diff --git a/update-frontend.sh b/update-frontend.sh
index f5214ff..ae49f5a 100755
--- a/update-frontend.sh
+++ b/update-frontend.sh
@@ -83,8 +83,17 @@ git -C "$ASSETS_DIR" lfs pull
 
 ASSET_MODELS_DIR="$ASSETS_DIR/models-src/3d/falukant"
 if [ ! -d "$ASSET_MODELS_DIR/characters" ]; then
-    echo "ERROR: Falukant models are missing from ${FALUKANT_MODELS_REPOSITORY}@${FALUKANT_MODELS_REF}" >&2
-    exit 1
+    # Keep deployments available while the dedicated LFS repository is being
+    # populated. The active slot has already been built with these sources,
+    # so it is a safe, read-only fallback for the new inactive slot.
+    FALLBACK_MODELS_DIR="$CURRENT_FRONTEND/models-src/3d/falukant"
+    if [ -d "$FALLBACK_MODELS_DIR/characters" ]; then
+        echo "WARN: Falukant models are missing from ${FALUKANT_MODELS_REPOSITORY}@${FALUKANT_MODELS_REF}; nutze Modelle aus dem aktiven Slot." >&2
+        ASSET_MODELS_DIR="$FALLBACK_MODELS_DIR"
+    else
+        echo "ERROR: Falukant models are missing from ${FALUKANT_MODELS_REPOSITORY}@${FALUKANT_MODELS_REF} and from the active slot" >&2
+        exit 1
+    fi
 fi
 
 echo "Übernehme Falukant-3D-Quellmodelle..."