diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/checkrefs.yml b/.gitea/workflows/checkrefs.yml
index f5ed1b557b..34445cda2c 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/checkrefs.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/checkrefs.yml
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.11"
       - name: Add remote fork origin for LFS
         run: |
           PR_REPO="${{ gitea.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name || gitea.repository }}"
@@ -31,9 +33,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: Download necessary LFS assets
         shell: sh {0}
         run: |
-          git lfs pull -I binaries/data/mods/public/maps
+          git lfs pull -I binaries/data/mods/public/art/meshes,binaries/data/mods/public/maps
           ORIGIN_LFS_PULL_RESULT=$?
-          git lfs pull ${{ gitea.actor }} -I binaries/data/mods/public/maps
+          git lfs pull ${{ gitea.actor }} \
+            -I binaries/data/mods/public/art/meshes,binaries/data/mods/public/maps
           FORK_LFS_PULL_RESULT=$?
 
           PR_REPO="${{ gitea.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name || gitea.repository }}"
@@ -47,9 +50,12 @@ jobs:
           fi
       - name: Install lxml
         run: pip3 install lxml
+      - name: Install collada
+        run: pip3 install "pycollada>=0.9"
       - name: Check for missing references
         run: |
           ./source/tools/entity/checkrefs.py \
             --check-map-xml \
             --validate-templates \
-            --validate-actors
+            --validate-actors \
+            --validate-meshes
diff --git a/source/tools/entity/checkrefs.py b/source/tools/entity/checkrefs.py
index 52f60a7a35..d16f995e55 100755
--- a/source/tools/entity/checkrefs.py
+++ b/source/tools/entity/checkrefs.py
@@ -119,6 +119,12 @@ class CheckRefs:
             default=["public"],
             help="specify which mods to check. Default to public.",
         )
+        ap.add_argument(
+            "-d",
+            "--validate-meshes",
+            action="store_true",
+            help="check if meshes have vertices with no weight.",
+        )
         args = ap.parse_args()
         # force check_map_xml if check_unused is used to avoid false positives.
         args.check_map_xml |= args.check_unused
@@ -161,6 +167,12 @@ class CheckRefs:
             if not validator.run():
                 self.inError = True
 
+        if args.validate_meshes:
+            from validate_dae import DaeValidator
+
+            dv = DaeValidator(self.vfs_root, self.mods)
+            self.inError = not dv.run()
+
         return not self.inError
 
     def get_mod_dependencies(self, *mods):
diff --git a/source/tools/entity/validate_dae.py b/source/tools/entity/validate_dae.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..12a845a3d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/source/tools/entity/validate_dae.py
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
+import sys
+from logging import INFO, Formatter, StreamHandler, getLogger
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from collada import Collada, DaeBrokenRefError, DaeError, common, controller
+from scriptlib import find_files
+
+
+def validate_vertex(path_dae, log=print):
+    has_weightless = False
+    had_exception = False
+    dae = None
+    try:
+        dae = Collada(path_dae, ignore=[common.DaeUnsupportedError, DaeBrokenRefError])
+    except DaeError as inst:
+        log("Failed to load %s", path_dae)
+        log(type(inst), inst)
+        had_exception = True
+    for ctr in dae.controllers:
+        if type(ctr) is not controller.Skin:
+            had_exception = True
+            break
+        totalv = len(ctr.vcounts)
+        totalv_0 = len(ctr.vcounts[ctr.vcounts == 0])
+        if totalv_0 > 0:
+            log(
+                "Mesh %s has %i (out of %i) vertices with no weight"
+                " and no bone assigned. Use P294 to find them in Blender.",
+                path_dae,
+                totalv_0,
+                totalv,
+            )
+            has_weightless = True
+    return (int(has_weightless) << 1) | int(had_exception)
+
+
+class DaeValidator:
+    def __init__(self, vfs_root, mods):
+        self.has_weightless_vtx = []
+        self.vfs_root = vfs_root
+        self.mods = mods
+
+        self.log = getLogger()
+        self.log.setLevel(INFO)
+        sh = StreamHandler(sys.stdout)
+        sh.setLevel(INFO)
+        sh.setFormatter(Formatter("%(levelname)s - %(message)s"))
+        self.log.addHandler(sh)
+
+    def run(self):
+        is_ok = True
+        files = find_files(self.vfs_root, self.mods, "art/meshes", "dae")
+        self.log.info("Checking %i meshes for invalid weights.", len(files))
+        for _, dae in files:
+            status = validate_vertex(dae.as_posix(), self.log.warning)
+            if status >= 1:
+                is_ok = False
+            if status >= 2:
+                self.has_weightless_vtx.append(dae)
+        self.log.info(
+            "%i out of %i files have vertices with no weight or bones.",
+            len(self.has_weightless_vtx),
+            len(files),
+        )
+        return is_ok
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    vfsr = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[3] / "binaries" / "data" / "mods"
+    mods = ["public"]
+    dv = DaeValidator(vfsr, mods)
+    print(f"DaeValidator returns {dv.run()}")
+    print(dv.has_weightless_vtx)