diff --git a/engine/client/client.h b/engine/client/client.h
index 4cbd5f6c0..28cbdce8e 100644
--- a/engine/client/client.h
+++ b/engine/client/client.h
@@ -28,9 +28,7 @@ typedef struct
 	int			height;
 
 	//for hardware 32bit texture overrides
-	texid_t		tex_base;
-	texid_t		tex_lower;
-	texid_t		tex_upper;
+	texnums_t	textures;
 
 	qboolean	failedload;		// the name isn't a valid skin
 	cache_user_t	cache;
diff --git a/engine/client/merged.h b/engine/client/merged.h
index a150761fb..7290911b2 100644
--- a/engine/client/merged.h
+++ b/engine/client/merged.h
@@ -185,6 +185,14 @@ typedef struct texid_s texid_tf;
 #define TEXASSIGNF(d,s) memcpy(&d,&s,sizeof(d))
 #define TEXVALID(t) 1
 #endif
+typedef struct texnums_s {
+	texid_t base;
+	texid_t bump;
+	texid_t upperoverlay;
+	texid_t loweroverlay;
+	texid_t specular;
+	texid_t fullbright;
+} texnums_t;
 typedef enum uploadfmt
 {
         TF_INVALID,
diff --git a/engine/client/skin.c b/engine/client/skin.c
index 2ea796824..dc479cb1f 100644
--- a/engine/client/skin.c
+++ b/engine/client/skin.c
@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@ qbyte	*Skin_Cache8 (skin_t *skin)
 	int		dataByte;
 	int		runLength;
 	int fbremap[256];
+	char *skinpath;
 
 	if (noskins.value==1) // JACK: So NOSKINS > 1 will show skins, but
 		return NULL;	  // not download new ones.
@@ -223,9 +224,9 @@ qbyte	*Skin_Cache8 (skin_t *skin)
 	if (skin->failedload)
 		return NULL;
 
-	TEXASSIGN(skin->tex_base, r_nulltex);
-	TEXASSIGN(skin->tex_lower, r_nulltex);
-	TEXASSIGN(skin->tex_upper, r_nulltex);
+	TEXASSIGN(skin->textures.base, r_nulltex);
+	TEXASSIGN(skin->textures.loweroverlay, r_nulltex);
+	TEXASSIGN(skin->textures.upperoverlay, r_nulltex);
 
 	out = Cache_Check (&skin->cache);
 	if (out)
@@ -267,25 +268,55 @@ qbyte	*Skin_Cache8 (skin_t *skin)
 
 #ifdef Q2CLIENT
 	if (cls.protocol == CP_QUAKE2)
-		Q_snprintfz (name, sizeof(name), "players/%s.pcx", skin->name);
+		skinpath = "players";
 	else
 #endif
-		Q_snprintfz (name, sizeof(name), "skins/%s.pcx", skin->name);
+		skinpath = "skins";
+
+	//favour 24bit+recoloured skins if gl_load24bit is enabled.
+	Q_snprintfz (name, sizeof(name), "%s_shirt", skin->name);
+	TEXASSIGN(skin->textures.upperoverlay, R_LoadReplacementTexture(name, skinpath, 0));
+	Q_snprintfz (name, sizeof(name), "%s_pants", skin->name);
+	TEXASSIGN(skin->textures.loweroverlay, R_LoadReplacementTexture(name, skinpath, 0));
+	if (TEXVALID(skin->textures.upperoverlay) || TEXVALID(skin->textures.loweroverlay))
+	{
+		TEXASSIGN(skin->textures.base, R_LoadReplacementTexture(skin->name, skinpath, IF_NOALPHA));
+		if (TEXVALID(skin->textures.base))
+		{
+			Q_snprintfz (name, sizeof(name), "%s_luma", skin->name);
+			TEXASSIGN(skin->textures.fullbright, R_LoadReplacementTexture(skin->name, skinpath, IF_NOALPHA));
+			Q_snprintfz (name, sizeof(name), "%s_gloss", skin->name);
+			TEXASSIGN(skin->textures.specular, R_LoadReplacementTexture(skin->name, skinpath, 0));
+			skin->failedload = true;
+			return NULL;
+		}
+	}
+
+	Q_snprintfz (name, sizeof(name), "%s/%s.pcx", skinpath, skin->name);
 	raw = COM_LoadTempFile (name);
 	if (!raw)
 	{
+		//use 24bit skins even if gl_load24bit is failed
 		if (strcmp(skin->name, baseskin.string))
 		{
-			TEXASSIGN(skin->tex_base, R_LoadReplacementTexture(skin->name, "skins", IF_NOALPHA));
-			if (TEXVALID(skin->tex_base))
+			if (!gl_load24bit.value)
 			{
-				Q_snprintfz (name, sizeof(name), "%s_shirt", skin->name);
-				TEXASSIGN(skin->tex_upper, R_LoadReplacementTexture(name, "skins", 0));
-				Q_snprintfz (name, sizeof(name), "%s_pants", skin->name);
-				TEXASSIGN(skin->tex_lower, R_LoadReplacementTexture(name, "skins", 0));
+				TEXASSIGN(skin->textures.base, R_LoadHiResTexture(skin->name, skinpath, IF_NOALPHA));
+				if (TEXVALID(skin->textures.base))
+				{
+					Q_snprintfz (name, sizeof(name), "%s_shirt", skin->name);
+					TEXASSIGN(skin->textures.upperoverlay, R_LoadHiResTexture(name, skinpath, 0));
+					Q_snprintfz (name, sizeof(name), "%s_pants", skin->name);
+					TEXASSIGN(skin->textures.loweroverlay, R_LoadHiResTexture(name, skinpath, 0));
 
