diff --git a/graphics/include/gz/common/MeshManager.hh b/graphics/include/gz/common/MeshManager.hh
index 5185dd4c7..07e770cce 100644
--- a/graphics/include/gz/common/MeshManager.hh
+++ b/graphics/include/gz/common/MeshManager.hh
@@ -45,7 +45,11 @@ namespace gz
     class SubMesh;
 
     /// \class MeshManager MeshManager.hh gz/common/MeshManager.hh
-    /// \brief Maintains and manages all meshes
+    /// \brief Maintains and manages all meshes. Supported mesh formats are
+    /// STL (STLA, STLB), COLLADA, OBJ, GLTF (GLB) and FBX. By default only GLTF
+    /// and FBX are loaded using assimp loader, however if GZ_MESH_FORCE_ASSIMP
+    /// environment variable is set, then MeshManager will use assimp loader for
+    /// all supported mesh formats.
     class GZ_COMMON_GRAPHICS_VISIBLE MeshManager
         : public SingletonT<MeshManager>
     {
@@ -240,8 +244,12 @@ namespace gz
                                const gz::math::Vector2d &_segments,
                                const gz::math::Vector2d &_uvTile);
 
+      /// \brief Sets the forceAssimp flag by reading the GZ_MESH_FORCE_ASSIMP
+      /// environment variable. If forceAssimp true, MeshManager uses Assimp
+      /// for loading all mesh formats, otherwise only for GLTF and FBX.
+      public: void SetAssimpEnvs();
+
       /// \brief Tesselate a 2D mesh
-      ///
       /// Makes a zigzag pattern compatible with strips
       /// \param[in] _sm the mesh to tesselate
       /// \param[in] _meshWith mesh width
diff --git a/graphics/src/MeshManager.cc b/graphics/src/MeshManager.cc
index 5148b78cd..085dbb623 100644
--- a/graphics/src/MeshManager.cc
+++ b/graphics/src/MeshManager.cc
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ class gz::common::MeshManager::Implementation
 
   /// \brief Mutex to protect the mesh map
   public: std::mutex mutex;
+
+  /// \brief True if assimp is used for loading all supported mesh formats
+  public: bool forceAssimp;
 #ifdef _WIN32
 #pragma warning(pop)
 #endif
@@ -146,19 +149,26 @@ const Mesh *MeshManager::Load(const std::string &_filename)
     std::transform(extension.begin(), extension.end(),
         extension.begin(), ::tolower);
     MeshLoader *loader = nullptr;
-
-    if (extension == "stl" || extension == "stlb" || extension == "stla")
-      loader = &this->dataPtr->stlLoader;
-    else if (extension == "dae")
-      loader = &this->dataPtr->colladaLoader;
-    else if (extension == "obj")
-      loader = &this->dataPtr->objLoader;
-    else if (extension == "gltf" || extension == "glb" || extension == "fbx")
+    this->SetAssimpEnvs();
+    if (this->dataPtr->forceAssimp)
+    {
       loader = &this->dataPtr->assimpLoader;
+    }
     else
     {
-      gzerr << "Unsupported mesh format for file[" << _filename << "]\n";
-      return nullptr;
+      if (extension == "stl" || extension == "stlb" || extension == "stla")
+          loader = &this->dataPtr->stlLoader;
+      else if (extension == "dae")
+        loader = &this->dataPtr->colladaLoader;
+      else if (extension == "obj")
+        loader = &this->dataPtr->objLoader;
+      else if (extension == "gltf" || extension == "glb" || extension == "fbx")
+        loader = &this->dataPtr->assimpLoader;
+      else
+      {
+        gzerr << "Unsupported mesh format for file[" << _filename << "]\n";
+        return nullptr;
+      }
     }
     // This mutex prevents two threads from loading the same mesh at the
     // same time.
@@ -1619,3 +1629,16 @@ void MeshManager::ConvertPolylinesToVerticesAndEdges(
     }
   }
 }
+
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////
+void MeshManager::SetAssimpEnvs()
+{
+  std::string forceAssimpEnv;
+  common::env("GZ_MESH_FORCE_ASSIMP", forceAssimpEnv);
+  this->dataPtr->forceAssimp = false;
+  if (forceAssimpEnv == "true")
+  {
+    gzmsg << "Using assimp to load all mesh formats"  << std::endl;
+    this->dataPtr->forceAssimp = true;
+  }
+}