diff --git a/sceneObjects/DMeshSO.cs b/sceneObjects/DMeshSO.cs
index 8ad35f6..c862f83 100644
--- a/sceneObjects/DMeshSO.cs
+++ b/sceneObjects/DMeshSO.cs
@@ -472,10 +472,7 @@ override public bool FindRayIntersection(Ray3f rayW, out SORayHit hit)
             if (enable_spatial == false)
                 return false;
 
-            if (spatial == null) {
-                spatial = new DMeshAABBTree3(mesh);
-                spatial.Build();
-            }
+            validate_spatial();
 
             // convert ray to local
             FScene scene = this.GetScene();
@@ -517,10 +514,7 @@ public virtual bool FindNearest(Vector3d point, double maxDist, out SORayHit nea
             if (enable_spatial == false)
                 return false;
 
-            if (spatial == null) {
-                spatial = new DMeshAABBTree3(mesh);
-                spatial.Build();
-            }
+            validate_spatial();
 
             // convert to local
             Vector3f local_pt = SceneTransforms.TransformTo((Vector3f)point, this, eInCoords, CoordSpace.ObjectCoords);