diff --git a/apps/nifosgtest/test.cpp b/apps/nifosgtest/test.cpp
index 253b5f99d..0f2e43a56 100644
--- a/apps/nifosgtest/test.cpp
+++ b/apps/nifosgtest/test.cpp
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
     osg::Group* newNode = new osg::Group;
     NifOsg::Loader loader;
     loader.resourceManager = &resourceMgr;
-    newNode->addChild(loader.loadAsSkeleton(nif));
+    newNode->addChild(loader.load(nif));
 
     osg::PositionAttitudeTransform* trans = new osg::PositionAttitudeTransform;
     root->addChild(trans);
diff --git a/apps/opencs/view/render/object.cpp b/apps/opencs/view/render/object.cpp
index f48fcc440..bd44ba577 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/view/render/object.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/view/render/object.cpp
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ void CSVRender::Object::update()
 
         Nif::NIFFilePtr file(new Nif::NIFFile(mVFS->get(path), path));
 
-        mBaseNode->addChild(loader.loadAsSkeleton(file));
+        mBaseNode->addChild(loader.load(file));
 
         //mObject->setVisibilityFlags (Element_Reference);
 
diff --git a/components/nif/niffile.cpp b/components/nif/niffile.cpp
index f7d864198..a73985cfb 100644
--- a/components/nif/niffile.cpp
+++ b/components/nif/niffile.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ NIFFile::NIFFile(Files::IStreamPtr stream, const std::string &name)
     : ver(0)
     , filename(name)
     , mStream(stream)
+    , mUseSkinning(false)
 {
     parse();
 }
@@ -208,4 +209,14 @@ void NIFFile::parse()
         records[i]->post(this);
 }
 
+void NIFFile::setUseSkinning(bool skinning)
+{
+    mUseSkinning = skinning;
+}
+
+bool NIFFile::getUseSkinning() const
+{
+    return mUseSkinning;
+}
+
 }
diff --git a/components/nif/niffile.hpp b/components/nif/niffile.hpp
index 9f08f3f1d..ae5aca5ac 100644
--- a/components/nif/niffile.hpp
+++ b/components/nif/niffile.hpp
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ class NIFFile
     /// Root list.  This is a select portion of the pointers from records
     std::vector<Record*> roots;
 
+    bool mUseSkinning;
+
     /// Parse the file
     void parse();
 
@@ -83,6 +85,12 @@ public:
     /// Number of roots
     size_t numRoots() const { return roots.size(); }
 
+    /// Set whether there is skinning contained in this NIF file.
+    /// @note This is just a hint for users of the NIF file and has no effect on the loading procedure.
+    void setUseSkinning(bool skinning);
+
+    bool getUseSkinning() const;
+
     /// Get the name of the file
     std::string getFilename(){ return filename; }
 };
diff --git a/components/nif/node.hpp b/components/nif/node.hpp
index 7f94c0d05..b47c05281 100644
--- a/components/nif/node.hpp
+++ b/components/nif/node.hpp
@@ -166,6 +166,8 @@ struct NiTriShape : Node
         Node::post(nif);
         data.post(nif);
         skin.post(nif);
+        if (!skin.empty())
+            nif->setUseSkinning(true);
     }
 };
 
diff --git a/components/nifosg/nifloader.cpp b/components/nifosg/nifloader.cpp
index c6927cfad..3c15b57ae 100644
--- a/components/nifosg/nifloader.cpp
+++ b/components/nifosg/nifloader.cpp
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ namespace
         void apply(osg::Node &node)
         {
             std::map<std::string, const Nif::NiKeyframeController*>::const_iterator found = mMap.find(node.getName());
-            if (found != mMap.end())
+            if (node.asTransform() && found != mMap.end())
             {
                 const Nif::NiKeyframeController* keyframectrl = found->second;
 
@@ -439,6 +439,9 @@ namespace NifOsg
 
         osg::ref_ptr<osg::Node> load(Nif::NIFFilePtr nif, TextKeyMap* textKeys)
         {
+            if (nif->getUseSkinning())
+                return loadAsSkeleton(nif, textKeys);
+
             if (nif->numRoots() < 1)
                 nif->fail("Found no root nodes");
 
diff --git a/components/nifosg/nifloader.hpp b/components/nifosg/nifloader.hpp
index 43eb8da78..87d1a0a99 100644
--- a/components/nifosg/nifloader.hpp
+++ b/components/nifosg/nifloader.hpp
@@ -24,13 +24,11 @@ namespace NifOsg
     class Loader
     {
     public:
-        // TODO: add auto-detection for skinning. We will still need a "force skeleton" parameter
-        // though, when assembling from several files, i.e. equipment parts
-        /// Create a scene graph for the given NIF. Assumes no skinning is used.
+        /// Create a scene graph for the given NIF. Auto-detects when skinning is used and calls loadAsSkeleton instead.
         /// @param node The parent of the new root node for the created scene graph.
         osg::ref_ptr<osg::Node> load(Nif::NIFFilePtr file, TextKeyMap* textKeys = NULL);
 
-        /// Create a scene graph for the given NIF. Assumes skinning will be used.
+        /// Create a scene graph for the given NIF. Always creates a skeleton so that rigs can be attached on the created scene.
         osg::ref_ptr<osg::Node> loadAsSkeleton(Nif::NIFFilePtr file, TextKeyMap* textKeys = NULL);
 
         /// Load keyframe controllers from the given kf file onto the given scene graph.