-				skin->failedload = true;
-				return NULL;
+					Q_snprintfz (name, sizeof(name), "%s_luma", skin->name);
+					TEXASSIGN(skin->textures.fullbright, R_LoadHiResTexture(skin->name, skinpath, IF_NOALPHA));
+					Q_snprintfz (name, sizeof(name), "%s_gloss", skin->name);
+					TEXASSIGN(skin->textures.specular, R_LoadHiResTexture(skin->name, skinpath, 0));
+
+					skin->failedload = true;
+					return NULL;
+				}
 			}
 
 			//if its not already the base skin, try the base (and warn if anything not base couldn't load).
@@ -620,6 +651,7 @@ void	Skin_Skins_f (void)
 		return;
 	}
 
+	GL_GAliasFlushSkinCache();
 	for (i=0 ; i<numskins ; i++)
 	{
 		if (skins[i].cache.data)
diff --git a/engine/gl/gl_alias.c b/engine/gl/gl_alias.c
index 2404967d4..212096bd8 100644
--- a/engine/gl/gl_alias.c
+++ b/engine/gl/gl_alias.c
@@ -158,7 +158,27 @@ static void R_GAliasApplyLighting(mesh_t *mesh, vec3_t org, vec3_t angles, float
 	}
 }
 #endif
-
+/*
+void GL_GAliasFlushOneSkin(char *skinname)
+{
+	int i;
+	bucket_t **l;
+	galiascolourmapped_t *cm;
+	for (i = 0; i < skincolourmapped.numbuckets; i++)
+	{
+		for(l = &skincolourmapped.bucket[i]; *l; )
+		{
+			cm = (*l)->data;
+			if (strstr(cm->name, skinname))
+			{
+				*l = cm->bucket.next;
+				BZ_Free(cm);
+				continue;
+			}
+			l = &(*l)->next;
+		}
+	}
+}*/
 void GL_GAliasFlushSkinCache(void)
 {
 	int i;
@@ -206,9 +226,12 @@ static shader_t *GL_ChooseSkin(galiasinfo_t *inf, model_t *model, int surfnum, e
 	{
 		shader_t *s;
 		s = R_RegisterSkin(va("gfx/skin%d.lmp", e->skinnum), NULL);
-		if (!TEXVALID(s->defaulttextures.base))
-			s->defaulttextures.base = R_LoadHiResTexture(va("gfx/skin%d.lmp", e->skinnum), NULL, 0);
-		return s;
+		if (s)
+		{
+			if (!TEXVALID(s->defaulttextures.base))
+				s->defaulttextures.base = R_LoadHiResTexture(va("gfx/skin%d.lmp", e->skinnum), NULL, 0);
+			return s;
+		}
 	}
 
 
@@ -346,11 +369,13 @@ static shader_t *GL_ChooseSkin(galiasinfo_t *inf, model_t *model, int surfnum, e
 						}
 					}
 
-					if (TEXVALID(plskin->tex_base))
+					if (TEXVALID(plskin->textures.base))
 					{
-						cm->texnum.loweroverlay = plskin->tex_lower;
-						cm->texnum.upperoverlay = plskin->tex_upper;
-						cm->texnum.base = plskin->tex_base;
+						cm->texnum.loweroverlay = plskin->textures.loweroverlay;
+						cm->texnum.upperoverlay = plskin->textures.upperoverlay;
+						cm->texnum.base = plskin->textures.base;
+						cm->texnum.fullbright = plskin->textures.fullbright;
+						cm->texnum.specular = plskin->textures.specular;
 						return shader;
 					}
 
@@ -368,11 +393,13 @@ static shader_t *GL_ChooseSkin(galiasinfo_t *inf, model_t *model, int surfnum, e
 				inwidth = plskin->width;
 				inheight = plskin->height;
 
-				if (!original && TEXVALID(plskin->tex_base))
+				if (!original && TEXVALID(plskin->textures.base))
 				{
-					cm->texnum.loweroverlay = plskin->tex_lower;
-					cm->texnum.upperoverlay = plskin->tex_upper;
-					cm->texnum.base = plskin->tex_base;
+					cm->texnum.loweroverlay = plskin->textures.loweroverlay;
+					cm->texnum.upperoverlay = plskin->textures.upperoverlay;
+					cm->texnum.base = plskin->textures.base;
+					cm->texnum.fullbright = plskin->textures.fullbright;
+					cm->texnum.specular = plskin->textures.specular;
 					return shader;
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/engine/gl/gl_model.h b/engine/gl/gl_model.h
index 14d0ef48f..d73c6bf30 100644
--- a/engine/gl/gl_model.h
+++ b/engine/gl/gl_model.h
@@ -242,15 +242,6 @@ typedef struct mplane_s
 	qbyte	pad[2];
 } mplane_t;
 
-typedef struct texnums_s {
-	texid_t base;
-	texid_t bump;
-	texid_t upperoverlay;
-	texid_t loweroverlay;
-	texid_t specular;
-	texid_t fullbright;
-} texnums_t;
-
 typedef struct vboarray_s
 {
 	union