diff --git a/code/AssetLib/MD3/MD3Loader.cpp b/code/AssetLib/MD3/MD3Loader.cpp
index 87fe2509c..53a0eea41 100644
--- a/code/AssetLib/MD3/MD3Loader.cpp
+++ b/code/AssetLib/MD3/MD3Loader.cpp
@@ -450,6 +450,9 @@ void MD3Importer::SetupProperties(const Importer *pImp) {
     // AI_CONFIG_IMPORT_MD3_SKIN_NAME
     configSkinFile = (pImp->GetPropertyString(AI_CONFIG_IMPORT_MD3_SKIN_NAME, "default"));
 
+    // AI_CONFIG_IMPORT_MD3_LOAD_SHADERS
+    configLoadShaders = (pImp->GetPropertyBool(AI_CONFIG_IMPORT_MD3_LOAD_SHADERS, true));
+
     // AI_CONFIG_IMPORT_MD3_SHADER_SRC
     configShaderFile = (pImp->GetPropertyString(AI_CONFIG_IMPORT_MD3_SHADER_SRC, ""));
 
@@ -781,7 +784,9 @@ void MD3Importer::InternReadFile(const std::string &pFile, aiScene *pScene, IOSy
 
     // And check whether we can locate a shader file for this model
     Q3Shader::ShaderData shaders;
-    ReadShader(shaders);
+    if (configLoadShaders){
+        ReadShader(shaders);
+    }
 
     // Adjust all texture paths in the shader
     const char *header_name = pcHeader->NAME;
@@ -863,7 +868,12 @@ void MD3Importer::InternReadFile(const std::string &pFile, aiScene *pScene, IOSy
 
         std::string convertedPath;
         if (texture_name) {
-            ConvertPath(texture_name, header_name, convertedPath);
+            if (configLoadShaders){
+                ConvertPath(texture_name, header_name, convertedPath);
+            }
+            else{
+                convertedPath = texture_name;
+            }
         }
 
         const Q3Shader::ShaderDataBlock *shader = nullptr;
diff --git a/code/AssetLib/MD3/MD3Loader.h b/code/AssetLib/MD3/MD3Loader.h
index d34df2d77..1a4e5982c 100644
--- a/code/AssetLib/MD3/MD3Loader.h
+++ b/code/AssetLib/MD3/MD3Loader.h
@@ -297,6 +297,9 @@ protected:
     /** Configuration option: name of skin file to be read */
     std::string configSkinFile;
 
+    /** Configuration option: whether to load shaders */
+    bool configLoadShaders;
+
     /** Configuration option: name or path of shader */
     std::string configShaderFile;
 
diff --git a/include/assimp/config.h.in b/include/assimp/config.h.in
index d78568da7..016cabbad 100644
--- a/include/assimp/config.h.in
+++ b/include/assimp/config.h.in
@@ -669,7 +669,7 @@ enum aiComponent
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /** @brief  Set wether the importer shall not remove empty bones.
- *  
+ *
  *  Empty bone are often used to define connections for other models.
  */
 #define AI_CONFIG_IMPORT_REMOVE_EMPTY_BONES \
@@ -854,6 +854,15 @@ enum aiComponent
 #define AI_CONFIG_IMPORT_MD3_SKIN_NAME \
     "IMPORT_MD3_SKIN_NAME"
 
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+/** @brief  Specify if to try load Quake 3 shader files. This also controls
+ *  original surface name handling: when disabled it will be used unchanged.
+ *
+ * Property type: bool. Default value: true.
+ */
+#define AI_CONFIG_IMPORT_MD3_LOAD_SHADERS \
+    "IMPORT_MD3_LOAD_SHADERS"
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /** @brief  Specify the Quake 3 shader file to be used for a particular
  *  MD3 file. This can also be a search path.
@@ -1058,7 +1067,7 @@ enum aiComponent
 #define AI_CONFIG_EXPORT_XFILE_64BIT "EXPORT_XFILE_64BIT"
 
 /** @brief Specifies whether the assimp export shall be able to export point clouds
- * 
+ *
  *  When this flag is not defined the render data has to contain valid faces.
  *  Point clouds are only a collection of vertices which have nor spatial organization
  *  by a face and the validation process will remove them. Enabling this feature will