diff --git a/src/core/assets/async_loader.cpp b/src/core/assets/async_loader.cpp
index e8926ae..6bebb0a 100644
--- a/src/core/assets/async_loader.cpp
+++ b/src/core/assets/async_loader.cpp
@@ -70,7 +70,8 @@ void AsyncAssetLoader::stop_workers()
 
 AsyncAssetLoader::JobID AsyncAssetLoader::load_gltf_async(const std::string &scene_name,
                                                           const std::string &model_relative_path,
-                                                          const glm::mat4 &transform)
+                                                          const glm::mat4 &transform,
+                                                          bool preload_textures)
 {
     if (!_assets)
     {
@@ -83,6 +84,7 @@ AsyncAssetLoader::JobID AsyncAssetLoader::load_gltf_async(const std::string &sce
     job->scene_name = scene_name;
     job->model_relative_path = model_relative_path;
     job->transform = transform;
+    job->preload_textures = preload_textures;
     job->progress.store(0.0f, std::memory_order_relaxed);
     job->state.store(JobState::Pending, std::memory_order_relaxed);
 
@@ -232,6 +234,31 @@ void AsyncAssetLoader::pump_main_thread(SceneManager &scene)
                     job->scene->debugName = job->model_relative_path;
                 }
                 scene.addGLTFInstance(job->scene_name, job->scene, job->transform);
+
+                // Optionally preload textures (same logic as addGLTFInstance)
+                if (job->preload_textures && _textures && _engine && _engine->_resourceManager)
+                {
+                    uint32_t frame = static_cast<uint32_t>(_engine->_frameNumber);
+                    uint32_t count = 0;
+
+                    for (const auto &[name, material] : job->scene->materials)
+                    {
+                        if (material && material->data.materialSet)
+                        {
+                            _textures->markSetUsed(material->data.materialSet, frame);
+                            ++count;
+                        }
+                    }
+
+                    if (count > 0)
+                    {
+                        fmt::println("[AsyncLoader] Marked {} materials for preloading in '{}'",
+                                     count, job->scene_name);
+
+                        // Trigger immediate texture loading pump to start upload
+                        _textures->pumpLoads(*_engine->_resourceManager, _engine->get_current_frame());
+                    }
+                }
             }
             job->committed_to_scene = true;
         }
diff --git a/src/core/assets/async_loader.h b/src/core/assets/async_loader.h
index 2e82d08..46fd879 100644
--- a/src/core/assets/async_loader.h
+++ b/src/core/assets/async_loader.h
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ public:
 
     JobID load_gltf_async(const std::string &scene_name,
                           const std::string &model_relative_path,
-                          const glm::mat4 &transform);
+                          const glm::mat4 &transform,
+                          bool preload_textures = false);
 
     bool get_job_status(JobID id, JobState &out_state, float &out_progress, std::string *out_error = nullptr);
 
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ private:
         std::string scene_name;
         std::string model_relative_path;
         glm::mat4 transform{1.0f};
+        bool preload_textures{false};
 
         std::shared_ptr<LoadedGLTF> scene;
 
diff --git a/src/core/engine.cpp b/src/core/engine.cpp
index e28994f..59157f5 100644
--- a/src/core/engine.cpp
+++ b/src/core/engine.cpp
@@ -356,7 +356,8 @@ void VulkanEngine::init_default_data()
 
 bool VulkanEngine::addGLTFInstance(const std::string &instanceName,
                                    const std::string &modelRelativePath,
-                                   const glm::mat4 &transform)
+                                   const glm::mat4 &transform,
+                                   bool preloadTextures)
 {
     if (!_assetManager || !_sceneManager)
     {
@@ -377,19 +378,46 @@ bool VulkanEngine::addGLTFInstance(const std::string &instanceName,
     }
 
     _sceneManager->addGLTFInstance(instanceName, *gltf, transform);
+
+    // Optionally preload textures for runtime-added instances
+    if (preloadTextures && _textureCache && _resourceManager)
+    {
+        uint32_t frame = static_cast<uint32_t>(_frameNumber);
+        uint32_t count = 0;
+
+        for (const auto &[name, material] : (*gltf)->materials)
+        {
+            if (material && material->data.materialSet)
+            {
+                _textureCache->markSetUsed(material->data.materialSet, frame);
+                ++count;
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (count > 0)
+        {
+            fmt::println("[Engine] Marked {} materials for preloading in instance '{}'",
+                         count, instanceName);
+
+            // Trigger immediate texture loading pump to start upload
+            _textureCache->pumpLoads(*_resourceManager, get_current_frame());
+        }
+    }
+
     return true;
 }
 
 uint32_t VulkanEngine::loadGLTFAsync(const std::string &sceneName,
                                      const std::string &modelRelativePath,
-                                     const glm::mat4 &transform)
+                                     const glm::mat4 &transform,
+                                     bool preloadTextures)
 {
     if (!_asyncLoader || !_assetManager || !_sceneManager)
     {
         return 0;
     }
 
-    return _asyncLoader->load_gltf_async(sceneName, modelRelativePath, transform);
+    return _asyncLoader->load_gltf_async(sceneName, modelRelativePath, transform, preloadTextures);
 }
 
 void VulkanEngine::preloadInstanceTextures(const std::string &instanceName)
diff --git a/src/core/engine.h b/src/core/engine.h
index ee031a2..6263b6d 100644
--- a/src/core/engine.h
+++ b/src/core/engine.h
@@ -200,15 +200,19 @@ public:
 
     // Convenience helper: load a glTF from assets/models and add it as a runtime instance.
     // modelRelativePath is relative to the AssetManager model root.
+    // If preloadTextures is true, textures will be immediately marked for loading to VRAM.
     bool addGLTFInstance(const std::string &instanceName,
                          const std::string &modelRelativePath,
-                         const glm::mat4 &transform = glm::mat4(1.f));
+                         const glm::mat4 &transform = glm::mat4(1.f),
+                         bool preloadTextures = false);
 
     // Asynchronous glTF load that reports progress via AsyncAssetLoader.
     // Returns a JobID that can be queried via AsyncAssetLoader.
+    // If preloadTextures is true, textures will be immediately marked for loading to VRAM.
     uint32_t loadGLTFAsync(const std::string &sceneName,
                            const std::string &modelRelativePath,
-                           const glm::mat4 &transform = glm::mat4(1.f));
+                           const glm::mat4 &transform = glm::mat4(1.f),
+                           bool preloadTextures = false);
 
     // Preload textures for an already-loaded scene instance so they are
     // available before the object becomes visible (visibility-driven loading).