diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES.md b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
index fd1b6aaf9d..2c9d0c13a2 100644
--- a/RELEASE_NOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ A new header is inserted each time a *tag* is created.
 - WebGL: added missing IBL builder to TypeScript annotations
 - engine: Fix incorrect precision restoration when computing accurate world translations
 - engine: make `MaterialInstance` public API friendly to `std::string_view` parameters
+- gltfio: add 'detach' methods to allow ownership transfer of entities and components
 
 ## v1.25.4
 
diff --git a/libs/gltfio/include/gltfio/FilamentAsset.h b/libs/gltfio/include/gltfio/FilamentAsset.h
index 8165bbb6a1..31318d8dd6 100644
--- a/libs/gltfio/include/gltfio/FilamentAsset.h
+++ b/libs/gltfio/include/gltfio/FilamentAsset.h
@@ -334,6 +334,23 @@ public:
     void addEntitiesToScene(filament::Scene& targetScene, const Entity* entities, size_t count,
             SceneMask sceneFilter);
 
+    /**
+     * Releases ownership of entities and their Filament components.
+     *
+     * This makes the client take responsibility for destroying Filament
+     * components (e.g. Renderable, TransformManager component) as well as
+     * the underlying entities.
+     */
+    void detachFilamentComponents();
+
+    /**
+     * Releases ownership of material instances.
+     *
+     * This makes the client take responsibility for destroying MaterialInstance
+     * objects. The getMaterialInstances query becomes invalid after detachment.
+     */
+    void detachMaterialInstances();
+
     /*! \cond PRIVATE */
 
     FilamentInstance** getAssetInstances() noexcept;
diff --git a/libs/gltfio/src/FFilamentAsset.h b/libs/gltfio/src/FFilamentAsset.h
index 2f091b3da4..7d82e59427 100644
--- a/libs/gltfio/src/FFilamentAsset.h
+++ b/libs/gltfio/src/FFilamentAsset.h
@@ -255,9 +255,17 @@ struct FFilamentAsset : public FilamentAsset {
     void addEntitiesToScene(filament::Scene& targetScene, const Entity* entities, size_t count,
             SceneMask sceneFilter);
 
+    void detachFilamentComponents() {
+        mDetachedFilamentComponents = true;
+    }
+
+    void detachMaterialInstances() {
+        mMaterialInstances.clear();
+    }
+
     // end public API
 
-    void takeOwnership(filament::Texture* texture) {
+    void attachTexture(filament::Texture* texture) {
         mTextures.push_back(texture);
     }
 
@@ -299,6 +307,7 @@ struct FFilamentAsset : public FilamentAsset {
     DependencyGraph mDependencyGraph;
     tsl::htrie_map<char, std::vector<utils::Entity>> mNameToEntity;
     utils::CString mAssetExtras;
+    bool mDetachedFilamentComponents = false;
 
     // Sentinels for situations where ResourceLoader needs to generate data.
     const cgltf_accessor mGenerateNormals = {};
diff --git a/libs/gltfio/src/FilamentAsset.cpp b/libs/gltfio/src/FilamentAsset.cpp
index 99dfcce181..bf95fcb1e7 100644
--- a/libs/gltfio/src/FilamentAsset.cpp
+++ b/libs/gltfio/src/FilamentAsset.cpp
@@ -33,10 +33,11 @@ using namespace utils;
 namespace filament::gltfio {
 
 FFilamentAsset::~FFilamentAsset() {
+    // Free transient load-time data if they haven't been freed yet.
     releaseSourceData();
 
-    // The only things we need to free in the instances are their animators.
-    // The union of all instance entities will be destroyed below.
+    // Destroy all instance objects and their animators. Instance entities / components are
+    // destroyed later in this method because they are owned by the asset.
     for (FFilamentInstance* instance : mInstances) {
         delete instance->animator;
         delete instance;
@@ -45,21 +46,30 @@ FFilamentAsset::~FFilamentAsset() {
     delete mAnimator;
     delete mWireframe;
 
-    mEngine->destroy(mRoot);
-    mEntityManager->destroy(mRoot);
-
-    for (auto entity : mEntities) {
-        // Destroy the entity's renderable, light, transform, and camera components.
-        mEngine->destroy(entity);
-        // Destroy the name component.
-        if (mNameManager) {
+    // Destroy name components.
+    if (mNameManager) {
+        for (auto entity : mEntities) {
             mNameManager->removeComponent(entity);
         }
-        // Destroy the node component.
-        mNodeManager->destroy(entity);
-        // Destroy the actual entity.
-        mEntityManager->destroy(entity);
     }
+
+    // Destroy gltfio node components.
+    for (auto entity : mEntities) {
+        mNodeManager->destroy(entity);
+
+    }
+
+    // Destroy all renderable, light, transform, and camera components,
+    // then destroy the actual entities. This includes instances.
+    if (!mDetachedFilamentComponents) {
+        mEngine->destroy(mRoot);
+        mEntityManager->destroy(mRoot);
+        for (auto entity : mEntities) {
+            mEngine->destroy(entity);
+            mEntityManager->destroy(entity);
+        }
+    }
+
     for (auto mi : mMaterialInstances) {
         mEngine->destroy(mi);
     }
@@ -283,6 +293,14 @@ void FFilamentAsset::addEntitiesToScene(Scene& targetScene, const Entity* entiti
     }
 }
 
+void FilamentAsset::detachFilamentComponents() {
+    upcast(this)->detachFilamentComponents();
+}
+
+void FilamentAsset::detachMaterialInstances() {
+    upcast(this)->detachMaterialInstances();
+}
+
 size_t FilamentAsset::getEntityCount() const noexcept {
     return upcast(this)->getEntityCount();
 }
diff --git a/libs/gltfio/src/ResourceLoader.cpp b/libs/gltfio/src/ResourceLoader.cpp
index ff01074551..02203c8c24 100644
--- a/libs/gltfio/src/ResourceLoader.cpp
+++ b/libs/gltfio/src/ResourceLoader.cpp
@@ -687,7 +687,7 @@ Texture* ResourceLoader::Impl::getOrCreateTexture(FFilamentAsset* asset, const T
                 << provider->getPushMessage() << io::endl;
         asset->mDependencyGraph.markAsError(tb.materialInstance);
     } else {
-        asset->takeOwnership(texture);
+        asset->attachTexture(texture);
     }
 
     return texture;