diff --git a/panda/src/chan/partBundle.cxx b/panda/src/chan/partBundle.cxx
index a439eae620..9c23a03d8e 100644
--- a/panda/src/chan/partBundle.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/chan/partBundle.cxx
@@ -752,7 +752,9 @@ int PartBundle::
 complete_pointers(TypedWritable **p_list, BamReader *manager) {
   int pi = PartGroup::complete_pointers(p_list, manager);
   
-  _anim_preload = DCAST(AnimPreloadTable, p_list[pi++]);
+  if (manager->get_file_minor_ver() >= 17) {
+    _anim_preload = DCAST(AnimPreloadTable, p_list[pi++]);
+  }
 
   return pi;
 }