diff --git a/libraries/model-serializers/src/GLTFSerializer.h b/libraries/model-serializers/src/GLTFSerializer.h
index 1999ba71cf..203bae47d5 100644
--- a/libraries/model-serializers/src/GLTFSerializer.h
+++ b/libraries/model-serializers/src/GLTFSerializer.h
@@ -16,12 +16,20 @@
 
 #include <sstream>
 
-inline float atof_locale_independent(char *str) {
+#include <memory.h>
+#include <QtNetwork/QNetworkReply>
+#include <hfm/ModelFormatLogging.h>
+#include <hfm/HFMSerializer.h>
+
+static float atof_locale_independent(char *str) {
     //TODO: Once we have C++17 we can use std::from_chars
     std::istringstream streamToParse(str);
     streamToParse.imbue(std::locale("C"));
-    float value = 0.0f;
-    streamToParse >> value;
+    float value;
+    if(!(streamToParse >> value)) {
+        qDebug(modelformat) << "cgltf: Cannot parse float from string: " << str;
+        return 0.0f;
+    }
     return value;
 }
 
@@ -29,11 +37,6 @@ inline float atof_locale_independent(char *str) {
 
 #include "cgltf.h"
 
-#include <memory.h>
-#include <QtNetwork/QNetworkReply>
-#include <hfm/ModelFormatLogging.h>
-#include <hfm/HFMSerializer.h>
-
 
 class GLTFSerializer : public QObject, public HFMSerializer {
     Q_OBJECT