diff --git a/src/framework/components/render/component.js b/src/framework/components/render/component.js
index d0b47aca093..53dc3adbf4d 100644
--- a/src/framework/components/render/component.js
+++ b/src/framework/components/render/component.js
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@ import { AssetReference } from '../../asset/asset-reference.js';
 
 import { Component } from '../component.js';
 
-import { EntityReference } from '../../utils/entity-reference.js';
+/**
+ * @import { Entity } from '../../entity.js'
+ */
 
 /**
  * The RenderComponent enables an {@link Entity} to render 3D meshes. The {@link RenderComponent#type}
@@ -54,9 +56,6 @@ import { EntityReference } from '../../utils/entity-reference.js';
  * - [Primitive Shapes](https://playcanvas.github.io/#/graphics/shapes)
  * - [Loading Render Assets](https://playcanvas.github.io/#/graphics/render-asset)
  *
- * @property {import('../../entity.js').Entity} rootBone A reference to the entity to be used as
- * the root bone for any skinned meshes that are rendered by this component.
- *
  * @category Graphics
  */
 class RenderComponent extends Component {
@@ -136,10 +135,13 @@ class RenderComponent extends Component {
     _material;
 
     /**
-     * @type {EntityReference}
+     * A reference to the entity to be used as the root bone for any skinned meshes that
+     * are rendered by this component.
+     *
+     * @type {Entity|null}
      * @private
      */
-    _rootBone;
+    _rootBone = null;
 
     /**
      * @type {import('../../../core/event-handle.js').EventHandle|null}
@@ -170,15 +172,12 @@ class RenderComponent extends Component {
      *
      * @param {import('./system.js').RenderComponentSystem} system - The ComponentSystem that
      * created this Component.
-     * @param {import('../../entity.js').Entity} entity - The Entity that this Component is
-     * attached to.
+     * @param {Entity} entity - The Entity that this Component is attached to.
      */
     constructor(system, entity) {
         super(system, entity);
 
         // the entity that represents the root bone if this render component has skinned meshes
-        this._rootBone = new EntityReference(this, 'rootBone');
-        this._rootBone.on('set:entity', this._onSetRootBone, this);
 
         // render asset reference
         this._assetReference = new AssetReference(
@@ -275,7 +274,6 @@ class RenderComponent extends Component {
      * @type {string}
      */
     set type(value) {
-
         if (this._type !== value) {
             this._area = null;
             this._type = value;
@@ -312,7 +310,6 @@ class RenderComponent extends Component {
      * @type {MeshInstance[]}
      */
     set meshInstances(value) {
-
         Debug.assert(Array.isArray(value), 'MeshInstances set to a Render component must be an array.');
         this.destroyMeshInstances();
 
@@ -703,27 +700,49 @@ class RenderComponent extends Component {
     }
 
     /**
-     * @param {import('../../entity.js').Entity} entity - The entity set as the root bone.
-     * @private
+     * Sets the root bone entity (or entity guid) for the render component.
+     *
+     * @type {Entity|string|null}
      */
-    _onSetRootBone(entity) {
-        if (entity) {
-            this._onRootBoneChanged();
+    set rootBone(value) {
+        if (this._rootBone !== value) {
+            const isString = typeof value === 'string';
+            if (this._rootBone && isString && this._rootBone.getGuid() === value) {
+                return;
+            }
+
+            if (this._rootBone) {
+                this._clearSkinInstances();
+            }
+
+            if (value instanceof GraphNode) {
+                this._rootBone = value;
+            } else if (isString) {
+                this._rootBone = this.system.app.getEntityFromIndex(value) || null;
+                if (!this._rootBone) {
+                    Debug.warn('Failed to find rootBone Entity by GUID');
+                }
+            } else {
+                this._rootBone = null;
+            }
+
+            if (this._rootBone) {
+                this._cloneSkinInstances();
+            }
         }
     }
 
