diff --git a/Source/GltfImporter.cpp b/Source/GltfImporter.cpp
index b96ec21a..eefe3953 100644
--- a/Source/GltfImporter.cpp
+++ b/Source/GltfImporter.cpp
@@ -574,6 +574,7 @@ namespace
                                          uint32_t                     frameIndex,
                                          const cgltf_material*        mat,
                                          TextureManager&              textureManager,
+                                         bool                         isReplacement,
                                          const std::filesystem::path& gltfFolder,
                                          std::string_view             gltfPath )
     {
@@ -726,7 +727,7 @@ namespace
         if( !materialName.empty() )
         {
             textureManager.TryCreateImportedMaterial(
-                cmd, frameIndex, materialName, fullPaths, samplers, pbrSwizzling );
+                cmd, frameIndex, materialName, fullPaths, samplers, pbrSwizzling, isReplacement );
         }
 
         if( auto t = mat->pbr_metallic_roughness.metallic_roughness_texture.texture )
@@ -967,6 +968,7 @@ RTGL1::GltfImporter::~GltfImporter()
 auto RTGL1::GltfImporter::ParseFile( VkCommandBuffer           cmdForTextures,
                                      uint32_t                  frameIndex,
                                      TextureManager&           textureManager,
+                                     bool                      isReplacement,
                                      const TextureMetaManager& textureMeta ) const -> WholeModelFile
 {
     cgltf_node* mainNode = FindMainRootNode( data );
@@ -1042,7 +1044,7 @@ auto RTGL1::GltfImporter::ParseFile( VkCommandBuffer           cmdForTextures,
 
         // mesh
         auto AppendMeshPrimitives =
-            [ this, &cmdForTextures, &frameIndex, &textureManager, &textureMeta ](
+            [ this, &cmdForTextures, &frameIndex, &textureManager, &isReplacement, & textureMeta ](
                 std::vector< WholeModelFile::RawModelData::RawPrimitiveData >& target,
                 const cgltf_node*                                              atnode,
                 const RgTransform*                                             transform ) {
@@ -1112,6 +1114,7 @@ auto RTGL1::GltfImporter::ParseFile( VkCommandBuffer           cmdForTextures,
                                                    frameIndex,
                                                    srcPrim.material,
                                                    textureManager,
+                                                   isReplacement,
                                                    gltfFolder,
                                                    gltfPath );
 
diff --git a/Source/GltfImporter.h b/Source/GltfImporter.h
index 5451c867..ab24d406 100644
--- a/Source/GltfImporter.h
+++ b/Source/GltfImporter.h
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ class GltfImporter
     [[nodiscard]] auto ParseFile( VkCommandBuffer           cmdForTextures,
                                   uint32_t                  frameIndex,
                                   TextureManager&           textureManager,
+                                  bool                      isReplacement,
                                   const TextureMetaManager& textureMeta ) const -> WholeModelFile;
 
     explicit operator bool() const;
diff --git a/Source/Scene.cpp b/Source/Scene.cpp
index 5246262c..ea1ea4c6 100644
--- a/Source/Scene.cpp
+++ b/Source/Scene.cpp
@@ -517,8 +517,7 @@ void RTGL1::Scene::NewScene( VkCommandBuffer              cmd,
     staticLights.clear();
 
     {
-        // TODO: free only static-scene related if !reimportReplacements
-        textureManager.FreeAllImportedMaterials( frameIndex );
+        textureManager.FreeAllImportedMaterials( frameIndex, reimportReplacements );
     }
 
     assert( !makingStatic );
@@ -536,7 +535,7 @@ void RTGL1::Scene::NewScene( VkCommandBuffer              cmd,
         {
             if( auto i = GltfImporter{ path, worldTransform, worldScale } )
             {
-                auto wholeGltf = i.ParseFile( cmd, frameIndex, textureManager, textureMeta );
+                auto wholeGltf = i.ParseFile( cmd, frameIndex, textureManager, true, textureMeta );
 
                 if( !wholeGltf.lights.empty() )
                 {
@@ -592,7 +591,7 @@ void RTGL1::Scene::NewScene( VkCommandBuffer              cmd,
     {
         debug::Verbose( "Starting new static scene..." );
         const auto sceneFile =
-            staticScene.ParseFile( cmd, frameIndex, textureManager, textureMeta );
+            staticScene.ParseFile( cmd, frameIndex, textureManager, false, textureMeta );
 
         for( const auto& [ name, m ] : sceneFile.models )
         {
diff --git a/Source/TextureManager.cpp b/Source/TextureManager.cpp
index 6bf92c47..25680283 100644
--- a/Source/TextureManager.cpp
+++ b/Source/TextureManager.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include "Generated/ShaderCommonC.h"
 
