diff --git a/bind/v4k.lua b/bind/v4k.lua
index 349bf9c..aaf93a3 100644
--- a/bind/v4k.lua
+++ b/bind/v4k.lua
@@ -1320,6 +1320,7 @@ enum MODEL_FLAGS {
     MODEL_MATCAPS = 16,
     MODEL_RIMLIGHT = 32,
     MODEL_PBR = 64,
+    MODEL_TRANSPARENT = 128,
 };
 enum SHADING_MODE {
     SHADING_NONE,
diff --git a/engine/joint/v4k.h b/engine/joint/v4k.h
index add77c0..6500dbb 100644
--- a/engine/joint/v4k.h
+++ b/engine/joint/v4k.h
@@ -17565,6 +17565,7 @@ enum MODEL_FLAGS {
     MODEL_MATCAPS = 16,
     MODEL_RIMLIGHT = 32,
     MODEL_PBR = 64,
+    MODEL_TRANSPARENT = 128,
 };
 
 enum SHADING_MODE {
@@ -385540,7 +385541,13 @@ void model_set_renderstates(model_t *m) {
     // Opaque pass
     renderstate_t *opaque_rs = &m->rs[RENDER_PASS_OPAQUE];
     {
+#if 0 // @todo: we should keep blend_enabled=0, however our transparency detection still needs work
         opaque_rs->blend_enabled = 0;
+#else
+        opaque_rs->blend_enabled = 1;
+        opaque_rs->blend_src = GL_SRC_ALPHA;
+        opaque_rs->blend_dst = GL_ONE_MINUS_SRC_ALPHA;
+#endif
         opaque_rs->cull_face_mode = GL_BACK;
         opaque_rs->front_face = GL_CW;
     }
@@ -385851,7 +385858,6 @@ void shader_colormap_model_internal(const char *col_name, const char *bool_name,
 
 
 typedef struct drawcall_t {
-    model_t *m;
     int mesh;
     union {
         uint64_t order;
@@ -385889,6 +385895,9 @@ void model_draw_call(model_t m, int shader, int pass, vec3 cam_pos, mat44 model_
         required_rs[i] = rs_idx;
 
         if (required_rs[i] < RENDER_PASS_OVERRIDES_BEGIN) {
+            if (m.flags & MODEL_TRANSPARENT) {
+                required_rs[i] = RENDER_PASS_TRANSPARENT;
+            }
             if (m.materials[i].layer[0].map.color.a < 1 || (m.materials[i].layer[0].map.texture && m.materials[i].layer[0].map.texture->transparent)) {
                 required_rs[i] = RENDER_PASS_TRANSPARENT;
             }
@@ -385913,7 +385922,7 @@ void model_draw_call(model_t m, int shader, int pass, vec3 cam_pos, mat44 model_
                     drawcall_t call;
                     call.mesh = i;
                     call.tex = m.textures[i];
-                    call.distance = -1;
+                    call.distance = 0;
                     if (m.shading == SHADING_PBR)
                         call.tex = m.materials[i].layer[MATERIAL_CHANNEL_ALBEDO].map.texture ? m.materials[i].layer[MATERIAL_CHANNEL_ALBEDO].map.texture->id : m.materials[i].layer[MATERIAL_CHANNEL_DIFFUSE].map.texture ? m.materials[i].layer[MATERIAL_CHANNEL_DIFFUSE].map.texture->id : texture_checker().id;
                     array_push(drawcalls, call);
diff --git a/engine/split/v4k_render.c b/engine/split/v4k_render.c
index 78220c7..1cd2a81 100644
--- a/engine/split/v4k_render.c
+++ b/engine/split/v4k_render.c
@@ -3901,7 +3901,13 @@ void model_set_renderstates(model_t *m) {
     // Opaque pass
     renderstate_t *opaque_rs = &m->rs[RENDER_PASS_OPAQUE];
     {
+#if 0 // @todo: we should keep blend_enabled=0, however our transparency detection still needs work
         opaque_rs->blend_enabled = 0;
+#else
+        opaque_rs->blend_enabled = 1;
+        opaque_rs->blend_src = GL_SRC_ALPHA;
+        opaque_rs->blend_dst = GL_ONE_MINUS_SRC_ALPHA;
+#endif
         opaque_rs->cull_face_mode = GL_BACK;
         opaque_rs->front_face = GL_CW;
     }
@@ -4212,7 +4218,6 @@ void shader_colormap_model_internal(const char *col_name, const char *bool_name,
 
 
 typedef struct drawcall_t {
-    model_t *m;
     int mesh;
     union {
         uint64_t order;
@@ -4250,6 +4255,9 @@ void model_draw_call(model_t m, int shader, int pass, vec3 cam_pos, mat44 model_
         required_rs[i] = rs_idx;
 