-    /** @private */
-    _onRootBoneChanged() {
-        // remove existing skin instances and create new ones, connected to new root bone
-        this._clearSkinInstances();
-        if (this.enabled && this.entity.enabled) {
-            this._cloneSkinInstances();
-        }
+    /**
+     * Gets the root bone entity for the render component.
+     *
+     * @type {Entity|null}
+     */
+    get rootBone() {
+        return this._rootBone;
     }
 
     /** @private */
     destroyMeshInstances() {
-
         const meshInstances = this._meshInstances;
         if (meshInstances) {
             this.removeFromLayers();
@@ -814,9 +833,9 @@ class RenderComponent extends Component {
         const scene = app.scene;
         const layers = scene.layers;
 
-        this._rootBone.onParentComponentEnable();
-
-        this._cloneSkinInstances();
+        if (this._rootBone) {
+            this._cloneSkinInstances();
+        }
 
         this._evtLayersChanged = scene.on('set:layers', this.onLayersChanged, this);
 
@@ -852,6 +871,10 @@ class RenderComponent extends Component {
         this._evtLayersChanged?.off();
         this._evtLayersChanged = null;
 
+        if (this._rootBone) {
+            this._clearSkinInstances();
+        }
+
         if (layers) {
             this._evtLayerAdded?.off();
             this._evtLayerAdded = null;
@@ -904,7 +927,6 @@ class RenderComponent extends Component {
     }
 
     _onRenderAssetLoad() {
-
         // remove existing instances
         this.destroyMeshInstances();
 
@@ -923,7 +945,6 @@ class RenderComponent extends Component {
     }
 
     _clearSkinInstances() {
-
         for (let i = 0; i < this._meshInstances.length; i++) {
             const meshInstance = this._meshInstances[i];
 
@@ -934,23 +955,20 @@ class RenderComponent extends Component {
     }
 
     _cloneSkinInstances() {
-
-        if (this._meshInstances.length && this._rootBone.entity instanceof GraphNode) {
-
+        if (this._meshInstances.length && this._rootBone instanceof GraphNode) {
             for (let i = 0; i < this._meshInstances.length; i++) {
                 const meshInstance = this._meshInstances[i];
                 const mesh = meshInstance.mesh;
 
                 // if skinned but does not have instance created yet
                 if (mesh.skin && !meshInstance.skinInstance) {
-                    meshInstance.skinInstance = SkinInstanceCache.createCachedSkinInstance(mesh.skin, this._rootBone.entity, this.entity);
+                    meshInstance.skinInstance = SkinInstanceCache.createCachedSkinInstance(mesh.skin, this._rootBone, this.entity);
                 }
             }
         }
     }
 
     _cloneMeshes(meshes) {
-
         if (meshes && meshes.length) {
 
             // cloned mesh instances
@@ -1031,10 +1049,9 @@ class RenderComponent extends Component {
     }
 
     resolveDuplicatedEntityReferenceProperties(oldRender, duplicatedIdsMap) {
-        if (oldRender.rootBone && duplicatedIdsMap[oldRender.rootBone]) {
-            this.rootBone = duplicatedIdsMap[oldRender.rootBone];
+        if (oldRender.rootBone) {
+            this.rootBone = duplicatedIdsMap[oldRender.rootBone.getGuid()];
         }
-        this._clearSkinInstances();
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/framework/components/render/data.js b/src/framework/components/render/data.js
index 5ff36ded89e..53ac9f97c13 100644
--- a/src/framework/components/render/data.js
+++ b/src/framework/components/render/data.js
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 class RenderComponentData {
     constructor() {
         this.enabled = true;
-        this.rootBone = null;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/framework/components/render/system.js b/src/framework/components/render/system.js
index 12688a94cb1..df3d4484cc6 100644
--- a/src/framework/components/render/system.js
+++ b/src/framework/components/render/system.js
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import { RenderComponent } from './component.js';
 import { RenderComponentData } from './data.js';
 
 const _schema = [
-    { name: 'rootBone', type: 'entity' },
     'enabled'
 ];
 
@@ -30,7 +29,8 @@ const _properties = [
     'type',
     'layers',
     'isStatic',
-    'batchGroupId'
+    'batchGroupId',
+    'rootBone'
 ];
 
 /**