Index: code/renderer/tr_bsp.c
===================================================================
--- code/renderer/tr_bsp.c	(revision 1386)
+++ code/renderer/tr_bsp.c	(working copy)
@@ -1320,7 +1320,10 @@
 
 		model = R_AllocModel();
 
-		assert( model != NULL );			// this should never happen
+		if ( !model ) {
+			// 080612 misantropia -- catch maps with >1024 models
+			ri.Error(ERR_DROP, "R_LoadSubmodels: R_AllocModel() failed");
+		}
 
 		model->type = MOD_BRUSH;
 		model->bmodel = out;