         if (required_rs[i] < RENDER_PASS_OVERRIDES_BEGIN) {
+            if (m.flags & MODEL_TRANSPARENT) {
+                required_rs[i] = RENDER_PASS_TRANSPARENT;
+            }
             if (m.materials[i].layer[0].map.color.a < 1 || (m.materials[i].layer[0].map.texture && m.materials[i].layer[0].map.texture->transparent)) {
                 required_rs[i] = RENDER_PASS_TRANSPARENT;
             }
@@ -4274,7 +4282,7 @@ void model_draw_call(model_t m, int shader, int pass, vec3 cam_pos, mat44 model_
                     drawcall_t call;
                     call.mesh = i;
                     call.tex = m.textures[i];
-                    call.distance = -1;
+                    call.distance = 0;
                     if (m.shading == SHADING_PBR)
                         call.tex = m.materials[i].layer[MATERIAL_CHANNEL_ALBEDO].map.texture ? m.materials[i].layer[MATERIAL_CHANNEL_ALBEDO].map.texture->id : m.materials[i].layer[MATERIAL_CHANNEL_DIFFUSE].map.texture ? m.materials[i].layer[MATERIAL_CHANNEL_DIFFUSE].map.texture->id : texture_checker().id;
                     array_push(drawcalls, call);
diff --git a/engine/split/v4k_render.h b/engine/split/v4k_render.h
index 516cde3..e450eb5 100644
--- a/engine/split/v4k_render.h
+++ b/engine/split/v4k_render.h
@@ -597,6 +597,7 @@ enum MODEL_FLAGS {
     MODEL_MATCAPS = 16,
     MODEL_RIMLIGHT = 32,
     MODEL_PBR = 64,
+    MODEL_TRANSPARENT = 128,
 };
 
 enum SHADING_MODE {
diff --git a/engine/v4k.c b/engine/v4k.c
index f55b5a3..d3c91be 100644
--- a/engine/v4k.c
+++ b/engine/v4k.c
@@ -20700,7 +20700,13 @@ void model_set_renderstates(model_t *m) {
     // Opaque pass
     renderstate_t *opaque_rs = &m->rs[RENDER_PASS_OPAQUE];
     {
+#if 0 // @todo: we should keep blend_enabled=0, however our transparency detection still needs work
         opaque_rs->blend_enabled = 0;
+#else
+        opaque_rs->blend_enabled = 1;
+        opaque_rs->blend_src = GL_SRC_ALPHA;
+        opaque_rs->blend_dst = GL_ONE_MINUS_SRC_ALPHA;
+#endif
         opaque_rs->cull_face_mode = GL_BACK;
         opaque_rs->front_face = GL_CW;
     }
@@ -21011,7 +21017,6 @@ void shader_colormap_model_internal(const char *col_name, const char *bool_name,
 
 
 typedef struct drawcall_t {
-    model_t *m;
     int mesh;
     union {
         uint64_t order;
@@ -21049,6 +21054,9 @@ void model_draw_call(model_t m, int shader, int pass, vec3 cam_pos, mat44 model_
         required_rs[i] = rs_idx;
 
         if (required_rs[i] < RENDER_PASS_OVERRIDES_BEGIN) {
+            if (m.flags & MODEL_TRANSPARENT) {
+                required_rs[i] = RENDER_PASS_TRANSPARENT;
+            }
             if (m.materials[i].layer[0].map.color.a < 1 || (m.materials[i].layer[0].map.texture && m.materials[i].layer[0].map.texture->transparent)) {
                 required_rs[i] = RENDER_PASS_TRANSPARENT;
             }
@@ -21073,7 +21081,7 @@ void model_draw_call(model_t m, int shader, int pass, vec3 cam_pos, mat44 model_
                     drawcall_t call;
                     call.mesh = i;
                     call.tex = m.textures[i];
-                    call.distance = -1;
+                    call.distance = 0;
                     if (m.shading == SHADING_PBR)
                         call.tex = m.materials[i].layer[MATERIAL_CHANNEL_ALBEDO].map.texture ? m.materials[i].layer[MATERIAL_CHANNEL_ALBEDO].map.texture->id : m.materials[i].layer[MATERIAL_CHANNEL_DIFFUSE].map.texture ? m.materials[i].layer[MATERIAL_CHANNEL_DIFFUSE].map.texture->id : texture_checker().id;
                     array_push(drawcalls, call);
diff --git a/engine/v4k.h b/engine/v4k.h
index 89e58c9..b0c03c3 100644
--- a/engine/v4k.h
+++ b/engine/v4k.h
@@ -3632,6 +3632,7 @@ enum MODEL_FLAGS {
     MODEL_MATCAPS = 16,
     MODEL_RIMLIGHT = 32,
     MODEL_PBR = 64,
+    MODEL_TRANSPARENT = 128,
 };
 
 enum SHADING_MODE {