diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/Editor/ShipModPreview.cs b/Assets/Scripts/Editor/ShipModPreview.cs
index 64f9ea6b7..677253561 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/Editor/ShipModPreview.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/Editor/ShipModPreview.cs
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ public static class ShipModPreview
         bool Inside(Component part) => part != null && part.transform.IsChildOf(ship.transform);
         Require(ship.HullColliders.Length == 1 && Inside(ship.HullColliders[0]) &&
                 ship.HullColliders[0].GetComponent<MeshCollider>() != null, "one hull collider with a MeshCollider");
+        Require(ship.HullColliders[0].GetComponentsInChildren<Renderer>(true).All(renderer =>
+                    renderer.sharedMaterials.All(material => material == ship.InvisibleMaterial)),
+                "a hull collider that draws nothing");
         Require(Inside(ship.MapIcon) && Inside(ship.Shield) && Inside(ship.TractorBeam), "map icon, shield and tractor inside the ship");
         Require(ship.ThrusterHardpoints.Select(node => node.name).SequenceEqual(plan.Thrusters) &&
                 ship.ThrusterHardpoints.All(node => Inside(node) && Inside(node.Emitter) &&
diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/Editor/ShipPrefabAuthoring.cs b/Assets/Scripts/Editor/ShipPrefabAuthoring.cs
index 8a419c6e0..5d5b7352c 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/Editor/ShipPrefabAuthoring.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/Editor/ShipPrefabAuthoring.cs
@@ -160,7 +160,8 @@ public static class ShipPrefabAuthoring
         mapIcon.gameObject.layer = minimapLayer;
         hull.gameObject.layer = combatLayer;
         var hullRenderer = hull.GetComponent<MeshRenderer>();
-        if (hullRenderer != null) hullRenderer.forceRenderingOff = true;
+        // Serialized, so it survives SaveAsPrefabAsset and every clone; forceRenderingOff survives neither.
+        if (hullRenderer != null) ShipModShips.Hide(hullRenderer, invisible);
         var collider = AddOrGet<MeshCollider>(hull.gameObject);
         collider.sharedMesh = hullMesh;
         collider.convex = true;
diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/Editor/ShipPrefabAuthoringSmoke.cs b/Assets/Scripts/Editor/ShipPrefabAuthoringSmoke.cs
index 34f5abf83..9f740f557 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/Editor/ShipPrefabAuthoringSmoke.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/Editor/ShipPrefabAuthoringSmoke.cs
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ public static class ShipPrefabAuthoringSmoke
             Require(ship.RadiatorHardpoints.Length == 1 && ship.RadiatorHardpoints[0].Mesh != null, "radiator mesh");
             Require(ship.ArticulationPoints.Length == 1 && ship.ArticulationPoints[0].Group == 2, "articulation");
             Require(ship.HullColliders.Length == 1 && ship.HullColliders[0].GetComponent<MeshCollider>().convex, "hull collision");
+            Require(Array.TrueForAll(ship.HullColliders[0].GetComponent<MeshRenderer>().sharedMaterials,
+                material => material == ship.InvisibleMaterial), "hull collider drawn with the invisible material only");
             Require(ship.Shield != null && ship.Shield.GetComponent<ShieldEnvelope>() != null, "shield envelope");
             Require(ship.TractorBeam != null && ship.PingPrefab != null && ship.DestroyEffect != null, "shared assets");
             Require(ship.MapIcon != null && ship.MapIcon.gameObject.layer == LayerMask.NameToLayer("Minimap"), "map icon");
diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/Gameplay/ShipModShips.cs b/Assets/Scripts/Gameplay/ShipModShips.cs
index 354a1e4a6..7bc64bd37 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/Gameplay/ShipModShips.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/Gameplay/ShipModShips.cs
@@ -103,8 +103,10 @@ public static class ShipModShips
         if (!hullMesh.isReadable)
             throw new InvalidOperationException($"{ship.Id}: the hull-collider mesh imported unreadable, so it cannot back a MeshCollider.");
         hullNode.gameObject.layer = combat;
+        // The collision hull is never drawn. Its renderer takes the invisible material, which is serialized and so survives
+        // the prototype's clone; forceRenderingOff would not survive Instantiate.
         var hullRenderer = hullNode.GetComponent<MeshRenderer>();
-        if (hullRenderer != null) hullRenderer.forceRenderingOff = true;
+        if (hullRenderer != null) Hide(hullRenderer, template.Invisible);
         var collider = AddOrGet<MeshCollider>(hullNode.gameObject);
         collider.sharedMesh = hullMesh;
         collider.convex = true;
@@ -127,7 +129,7 @@ public static class ShipModShips
             // this renderer's visible material; forceRenderingOff would not survive Instantiate.
             var hardpoint = AddOrGet<ThrusterHardpoint>(Node(id).gameObject);
             hardpoint.Emitter = Renderer(id);
-            hardpoint.Emitter.sharedMaterials = Enumerable.Repeat(template.Invisible, hardpoint.Emitter.sharedMaterials.Length).ToArray();
+            Hide(hardpoint.Emitter, template.Invisible);
             return hardpoint;
         }).ToArray();
         var radiators = plan.Radiators.Select(id =>
@@ -162,6 +164,10 @@ public static class ShipModShips
         return instance;
     }
 
+    // Every material slot takes the invisible material, so the renderer draws nothing on the prototype and on every clone.
+    public static void Hide(Renderer renderer, Material invisible) =>
+        renderer.sharedMaterials = Enumerable.Repeat(invisible, renderer.sharedMaterials.Length).ToArray();
+
     private static void Reset(Transform transform)
     {
         transform.localPosition = Vector3.zero;