diff --git a/src/api.h b/src/api.h
index 131c1da0..022f75b3 100644
--- a/src/api.h
+++ b/src/api.h
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ extern const luaL_Reg lovrJoint[];
 extern const luaL_Reg lovrMaterial[];
 extern const luaL_Reg lovrMesh[];
 extern const luaL_Reg lovrModel[];
+extern const luaL_Reg lovrModelData[];
 extern const luaL_Reg lovrRandomGenerator[];
 extern const luaL_Reg lovrRasterizer[];
 extern const luaL_Reg lovrShader[];
diff --git a/src/api/data.c b/src/api/data.c
index 97a22e4d..fcb2acdf 100644
--- a/src/api/data.c
+++ b/src/api/data.c
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "api.h"
 #include "data/data.h"
 #include "data/audioStream.h"
+#include "data/model.h"
 #include "data/rasterizer.h"
 #include "data/texture.h"
 
@@ -8,6 +9,7 @@ int l_lovrDataInit(lua_State* L) {
   lua_newtable(L);
   luaL_register(L, NULL, lovrData);
   luax_registertype(L, "AudioStream", lovrAudioStream);
+  luax_registertype(L, "ModelData", lovrModelData);
   luax_registertype(L, "Rasterizer", lovrRasterizer);
   luax_registertype(L, "TextureData", lovrTextureData);
   return 1;
@@ -23,6 +25,15 @@ int l_lovrDataNewAudioStream(lua_State* L) {
   return 1;
 }
 
+int l_lovrDataNewModelData(lua_State* L) {
+  Blob* blob = luax_readblob(L, 1, "Model");
+  ModelData* modelData = lovrModelDataCreate(blob);
+  luax_pushtype(L, ModelData, modelData);
+  lovrRelease(&blob->ref);
+  lovrRelease(&modelData->ref);
+  return 1;
+}
+
 int l_lovrDataNewTextureData(lua_State* L) {
   Blob* blob = luax_readblob(L, 1, "Texture");
   TextureData* textureData = lovrTextureDataFromBlob(blob);
@@ -56,6 +67,7 @@ int l_lovrDataNewRasterizer(lua_State* L) {
 
 const luaL_Reg lovrData[] = {
   { "newAudioStream", l_lovrDataNewAudioStream },
+  { "newModelData", l_lovrDataNewModelData },
   { "newRasterizer", l_lovrDataNewRasterizer },
   { "newTextureData", l_lovrDataNewTextureData },
   { NULL, NULL }
diff --git a/src/api/graphics.c b/src/api/graphics.c
index a0b666a6..5daabb79 100644
--- a/src/api/graphics.c
+++ b/src/api/graphics.c
@@ -956,8 +956,16 @@ int l_lovrGraphicsNewMesh(lua_State* L) {
 }
 
 int l_lovrGraphicsNewModel(lua_State* L) {
-  Blob* blob = luax_readblob(L, 1, "Model");
-  ModelData* modelData = lovrModelDataCreate(blob);
+  ModelData* modelData;
+  void** type;
+  if ((type = luax_totype(L, 1, ModelData)) != NULL) {
+    modelData = *type;
+  } else {
+    Blob* blob = luax_readblob(L, 1, "Model");
+    modelData = lovrModelDataCreate(blob);
+    lovrRelease(&blob->ref);
+  }
+
   Model* model = lovrModelCreate(modelData);
 
   if (lua_gettop(L) >= 2) {
@@ -979,7 +987,6 @@ int l_lovrGraphicsNewModel(lua_State* L) {
 
   luax_pushtype(L, Model, model);
   lovrRelease(&model->ref);
-  lovrRelease(&blob->ref);
   return 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/api/types/modelData.c b/src/api/types/modelData.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a6281018
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/api/types/modelData.c
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#include "api.h"
+
+const luaL_Reg lovrModelData[] = {
+  { NULL, NULL }
+};
diff --git a/src/data/model.c b/src/data/model.c
index 74f439b2..00d383bb 100644
--- a/src/data/model.c
+++ b/src/data/model.c
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ static void assimpFileClose(struct aiFileIO* io, struct aiFile* assimpFile) {
 }
 
 ModelData* lovrModelDataCreate(Blob* blob) {
-  ModelData* modelData = malloc(sizeof(ModelData));
+  ModelData* modelData = lovrAlloc(sizeof(ModelData), lovrModelDataDestroy);
   if (!modelData) return NULL;
 
   struct aiFileIO assimpIO;
@@ -447,7 +447,9 @@ ModelData* lovrModelDataCreate(Blob* blob) {
   return modelData;
 }
 
-void lovrModelDataDestroy(ModelData* modelData) {
+void lovrModelDataDestroy(const Ref* ref) {
+  ModelData* modelData = containerof(ref, ModelData);
+
   for (int i = 0; i < modelData->nodeCount; i++) {
     vec_deinit(&modelData->nodes[i].children);
     vec_deinit(&modelData->nodes[i].primitives);
diff --git a/src/data/model.h b/src/data/model.h
index 48cd0860..9e724663 100644
--- a/src/data/model.h
+++ b/src/data/model.h
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ typedef struct ModelNode {
 } ModelNode;
 
 typedef struct {
+  Ref ref;
   ModelNode* nodes;
   map_int_t nodeMap;
   ModelPrimitive* primitives;
@@ -67,5 +68,5 @@ typedef struct {
 } ModelData;
 
 ModelData* lovrModelDataCreate(Blob* blob);
-void lovrModelDataDestroy(ModelData* modelData);
+void lovrModelDataDestroy(const Ref* ref);
 void lovrModelDataGetAABB(ModelData* modelData, float aabb[6]);
diff --git a/src/graphics/model.c b/src/graphics/model.c
index 3d77b2c0..aae43998 100644
--- a/src/graphics/model.c
+++ b/src/graphics/model.c
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ Model* lovrModelCreate(ModelData* modelData) {
   Model* model = lovrAlloc(sizeof(Model), lovrModelDestroy);
   if (!model) return NULL;
 
+  lovrRetain(&modelData->ref);
   model->modelData = modelData;
   model->aabbDirty = true;
   model->animator = NULL;
@@ -132,7 +133,7 @@ void lovrModelDestroy(const Ref* ref) {
     lovrRelease(&model->material->ref);
   }
   free(model->materials);
-  lovrModelDataDestroy(model->modelData);
+  lovrRelease(&model->modelData->ref);
   lovrRelease(&model->mesh->ref);
   free(model->nodeTransforms);
   free(model);