diff --git a/pandatool/src/eggcharbase/eggJointData.I b/pandatool/src/eggcharbase/eggJointData.I
index 2e3aa8b793..f34d27594e 100644
--- a/pandatool/src/eggcharbase/eggJointData.I
+++ b/pandatool/src/eggcharbase/eggJointData.I
@@ -48,6 +48,21 @@ get_child(int n) const {
   return _children[n];
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: EggJointData::find_joint
+//       Access: Public
+//  Description: Returns the first descendent joint found with the
+//               indicated name, or NULL if no joint has that name.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE EggJointData *EggJointData::
+find_joint(const string &name) {
+  EggJointData *joint = find_joint_exact(name);
+  if (joint == (EggJointData *)NULL) {
+    joint = find_joint_matches(name);
+  }
+  return joint;
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: EggJointData::has_rest_frame
 //       Access: Public
diff --git a/pandatool/src/eggcharbase/eggJointData.cxx b/pandatool/src/eggcharbase/eggJointData.cxx
index 8eeef98d43..39d40a06b0 100644
--- a/pandatool/src/eggcharbase/eggJointData.cxx
+++ b/pandatool/src/eggcharbase/eggJointData.cxx
@@ -44,29 +44,6 @@ EggJointData(EggCharacterCollection *collection,
   _rest_frames_differ = false;
 }
 
-////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-//     Function: EggJointData::find_joint
-//       Access: Public
-//  Description: Returns the first descendent joint found with the
-//               indicated name, or NULL if no joint has that name.
-////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-EggJointData *EggJointData::
-find_joint(const string &name) {
-  Children::const_iterator ci;
-  for (ci = _children.begin(); ci != _children.end(); ++ci) {
-    EggJointData *child = (*ci);
-    if (child->get_name() == name) {
-      return child;
-    }
-    EggJointData *result = child->find_joint(name);
-    if (result != (EggJointData *)NULL) {
-      return result;
-    }
-  }
-
-  return (EggJointData *)NULL;
-}
-
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: EggJointData::get_frame
 //       Access: Public
@@ -438,6 +415,53 @@ do_finish_reparent() {
   return all_ok;
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: EggJointData::find_joint_exact
+//       Access: Private
+//  Description: The recursive implementation of find_joint, this
+//               flavor searches recursively for an exact match of the
+//               preferred joint name.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+EggJointData *EggJointData::
+find_joint_exact(const string &name) {
+  Children::const_iterator ci;
+  for (ci = _children.begin(); ci != _children.end(); ++ci) {
+    EggJointData *child = (*ci);
+    if (child->get_name() == name) {
+      return child;
+    }
+    EggJointData *result = child->find_joint_exact(name);
+    if (result != (EggJointData *)NULL) {
+      return result;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return (EggJointData *)NULL;
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: EggJointData::find_joint_matches
+//       Access: Private
+//  Description: The recursive implementation of find_joint, this
+//               flavor searches recursively for any acceptable match.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+EggJointData *EggJointData::
+find_joint_matches(const string &name) {
+  Children::const_iterator ci;
+  for (ci = _children.begin(); ci != _children.end(); ++ci) {
+    EggJointData *child = (*ci);
+    if (child->matches_name(name)) {
+      return child;
+    }
+    EggJointData *result = child->find_joint_matches(name);
+    if (result != (EggJointData *)NULL) {
+      return result;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return (EggJointData *)NULL;
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: EggJointData::get_new_net_frame
 //       Access: Private
diff --git a/pandatool/src/eggcharbase/eggJointData.h b/pandatool/src/eggcharbase/eggJointData.h
index 3c4d368888..5f1778153d 100644
--- a/pandatool/src/eggcharbase/eggJointData.h
+++ b/pandatool/src/eggcharbase/eggJointData.h
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ public:
   INLINE EggJointData *get_parent() const;
   INLINE int get_num_children() const;
   INLINE EggJointData *get_child(int n) const;
-  EggJointData *find_joint(const string &name);
+  INLINE EggJointData *find_joint(const string &name);
 
   LMatrix4d get_frame(int model_index, int n) const;
   LMatrix4d get_net_frame(int model_index, int n) const;
@@ -69,6 +69,9 @@ protected:
   bool do_finish_reparent();
 
 private:
+  EggJointData *find_joint_exact(const string &name);
+  EggJointData *find_joint_matches(const string &name);
+
   const LMatrix4d &get_new_net_frame(int model_index, int n);
   const LMatrix4d &get_new_net_frame_inv(int model_index, int n);
   LMatrix4d get_new_frame(int model_index, int n);