diff --git a/src/user/user_model.cc b/src/user/user_model.cc
index 9f46d8d4..e5d88214 100644
--- a/src/user/user_model.cc
+++ b/src/user/user_model.cc
@@ -5279,12 +5279,19 @@ void mjCModel::TryCompile(mjModel*& m, mjData*& d, const mjVFS* vfs) {
     if (geoms_[i]->mesh &&
         (geoms_[i]->spec.type == mjGEOM_MESH ||
          geoms_[i]->spec.type == mjGEOM_SDF) &&
-        (geoms_[i]->spec.contype || geoms_[i]->spec.conaffinity || is_in_pair ||
-         geoms_[i]->mesh->spec.inertia == mjMESH_INERTIA_CONVEX)) {
+        (geoms_[i]->spec.contype || geoms_[i]->spec.conaffinity || is_in_pair)) {
       geoms_[i]->mesh->SetNeedHull(true);
     }
   }
 
+  // convex inertia is computed from the hull, so it is needed whether or not
+  // any geom references the mesh
+  for (mjCMesh* mesh : meshes_) {
+    if (mesh->spec.inertia == mjMESH_INERTIA_CONVEX) {
+      mesh->SetNeedHull(true);
+    }
+  }
+
   // automatically set nuser fields
   SetNuser();
 
diff --git a/test/user/user_mesh_test.cc b/test/user/user_mesh_test.cc
index 5d1cde99..46c4c048 100644
--- a/test/user/user_mesh_test.cc
+++ b/test/user/user_mesh_test.cc
@@ -975,6 +975,22 @@ TEST_F(MjCMeshTest, ExactConvexInertia) {
   mj_deleteModel(model);
 }
 
+TEST_F(MjCMeshTest, UnreferencedConvexInertiaMesh) {
+  static constexpr char xml[] = R"(
+  <mujoco>
+    <asset>
+      <mesh name="orphan" inertia="convex"
+            vertex="0 0 1   1 0 0   0 1 0   -1 0 0   0 -1 0"
+            face="0 1 2   0 2 3   0 3 4   0 4 1   1 4 3   1 3 2"/>
+    </asset>
+    <worldbody/>
+  </mujoco>
+  )";
+  std::array<char, 1024> error;
+  MjModelPtr model = LoadModelFromString(xml, error.data(), error.size());
+  EXPECT_THAT(model.get(), NotNull()) << error.data();
+}
+
 TEST_F(MjCMeshTest, ExactShellInertia) {
   const std::string xml_path = GetTestDataFilePath(kShellInertiaPath);
   std::array<char, 1024> error;