diff --git a/code/missionui/missionscreencommon.cpp b/code/missionui/missionscreencommon.cpp
index 0cee6f0719..1a8d03e454 100644
--- a/code/missionui/missionscreencommon.cpp
+++ b/code/missionui/missionscreencommon.cpp
@@ -979,10 +979,6 @@ void common_select_close()
 
 	nprintf(("Alan","entering common_select_close()\n"));
 
-	// catch open anims that weapon_select_init_team() opened when not in weapon_select - taylor
-	// *** not the same as weapon_select_close() ***
-	weapon_select_close_team();
-
 	weapon_select_close();
 
 	if(Game_mode & GM_MULTIPLAYER){
@@ -990,6 +986,7 @@ void common_select_close()
 	} 
 
 	ship_select_close();
+	common_select_level_close();
 	brief_close();	
 
 	common_free_interface_palette();
@@ -1015,6 +1012,16 @@ void common_select_close()
 	Common_select_inited = 0;
 }
 
+// Release the model and bitmap handles held by the select screens, whether or not the screens themselves
+// were ever opened.  Called from common_select_close() on a state change and from game_level_close(),
+// because a scripted UI that overrides the state hooks never reaches the former, and by the next mission
+// the model slots those handles name may belong to other models.
+void common_select_level_close()
+{
+	weapon_select_common_close();
+	ship_select_common_close();
+}
+
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 //	load_wing_icons() creates the bitmaps for wing icons 
 //
diff --git a/code/missionui/missionscreencommon.h b/code/missionui/missionscreencommon.h
index ed84fc7f0b..64da672fde 100644
--- a/code/missionui/missionscreencommon.h
+++ b/code/missionui/missionscreencommon.h
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ enum class commit_pressed_status {
 void common_select_init(bool API_Access = false);
 int	common_select_do(float frametime);
 void	common_select_close();
+void	common_select_level_close();
 void	common_draw_buttons();
 void	common_check_buttons();
 void	common_check_keys(int k);
diff --git a/code/missionui/missionshipchoice.cpp b/code/missionui/missionshipchoice.cpp
index dde6ffc8ba..3523237ca8 100644
--- a/code/missionui/missionshipchoice.cpp
+++ b/code/missionui/missionshipchoice.cpp
@@ -1323,7 +1323,7 @@ void ship_select_do(float frametime)
 	ss_maybe_drop_icon();
 
 	Assert( Ss_icons != NULL );
-
+		
 	if ( !Background_playing ) {	
 		GR_MAYBE_CLEAR_RES(Ship_select_background_bitmap);
 		gr_set_bitmap(Ship_select_background_bitmap);
@@ -1463,6 +1463,16 @@ void ship_select_do(float frametime)
 }
 
 
+// release the ship select model, if one is loaded
+static void ss_unload_select_model()
+{
+	if (ShipSelectModelNum >= 0)
+	{
+		model_unload(ShipSelectModelNum);
+		ShipSelectModelNum = -1;
+	}
+}
+
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 //	ship_select_close() is called once when the ship select screen is exited
 //
@@ -1471,8 +1481,6 @@ void ship_select_close()
 {
 	key_flush();
 
-	ship_select_common_close();
-
 	if ( !Ship_select_open ) {
 		nprintf(("Alan","ship_select_close() returning without doing anything\n"));
 		return;
@@ -1636,7 +1644,7 @@ void start_ship_animation(int ship_class, int  /*play_sound*/)
 
 	if (ship_class < 0) {
 		mprintf(("No ship class passed in to start_ship_animation\n"));
-		ShipSelectModelNum = -1;
+		ss_unload_select_model();
 		return;
 	}
     
@@ -1652,8 +1660,13 @@ void start_ship_animation(int ship_class, int  /*play_sound*/)
 			Ship_anim_class = -1;
 		}
 
-		// Load the necessary model file
+		// Load the necessary model file; the previous one is released only afterwards so that
+		// re-selecting the same ship doesn't free and reload it
+		int previous_model = ShipSelectModelNum;
 		ShipSelectModelNum = model_load(sip, true);
+		if (previous_model >= 0) {
+			model_unload(previous_model);
+		}
 		
 		// page in ship textures properly (takes care of nondimming pixels)
 		model_page_in_textures(ShipSelectModelNum, ship_class);
@@ -1670,10 +1683,7 @@ void start_ship_animation(int ship_class, int  /*play_sound*/)
 		}
 
 		//If there was a model loaded for the previous ship, unload it
-		if (ShipSelectModelNum >= 0 ) {
-			model_unload(ShipSelectModelNum);
-			ShipSelectModelNum = -1;
-		}
+		ss_unload_select_model();
 
 		//unload the previous anim
 		if(Ship_anim_class > 0 && (*Ss_icons)[Ship_anim_class].ss_anim.num_frames > 0)
@@ -3136,6 +3146,8 @@ void ship_select_common_close()
 		ss_unload_team_icons(team_icons);
 		team_icons.clear();
 	}
+
+	ss_unload_select_model();
 }
 
