diff --git a/panda/src/char/characterJoint.cxx b/panda/src/char/characterJoint.cxx
index 9efb002349..6ce5b0be88 100644
--- a/panda/src/char/characterJoint.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/char/characterJoint.cxx
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ CharacterJoint(const CharacterJoint &copy) :
   MovingPartMatrix(copy),
   _character(NULL),
   _net_transform(copy._net_transform),
-  _initial_net_transform_inverse(copy._initial_net_transform_inverse)
+  _initial_net_transform_inverse(copy._initial_net_transform_inverse),
+  _skinning_matrix(copy._skinning_matrix)
 {
   // We don't copy the sets of transform nodes.
 }
@@ -60,9 +61,12 @@ CharacterJoint(Character *character,
   // update_internals() to get our _net_transform set properly.
   update_internals(root, parent, true, false, current_thread);
 
-  // And then compute its inverse.  This is needed for JointVertexTransform,
-  // during animation.
+  // And then compute its inverse.  This is needed to track changes in
+  // _net_transform as the joint moves, so we can recompute _skinning_matrix,
+  // which maps vertices from their initial positions to their animated
+  // positions.
   _initial_net_transform_inverse = invert(_net_transform);
+  _skinning_matrix = LMatrix4::ident_mat();
 }
 
 /**
@@ -141,11 +145,13 @@ update_internals(PartBundle *root, PartGroup *parent, bool self_changed,
       }
     }
 
-    // Also tell our related JointVertexTransforms that they now need to
-    // recompute themselves.
+    // Recompute the transform used by any vertices animated by this joint.
+    _skinning_matrix = _initial_net_transform_inverse * _net_transform;
+
+    // Also tell our related JointVertexTransforms that we've changed their
+    // underlying matrix.
     VertexTransforms::iterator vti;
     for (vti = _vertex_transforms.begin(); vti != _vertex_transforms.end(); ++vti) {
-      (*vti)->_matrix_stale = true;
       (*vti)->mark_modified(current_thread);
     }
   }
diff --git a/panda/src/char/characterJoint.h b/panda/src/char/characterJoint.h
index 759d175c7e..5da83def66 100644
--- a/panda/src/char/characterJoint.h
+++ b/panda/src/char/characterJoint.h
@@ -108,6 +108,12 @@ public:
   LMatrix4 _net_transform;
   LMatrix4 _initial_net_transform_inverse;
 
+  // This is the product of the above; the matrix that gets applied to a
+  // vertex (whose coordinates are in the coordinate space of the character
+  // in its neutral pose) to transform it from its neutral position to its
+  // animated position.
+  LMatrix4 _skinning_matrix;
+
 public:
   virtual TypeHandle get_type() const {
     return get_class_type();
diff --git a/panda/src/char/jointVertexTransform.I b/panda/src/char/jointVertexTransform.I
index a5a2a2e8cf..4973ae6d60 100644
--- a/panda/src/char/jointVertexTransform.I
+++ b/panda/src/char/jointVertexTransform.I
@@ -18,13 +18,3 @@ INLINE const CharacterJoint *JointVertexTransform::
 get_joint() const {
   return _joint;
 }
-
-/**
- * Recomputes _matrix if it needs it.
- */
-INLINE void JointVertexTransform::
-check_matrix() const {
-  if (_matrix_stale) {
-    ((JointVertexTransform *)this)->compute_matrix();
-  }
-}
diff --git a/panda/src/char/jointVertexTransform.cxx b/panda/src/char/jointVertexTransform.cxx
index cf943669a7..5212aa6cd9 100644
--- a/panda/src/char/jointVertexTransform.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/char/jointVertexTransform.cxx
@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@ TypeHandle JointVertexTransform::_type_handle;
  * Constructs an invalid object; used only by the bam loader.
  */
 JointVertexTransform::
-JointVertexTransform() :
-  _matrix_stale(true)
+JointVertexTransform()
 {
 }
 
@@ -35,8 +34,7 @@ JointVertexTransform() :
  */
 JointVertexTransform::
 JointVertexTransform(CharacterJoint *joint) :
-  _joint(joint),
-  _matrix_stale(true)
+  _joint(joint)
 {
   // Tell the joint that we need to be informed when it moves.
   _joint->_vertex_transforms.insert(this);
@@ -57,8 +55,7 @@ JointVertexTransform::
  */
 void JointVertexTransform::
 get_matrix(LMatrix4 &matrix) const {
-  check_matrix();
-  matrix = _matrix;
+  matrix = _joint->_skinning_matrix;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -69,8 +66,7 @@ get_matrix(LMatrix4 &matrix) const {
  */
 void JointVertexTransform::
 mult_matrix(LMatrix4 &result, const LMatrix4 &previous) const {
-  check_matrix();
-  result.multiply(_matrix, previous);
+  result.multiply(_joint->_skinning_matrix, previous);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -80,9 +76,7 @@ mult_matrix(LMatrix4 &result, const LMatrix4 &previous) const {
  */
 void JointVertexTransform::
 accumulate_matrix(LMatrix4 &accum, PN_stdfloat weight) const {
-  check_matrix();
-
-  accum.accumulate(_matrix, weight);
+  accum.accumulate(_joint->_skinning_matrix, weight);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -93,19 +87,6 @@ output(ostream &out) const {
   out << _joint->get_name();
 }
 
-/**
- * Recomputes _matrix if it needs it.  Uses locking.
- */
-void JointVertexTransform::
-compute_matrix() {
-  LightMutexHolder holder(_lock);
-  if (_matrix_stale) {
-    _matrix = _joint->_initial_net_transform_inverse * _joint->_net_transform;
-    _matrix_stale = false;
-  }
-}
-
-
 /**
  * Tells the BamReader how to create objects of type JointVertexTransform.
  */
@@ -165,6 +146,5 @@ fillin(DatagramIterator &scan, BamReader *manager) {
   VertexTransform::fillin(scan, manager);
 
   manager->read_pointer(scan);
-  _matrix_stale = true;
   mark_modified(Thread::get_current_thread());
 }
diff --git a/panda/src/char/jointVertexTransform.h b/panda/src/char/jointVertexTransform.h
index 39b531de8d..1be097eba6 100644
--- a/panda/src/char/jointVertexTransform.h
+++ b/panda/src/char/jointVertexTransform.h
@@ -47,15 +47,8 @@ PUBLISHED:
   virtual void output(ostream &out) const;
 
 private:
-  INLINE void check_matrix() const;
-  void compute_matrix();
-
   PT(CharacterJoint) _joint;
 
-  LMatrix4 _matrix;
-  bool _matrix_stale;
-  LightMutex _lock;
-
 public:
   static void register_with_read_factory();
   virtual void write_datagram(BamWriter *manager, Datagram &dg);