diff --git a/src/common/ml_document/mesh_model.cpp b/src/common/ml_document/mesh_model.cpp
index f82e106ec..c10d46e73 100644
--- a/src/common/ml_document/mesh_model.cpp
+++ b/src/common/ml_document/mesh_model.cpp
@@ -98,18 +98,18 @@ std::list<std::string> MeshModel::loadTextures(
 {
 	std::list<std::string> unloadedTextures;
 	for (std::string& textName : cm.textures){
-		if (textName.front() != ':'){
+		if (textures.find(textName) == textures.end()){
 			QImage img(":/img/dummy.png");
 			QFileInfo finfo(QString::fromStdString(textName));
 			try {
 				img = meshlab::loadImage(finfo.absoluteFilePath(), log, cb);
-				textName = ":" + finfo.fileName().toStdString();
+				textName = finfo.fileName().toStdString();
 			} catch (const MLException& e) {
 				try { //could be relative to the meshmodel
 					QFileInfo mfi(fullName());
 					QString fn2 = mfi.absolutePath() + "/" + finfo.fileName();
 					img = meshlab::loadImage(fn2, log, cb);
-					textName = ":" + finfo.fileName().toStdString();
+					textName = finfo.fileName().toStdString();
 				} catch (const MLException& e) {
 					if (log){
 						log->log(
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ std::list<std::string> MeshModel::loadTextures(
 							"Failed loading " + textName + "; using a dummy texture\n";
 					}
 					unloadedTextures.push_back(textName);
-					textName = ":dummy.png";
+					textName = "dummy.png";
 				}
 			}
 			textures[textName] = img;
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ void MeshModel::saveTextures(
 {
 	for (const std::string& tname : cm.textures){
 		meshlab::saveImage(
-				basePath + "/" + QString::fromStdString(tname.substr(1)),
+				basePath + "/" + QString::fromStdString(tname),
 				textures.at(tname), log, cb);
 	}
 }
@@ -159,8 +159,6 @@ void MeshModel::clearTextures()
 
 void MeshModel::addTexture(std::string name, const QImage& txt)
 {
-	if (name.front() != ':')
-		name = ":" + name;
 	cm.textures.push_back(name);
 	textures[name]=txt;
 }
@@ -179,8 +177,6 @@ void MeshModel::changeTextureName(
 	auto mit = textures.find(oldName);
 	auto tit = std::find(cm.textures.begin(), cm.textures.end(), oldName);
 	if (mit != textures.end() && tit != cm.textures.end()){
-		if (newName.front() != ':')
-			newName = ":" + newName;
 		*tit = newName;
 
 		textures[newName] = mit->second;
diff --git a/src/meshlab/dialogs/save_mesh_attributes_dialog.cpp b/src/meshlab/dialogs/save_mesh_attributes_dialog.cpp
index e6724f3e7..58463b25a 100644
--- a/src/meshlab/dialogs/save_mesh_attributes_dialog.cpp
+++ b/src/meshlab/dialogs/save_mesh_attributes_dialog.cpp
@@ -71,8 +71,8 @@ SaveMeshAttributesDialog::SaveMeshAttributesDialog(
 	textureNames.reserve(m->cm.textures.size());
 	for(const std::string& tname : m->cm.textures)
 	{
-		textureNames.push_back(tname.substr(1));
-		QString item(tname.substr(1).c_str());
+		textureNames.push_back(tname);
+		QString item(tname.c_str());
 		ui->listTextureName->addItem(item);
 	}
 	setMaskCapability();
diff --git a/src/meshlab/mainwindow_RunTime.cpp b/src/meshlab/mainwindow_RunTime.cpp
index 347073c79..392ede03f 100644
--- a/src/meshlab/mainwindow_RunTime.cpp
+++ b/src/meshlab/mainwindow_RunTime.cpp
@@ -2718,6 +2718,9 @@ bool MainWindow::exportMesh(QString fileName,MeshModel* mod,const bool saveAllPo
 		savePar = maskDialog.getNewAdditionalSaveParameters();
 		std::vector<std::string> textureNames = maskDialog.getTextureNames();
 		for (unsigned int i = 0; i < mod->cm.textures.size(); ++i){
+			if (textureNames[i].find('.') == std::string::npos){
+				textureNames[i] += ".png";
+			}
 			mod->changeTextureName(mod->cm.textures[i], textureNames[i]);
 		}
 		if (!saveAllPossibleAttributes)
diff --git a/src/meshlabplugins/filter_texture/filter_texture.cpp b/src/meshlabplugins/filter_texture/filter_texture.cpp
index ff0a56a46..3e246676a 100644
--- a/src/meshlabplugins/filter_texture/filter_texture.cpp
+++ b/src/meshlabplugins/filter_texture/filter_texture.cpp
@@ -665,7 +665,7 @@ std::map<std::string, QVariant> FilterTexturePlugin::applyFilter(
 		QFileInfo finfo(textName);
 		//Assign texture
 		m.clearTextures();
-		m.addTexture(":" + finfo.fileName().toStdString(), textFile);
+		m.addTexture(finfo.fileName().toStdString(), textFile);
 	}
 		break;
 		
@@ -727,9 +727,9 @@ std::map<std::string, QVariant> FilterTexturePlugin::applyFilter(
 			else
 			{
 				if (texNum==1)
-					texFileNames[texInd] = ":" + baseName + ".png";
+					texFileNames[texInd] = baseName + ".png";
 				else
-					texFileNames[texInd] = ":" + baseName + "_" + QString::number(texInd) + ".png";
+					texFileNames[texInd] = baseName + "_" + QString::number(texInd) + ".png";
 			}
 
 			trgImgs.push_back(QImage(QSize(textW, textH), QImage::Format_ARGB32));
@@ -960,9 +960,9 @@ void FilterTexturePlugin::transferToTexture(
 		else
 		{
 			if (numTrgTex == 1)
-				trgTextureFileNames[trgTexInd] = ":" + baseName + ".png";
+				trgTextureFileNames[trgTexInd] = baseName + ".png";
 			else
-				trgTextureFileNames[trgTexInd] = ":" + baseName + "_" + QString::number(trgTexInd) + ".png";
+				trgTextureFileNames[trgTexInd] = baseName + "_" + QString::number(trgTexInd) + ".png";
 		}
 
 		trgImgs.push_back(QImage(QSize(textW, textH), QImage::Format_ARGB32));