diff --git a/code/model/model.h b/code/model/model.h
index cd1c3562f8c..e88a1c67948 100644
--- a/code/model/model.h
+++ b/code/model/model.h
@@ -1316,6 +1316,7 @@ typedef struct mc_info {
 #define MC_CHECK_INVISIBLE_FACES (1<<8)		// Check the invisible faces.
 #define MC_COLLIDE_ALL (1<<9)				// Returns ALL hits via hit_points_all, including backfacing polies hits
 
+#define MC_RESPECT_DETAIL_BOX_SPHERE (1<<10) //Skip a submodel if it is an invisible detailbox
 
 /*
    Checks to see if a vector from p0 to p0 collides with a model of
diff --git a/code/model/modelcollide.cpp b/code/model/modelcollide.cpp
index c6fe18afa20..1ebfeb93138 100644
--- a/code/model/modelcollide.cpp
+++ b/code/model/modelcollide.cpp
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@
 #include "math/fvi.h"
 #include "math/vecmat.h"
 #include "model/model.h"
+#include "model/modelrender.h"
 #include "model/modelsinc.h"
-#include "tracing/tracing.h"
+#include "render/3d.h"
 #include "tracing/Monitor.h"
-
-
+#include "tracing/tracing.h"
 
 #define TOL		1E-4
 #define DIST_TOL	1.0
@@ -976,6 +976,14 @@ void mc_check_subobj( int mn )
 	if (sm->flags[Model::Submodel_flags::No_collisions]) return; // don't do collisions
 	if (sm->flags[Model::Submodel_flags::Nocollide_this_only]) goto NoHit; // Don't collide for this model, but keep checking others
 
+	if (Mc->flags & MC_RESPECT_DETAIL_BOX_SPHERE) {
+		vec3d local;
+		vm_vec_sub(&local, &Eye_position, Mc->pos);
+		vm_vec_rotate(&local, &local, Mc->orient);
+		if (!model_render_check_detail_box(&local, Mc_pm, mn, MR_NORMAL))
+			goto NoHit; //This submodel is a detail box that is not displayed, skip it
+	}
+
 	// Rotate the world check points into the current subobject's 
 	// frame of reference.
 	// After this block, Mc_p0, Mc_p1, Mc_direction, and Mc_mag are correct
diff --git a/code/ship/shipfx.cpp b/code/ship/shipfx.cpp
index ea3aac21d30..fb185c2312a 100644
--- a/code/ship/shipfx.cpp
+++ b/code/ship/shipfx.cpp
@@ -834,7 +834,7 @@ bool shipfx_eye_in_shadow( vec3d *eye_pos, object * src_obj, int light_n )
 			mc.pos = &objp->pos;
 			mc.p0 = &rp0;
 			mc.p1 = &rp1;
-			mc.flags = MC_CHECK_MODEL;	
+			mc.flags = MC_CHECK_MODEL | MC_RESPECT_DETAIL_BOX_SPHERE;
 
 			if (model_collide(&mc)) {
 				return true;
@@ -887,7 +887,7 @@ bool shipfx_eye_in_shadow( vec3d *eye_pos, object * src_obj, int light_n )
 				mc.pos = &pos;
 				mc.p0 = &rp0;
 				mc.p1 = &rp1;
-				mc.flags = MC_CHECK_MODEL;
+				mc.flags = MC_CHECK_MODEL | MC_RESPECT_DETAIL_BOX_SPHERE;
 
 				int mc_result = model_collide(&mc);
 				mc.pos = NULL;
@@ -936,7 +936,7 @@ bool shipfx_eye_in_shadow( vec3d *eye_pos, object * src_obj, int light_n )
 				mc.pos = &Viewer_obj->pos;
 				mc.p0 = &rp0;
 				mc.p1 = &rp1;
-				mc.flags = MC_CHECK_MODEL;
+				mc.flags = MC_CHECK_MODEL | MC_RESPECT_DETAIL_BOX_SPHERE;
 
 				if( model_collide(&mc) ) {
 					if ( mc.t_poly ) {