 #include <numeric>
+#include <ranges>
 
 using namespace RTGL1;
 
@@ -541,7 +542,8 @@ bool TextureManager::TryCreateImportedMaterial( VkCommandBuffer
                                                 const std::string&                  materialName,
                                                 std::span< std::filesystem::path >  fullPaths,
                                                 std::span< SamplerManager::Handle > samplers,
-                                                RgTextureSwizzling customPbrSwizzling )
+                                                RgTextureSwizzling customPbrSwizzling,
+                                                bool               isReplacement )
 {
     assert( fullPaths.size() == TEXTURES_PER_MATERIAL_COUNT );
     assert( samplers.size() == TEXTURES_PER_MATERIAL_COUNT );
@@ -552,9 +554,18 @@ bool TextureManager::TryCreateImportedMaterial( VkCommandBuffer
         return false;
     }
 
-    if( importedMaterials.contains( materialName ) )
+    // check if already uploaded
     {
-        return true;
+        auto found = importedMaterials.find( materialName );
+        if( found != importedMaterials.end() )
+        {
+            if( isReplacement )
+            {
+                // promote to a stronger type
+                found->second = ImportedType::ForReplacement;
+            }
+            return true;
+        }
     }
 
     if( PreferExistingMaterials )
@@ -607,19 +618,36 @@ bool TextureManager::TryCreateImportedMaterial( VkCommandBuffer
     static_assert( TEXTURE_OCCLUSION_ROUGHNESS_METALLIC_INDEX == 1 );
 
     // to free later / to prevent export from ExportOriginalMaterialTextures
-    importedMaterials.insert( materialName );
+    auto [ iter, isNew ] = importedMaterials.emplace(
+        materialName, isReplacement ? ImportedType::ForReplacement : ImportedType::ForStatic );
+    assert( isNew );
 
     MakeMaterial( cmd, frameIndex, materialName, ovrd, samplers, swizzlings );
     return true;
 }
 
-void TextureManager::FreeAllImportedMaterials( uint32_t frameIndex )
+void TextureManager::FreeAllImportedMaterials( uint32_t frameIndex, bool freeReplacements )
 {
-    for( const auto& materialName : importedMaterials )
+    if( freeReplacements )
     {
-        TryDestroyMaterial( frameIndex, materialName.c_str() );
+        for( const auto& materialName : importedMaterials | std::views::keys )
+        {
+            TryDestroyMaterial( frameIndex, materialName.c_str() );
+        }
+        importedMaterials.clear();
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        for( const auto& [ materialName, importType ] : importedMaterials )
+        {
+            if( importType != ImportedType::ForReplacement )
+            {
+                TryDestroyMaterial( frameIndex, materialName.c_str() );
+            }
+        }
+        erase_if( importedMaterials,
+                  []( const auto& kv ) { return kv.second != ImportedType::ForReplacement; } );
     }
-    importedMaterials.clear();
 }
 
 uint32_t TextureManager::PrepareTexture( VkCommandBuffer                                 cmd,
diff --git a/Source/TextureManager.h b/Source/TextureManager.h
index a68cb011..47d22a43 100644
--- a/Source/TextureManager.h
+++ b/Source/TextureManager.h
@@ -81,8 +81,9 @@ class TextureManager : public IFileDependency
                                     const std::string&                  materialName,
                                     std::span< std::filesystem::path >  fullPaths,
                                     std::span< SamplerManager::Handle > samplers,
-                                    RgTextureSwizzling                  customPbrSwizzling );
-    void FreeAllImportedMaterials( uint32_t frameIndex );
+                                    RgTextureSwizzling                  customPbrSwizzling,
+                                    bool                                isReplacement );
+    void FreeAllImportedMaterials( uint32_t frameIndex, bool freeReplacements );
 
     bool TryDestroyMaterial( uint32_t frameIndex, const char* materialName );
 
@@ -216,8 +217,14 @@ class TextureManager : public IFileDependency
     std::vector< Texture >               texturesToDestroy[ MAX_FRAMES_IN_FLIGHT ];
     std::vector< std::filesystem::path > texturesToReload;
 
-    rgl::string_map< Material > materials;
-    rgl::string_set             importedMaterials;
+    enum class ImportedType
+    {
+        ForReplacement,
+        ForStatic,
+    };
+
+    rgl::string_map< Material >     materials;
+    rgl::string_map< ImportedType > importedMaterials;
 
     uint32_t waterNormalTextureIndex;
     uint32_t dirtMaskTextureIndex;