 // change any interface data based on updated Wss_slots[] and Ss_pool[]
diff --git a/code/missionui/missionweaponchoice.cpp b/code/missionui/missionweaponchoice.cpp
index 229c68ed68..a520d1ce03 100644
--- a/code/missionui/missionweaponchoice.cpp
+++ b/code/missionui/missionweaponchoice.cpp
@@ -2048,16 +2048,13 @@ void weapon_select_init_team(int team_num)
 }
 
 /**
- * Close out what weapon_select_init_team() set up but only when we are not acutally
- * in the weapon select screen - taylor
+ * Release the icons, anims, and ship class data that weapon_select_init_team() set up
  */
-void weapon_select_close_team()
+void weapon_select_common_close()
 {
-	if (Weapon_select_open)
-		return;
-
 	wl_unload_all_teams_icons();
 	wl_unload_all_anims();
+	wl_free_ship_class_data();
 }
 
 /**
@@ -3014,11 +3011,6 @@ void weapon_select_close()
 	// unload bitmaps
 	bm_release(WeaponSelectMaskBitmap);
 
-	wl_unload_all_teams_icons();
-	wl_unload_all_anims();
-	// ...must be last...
-	wl_free_ship_class_data();
-
 	Selected_wl_class = -1;
 	Weapon_select_open = 0;
 
diff --git a/code/missionui/missionweaponchoice.h b/code/missionui/missionweaponchoice.h
index a59a16fa82..e69fd5f16d 100644
--- a/code/missionui/missionweaponchoice.h
+++ b/code/missionui/missionweaponchoice.h
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ void weapon_select_init();
 void weapon_select_common_init(bool API_Access = false);
 void weapon_select_do(float frametime);
 void weapon_select_close();
-void weapon_select_close_team();
+void weapon_select_common_close();
 
 void draw_3d_overhead_view(int model_num,
 	int ship_class,
diff --git a/code/missionui/redalert.cpp b/code/missionui/redalert.cpp
index 8175cff023..c3a8f845fa 100644
--- a/code/missionui/redalert.cpp
+++ b/code/missionui/redalert.cpp
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ void red_alert_close()
 		red_alert_voice_stop();
 		red_alert_voice_unload();
 
-		weapon_select_close_team();
+		weapon_select_common_close();
 
 		if (Background_bitmap >= 0) {
 			bm_release(Background_bitmap);
diff --git a/code/model/modelread.cpp b/code/model/modelread.cpp
index 0a43edd7b8..84f16dcc87 100644
--- a/code/model/modelread.cpp
+++ b/code/model/modelread.cpp
@@ -264,6 +264,13 @@ void model_unload(int modelnum, int force)
 		return;
 	}
 
+	// a full id that doesn't match the slot's occupant is a stale handle to a model that has already been
+	// freed; the slot has since been reused, so unloading it would take out an unrelated model
+	if ( modelnum >= MAX_POLYGON_MODELS && pm->id != modelnum )	{
+		Warning(LOCATION, "Ignoring unload of stale model id %d: slot %d now holds '%s' (id %d). Please backtrace and investigate.\n", modelnum, num, pm->filename, pm->id);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	Assert( pm->used_this_mission >= 0 );
 
 	if (!force && (--pm->used_this_mission > 0))
diff --git a/code/ship/ship.cpp b/code/ship/ship.cpp
index 123ba8783b..21f148802b 100644
--- a/code/ship/ship.cpp
+++ b/code/ship/ship.cpp
@@ -11669,15 +11669,12 @@ static void ship_model_change(int n, int ship_type)
 	objp = &Objects[sp->objnum];
 	pmi = model_get_instance(sp->model_instance_num);
 
-	// get new model
-	if (sip->model_num == -1) {
-		sip->model_num = model_load(sip->pof_file, sip);
-	}
+	// get new model; as in ship_create(), load even if the class already has one, so that this ship holds
+	// its own reference and the model survives a UI preview releasing the one it loaded
+	sip->model_num = model_load(sip->pof_file, sip);
 
-	if ( sip->cockpit_model_num == -1 ) {
-		if ( VALID_FNAME(sip->cockpit_pof_file) ) {
-			sip->cockpit_model_num = model_load(sip->cockpit_pof_file);
-		}
+	if ( VALID_FNAME(sip->cockpit_pof_file) ) {
+		sip->cockpit_model_num = model_load(sip->cockpit_pof_file);
 	}
 
 	pm = model_get(sip->model_num);
diff --git a/freespace2/freespace.cpp b/freespace2/freespace.cpp
index 1639818a51..46d0850fe2 100644
--- a/freespace2/freespace.cpp
+++ b/freespace2/freespace.cpp
@@ -989,6 +989,7 @@ void game_level_close()
 		ship_level_close();
 		hud_level_close();
 		hud_escort_clear_all();
+		common_select_level_close();	// usually already done on the state change, but not under a scripted UI
 		model_instance_free_all();
 		batch_render_close();