diff --git a/Resources/Engine/Lua/Components/SkinnedMeshRenderer.lua b/Resources/Engine/Lua/Components/SkinnedMeshRenderer.lua
index 5790939df..ddf2b2013 100644
--- a/Resources/Engine/Lua/Components/SkinnedMeshRenderer.lua
+++ b/Resources/Engine/Lua/Components/SkinnedMeshRenderer.lua
@@ -55,9 +55,12 @@ function SkinnedMeshRenderer:SetTime(timeSeconds) end
 ---@return number
 function SkinnedMeshRenderer:GetTime() end
 
---- Sets an external model used as animation source, or nil to use the rendered model
----@param model Model|nil
-function SkinnedMeshRenderer:SetAnimationSourceModel(model) end
+--- Sets an external model used as animation source, either as a Model or as an asset path.
+--- A path is loaded on first use and cached by the model manager.
+--- Pass nil, or an empty path, to use the rendered model animations
+---@overload fun(self: SkinnedMeshRenderer, model: Model|nil)
+---@overload fun(self: SkinnedMeshRenderer, path: string)
+function SkinnedMeshRenderer:SetAnimationSourceModel(...) end
 
 --- Returns the external animation source model, or nil when the rendered model is used
 ---@return Model|nil
diff --git a/Sources/OvCore/include/OvCore/ECS/Components/CSkinnedMeshRenderer.h b/Sources/OvCore/include/OvCore/ECS/Components/CSkinnedMeshRenderer.h
index 76a4dd883..4998280ff 100644
--- a/Sources/OvCore/include/OvCore/ECS/Components/CSkinnedMeshRenderer.h
+++ b/Sources/OvCore/include/OvCore/ECS/Components/CSkinnedMeshRenderer.h
@@ -126,6 +126,14 @@ namespace OvCore::ECS::Components
 		*/
 		void SetAnimationSourceModel(OvRendering::Resources::Model* p_model);
 
+		/**
+		* Sets the external model used as animation source, resolved from its asset path.
+		* The model is loaded on first use and kept by the model manager, so repeated calls with the
+		* same path are cheap. Pass an empty path to use the rendered model animations.
+		* @param p_path
+		*/
+		void SetAnimationSourceModel(const std::string& p_path);
+
 		/**
 		* Returns the external animation source model, or nullptr when the rendered model is used
 		*/
diff --git a/Sources/OvCore/src/OvCore/ECS/Components/CSkinnedMeshRenderer.cpp b/Sources/OvCore/src/OvCore/ECS/Components/CSkinnedMeshRenderer.cpp
index db3dfcced..edc2b54ee 100644
--- a/Sources/OvCore/src/OvCore/ECS/Components/CSkinnedMeshRenderer.cpp
+++ b/Sources/OvCore/src/OvCore/ECS/Components/CSkinnedMeshRenderer.cpp
@@ -15,8 +15,10 @@
 #include <OvCore/ECS/Actor.h>
 #include <OvCore/ECS/Components/CModelRenderer.h>
 #include <OvCore/ECS/Components/CSkinnedMeshRenderer.h>
+#include <OvCore/Global/ServiceLocator.h>
 #include <OvCore/Helpers/GUIDrawer.h>
 #include <OvCore/Helpers/Serializer.h>
+#include <OvCore/ResourceManagement/ModelManager.h>
 #include <OvDebug/Logger.h>
 #include <OvMaths/FMatrix3.h>
 #include <OvMaths/FTransform.h>
@@ -437,6 +439,25 @@ void OvCore::ECS::Components::CSkinnedMeshRenderer::SetAnimationSourceModel(OvRe
 	RebuildRuntimeData();
 }
 
+void OvCore::ECS::Components::CSkinnedMeshRenderer::SetAnimationSourceModel(const std::string& p_path)
+{
+	if (p_path.empty())
+	{
+		SetAnimationSourceModel(static_cast<OvRendering::Resources::Model*>(nullptr));
+		return;
+	}
+
+	auto* model = OvCore::Global::ServiceLocator::Get<OvCore::ResourceManagement::ModelManager>().GetResource(p_path);
+
+	if (!model)
+	{
+		OVLOG_WARNING("SkinnedMeshRenderer: Animation source model '" + p_path + "' could not be loaded.");
+		return;
+	}
+
+	SetAnimationSourceModel(model);
+}
+
 OvRendering::Resources::Model* OvCore::ECS::Components::CSkinnedMeshRenderer::GetAnimationSourceModel() const
 {
 	return m_animationSourceModel;
diff --git a/Sources/OvCore/src/OvCore/Scripting/Lua/Bindings/LuaComponentsBindings.cpp b/Sources/OvCore/src/OvCore/Scripting/Lua/Bindings/LuaComponentsBindings.cpp
index 816842ff6..5c3b7dd35 100644
--- a/Sources/OvCore/src/OvCore/Scripting/Lua/Bindings/LuaComponentsBindings.cpp
+++ b/Sources/OvCore/src/OvCore/Scripting/Lua/Bindings/LuaComponentsBindings.cpp
@@ -105,7 +105,10 @@ void BindLuaComponents(sol::state& p_luaState)
 		"GetMeshBoundsScale", &CSkinnedMeshRenderer::GetMeshBoundsScale,
 		"SetTime", &CSkinnedMeshRenderer::SetTime,
 		"GetTime", &CSkinnedMeshRenderer::GetTime,
-		"SetAnimationSourceModel", &CSkinnedMeshRenderer::SetAnimationSourceModel,
+		"SetAnimationSourceModel", sol::overload(
+			sol::resolve<void(OvRendering::Resources::Model*)>(&CSkinnedMeshRenderer::SetAnimationSourceModel),
+			sol::resolve<void(const std::string&)>(&CSkinnedMeshRenderer::SetAnimationSourceModel)
+		),
 		"GetAnimationSourceModel", &CSkinnedMeshRenderer::GetAnimationSourceModel,
 		"IsAnimationSourceCompatible", &CSkinnedMeshRenderer::IsAnimationSourceCompatible,
 		"GetAnimationCount", &CSkinnedMeshRenderer::GetAnimationCount,