diff --git a/src/user/user_api.cc b/src/user/user_api.cc
index 8393e101..8a327def 100644
--- a/src/user/user_api.cc
+++ b/src/user/user_api.cc
@@ -74,8 +74,37 @@ mjSpec* mj_parse(const char* filename, const char* content_type,
   }
 
   mjResource* resource = mju_openResource("", filename, vfs, error, error_sz);
+  // If we are unable to open the resource, we will create our own resource with
+  // just the filename. This allows decoders that rely on other systems to fetch
+  // their content to function without a custom resource provider.
+  // For example, USD may use identifiers to assets that are strictly in memory
+  // or that are fetched on a need-be basis via URI.
   if (!resource) {
-    mju_error("Could not load resource %s", filename);
+    resource = (mjResource*) mju_malloc(sizeof(mjResource));
+    if (resource == nullptr) {
+      if (error) {
+        strncpy(error, "could not allocate memory", error_sz);
+        error[error_sz - 1] = '\0';
+      }
+      return nullptr;
+    }
+
+    // clear out resource
+    memset(resource, 0, sizeof(mjResource));
+
+    // make space for filename
+    std::string fullname = filename;
+    std::size_t n = fullname.size();
+    resource->name = (char*) mju_malloc(sizeof(char) * (n + 1));
+    if (resource->name == nullptr) {
+      if (error) {
+        strncpy(error, "could not allocate memory", error_sz);
+        error[error_sz - 1] = '\0';
+      }
+      mju_closeResource(resource);
+      return nullptr;
+    }
+    memcpy(resource->name, fullname.c_str(), sizeof(char) * (n + 1));
   }
 
   mjSpec* spec = mju_decodeResource(resource, content_type);
diff --git a/test/plugin/decoder/decoder_test.cc b/test/plugin/decoder/decoder_test.cc
index f7076dd8..581b0db2 100644
--- a/test/plugin/decoder/decoder_test.cc
+++ b/test/plugin/decoder/decoder_test.cc
@@ -78,49 +78,44 @@ TEST_F(DecoderPluginTest, CanDecode) {
     </worldbody>
   </mujoco>
   )";
-  char error[1024];
-
-  // create VFS with the XML model and a dummy mesh
-  mjVFS vfs;
-  mj_defaultVFS(&vfs);
-  mj_addBufferVFS(&vfs, "model.xml", xml, strlen(xml));
-  mj_addBufferVFS(&vfs, "dummy.fakeformat", "0 1 2", strlen("0 1 2"));
-  mj_addBufferVFS(&vfs, "dummy.alsoFakeFormat", "0 1 2", strlen("0 1 2"));
 
   // Check referencing a resource via XML invokes the decoder.
-  mjModel* model = mj_loadXML("model.xml", &vfs, error, sizeof(error));
+  char error[1024];
+  mjSpec* spec =
+      mj_parseXMLString(xml, nullptr, error, sizeof(error));
+  mjModel* model = mj_compile(spec, nullptr);
   ASSERT_THAT(model, testing::NotNull()) << error;
   EXPECT_EQ(model->nbody, 2);  // world + included body
   EXPECT_EQ(model->ngeom, 1);
   mj_deleteModel(model);
+  mj_deleteSpec(spec);
 
   // Check mj_parse with extension .fakeformat
-  mjSpec* spec =
-      mj_parse("dummy.fakeformat", nullptr, &vfs, error, sizeof(error));
-  model = mj_compile(spec, &vfs);
+  spec =
+      mj_parse("dummy.fakeformat", nullptr, nullptr, error, sizeof(error));
+  model = mj_compile(spec, nullptr);
   EXPECT_EQ(model->nbody, 2);  // world + included body
   EXPECT_EQ(model->ngeom, 1);
   mj_deleteModel(model);
   mj_deleteSpec(spec);
 
   // Check mj_parse with extension .alsoFakeFormat
-  spec = mj_parse("dummy.alsoFakeFormat", nullptr, &vfs, error, sizeof(error));
-  model = mj_compile(spec, &vfs);
+  spec =
+      mj_parse("dummy.alsoFakeFormat", nullptr, nullptr, error, sizeof(error));
+  model = mj_compile(spec, nullptr);
   EXPECT_EQ(model->nbody, 2);  // world + included body
   EXPECT_EQ(model->ngeom, 1);
   mj_deleteModel(model);
   mj_deleteSpec(spec);
 
   // Check mj_parse with content_type
-  spec = mj_parse("dummy.fakeformat", "model/fakeformat", &vfs, error,
+  spec = mj_parse("dummy.fakeformat", "model/fakeformat", nullptr, error,
                   sizeof(error));
-  model = mj_compile(spec, &vfs);
+  model = mj_compile(spec, nullptr);
   EXPECT_EQ(model->nbody, 2);  // world + included body
   EXPECT_EQ(model->ngeom, 1);
   mj_deleteModel(model);
   mj_deleteSpec(spec);
-
-  mj_deleteVFS(&vfs);
 }
 
 }  // namespace