrawModel( flags );
+	}
 	else
 	{
 		// select the properly method