diff --git a/lib/loadMtl.js b/lib/loadMtl.js
index 96a39b3..c2cfb62 100644
--- a/lib/loadMtl.js
+++ b/lib/loadMtl.js
@@ -224,13 +224,26 @@ function loadMaterialTexture(material, name, textureOptions, mtlDirectory, textu
 
     var texturePromise = texturePromiseMap[texturePath];
     if (!defined(texturePromise)) {
+        var shallowPath = path.resolve(path.join(mtlDirectory, path.basename(texturePath)));
         if (options.secure && outsideDirectory(texturePath, mtlDirectory)) {
-            options.logger('Could not read texture file at ' + texturePath + ' because it is outside of the mtl directory and the secure flag is true. This texture will be ignored.');
-            texturePromise = Promise.resolve();
+            // Try looking for the texture in the same directory as the obj
+            options.logger('Texture file is outside of the mtl directory and the secure flag is true. Attempting to read the texture file from within the obj directory instead.');
+            texturePromise = loadTexture(shallowPath, textureOptions)
+                .catch(function(error) {
+                    options.logger(error.message);
+                    options.logger('Could not read texture file at ' + shallowPath + '. This texture will be ignored');
+                });
         } else {
             texturePromise = loadTexture(texturePath, textureOptions)
-                .catch(function() {
-                    options.logger('Could not read texture file at ' + texturePath + '. This texture will be ignored.');
+                .catch(function(error) {
+                    // Try looking for the texture in the same directory as the obj
+                    options.logger(error.message);
+                    options.logger('Could not read texture file at ' + texturePath + '. Attempting to read the texture file from within the obj directory instead.');
+                    return loadTexture(shallowPath, textureOptions);
+                })
+                .catch(function(error) {
+                    options.logger(error.message);
+                    options.logger('Could not read texture file at ' + shallowPath + '. This texture will be ignored.');
                 });
         }
         texturePromiseMap[texturePath] = texturePromise;
diff --git a/lib/loadObj.js b/lib/loadObj.js
index 643efaf..70f8380 100644
--- a/lib/loadObj.js
+++ b/lib/loadObj.js
@@ -535,16 +535,33 @@ function loadMtls(mtlPaths, objPath, options) {
     var materials = [];
     return Promise.map(mtlPaths, function(mtlPath) {
         mtlPath = path.resolve(objDirectory, mtlPath);
+        var shallowPath = path.resolve(path.join(objDirectory, path.basename(mtlPath)));
         if (options.secure && outsideDirectory(mtlPath, objDirectory)) {
-            options.logger('Could not read mtl file at ' + mtlPath + ' because it is outside of the obj directory and the secure flag is true. Using default material instead.');
-            return;
+            // Try looking for the .mtl in the same directory as the obj
+            options.logger('The material file is outside of the obj directory and the secure flag is true. Attempting to read the material file from within the obj directory instead.');
+            return loadMtl(shallowPath, options)
+                .then(function(materialsInMtl) {
+                    materials = materials.concat(materialsInMtl);
+                })
+                .catch(function(error) {
+                    options.logger(error.message);
+                    options.logger('Could not read material file at ' + shallowPath + '. Using default material instead.');
+                });
         }
+
         return loadMtl(mtlPath, options)
+            .catch(function(error) {
+                // Try looking for the .mtl in the same directory as the obj
+                options.logger(error.message);
+                options.logger('Could not read material file at ' + mtlPath + '. Attempting to read the material file from within the obj directory instead.');
+                return loadMtl(shallowPath, options);
+            })
             .then(function(materialsInMtl) {
                 materials = materials.concat(materialsInMtl);
             })
-            .catch(function() {
-                options.logger('Could not read mtl file at ' + mtlPath + '. Using default material instead.');
+            .catch(function(error) {
+                options.logger(error.message);
+                options.logger('Could not read material file at ' + shallowPath + '. Using default material instead.');
             });
     }, {concurrency : 10})
         .then(function() {
diff --git a/specs/data/box-external-resources-in-root/box-external-resources-in-root.mtl b/specs/data/box-external-resources-in-root/box-external-resources-in-root.mtl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2e2d3a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/specs/data/box-external-resources-in-root/box-external-resources-in-root.mtl
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# Blender MTL File: 'box.blend'
+# Material Count: 1
+
+newmtl MaterialTextured
+Ns 96.078431
+Ka 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
+Kd 0.640000 0.640000 0.640000
+Ks 0.500000 0.500000 0.500000
+Ke 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
+Ni 1.000000
+d 1.000000
+illum 2
+map_Kd ../box-textured/cesium.png
diff --git a/specs/data/box-external-resources-in-root/box-external-resources-in-root.obj b/specs/data/box-external-resources-in-root/box-external-resources-in-root.obj
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6b17fc5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/specs/data/box-external-resources-in-root/box-external-resources-in-root.obj
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+# Blender v2.78 (sub 0) OBJ File: 'box-multiple-materials.blend'
+# www.blender.org
+mtllib box-external-resources-in-root.mtl
+mtllib ../box/box.mtl
+v -1.000000 -1.000000 1.000000
+v -1.000000 1.000000 1.000000
+v -1.000000 -1.000000 -1.000000
+v -1.000000 1.000000 -1.000000
+v 1.000000 -1.000000 1.000000
+v 1.000000 1.000000 1.000000
+v 1.000000 -1.000000 -1.000000
+v 1.000000 1.000000 -1.000000
+vt 0.0000 0.0000
+vt 1.0000 0.0000
+vt 1.0000 1.0000
+vt 0.0000 1.0000
+vt 0.0000 0.0000
+vt 1.0000 0.0000
+vt 1.0000 1.0000
+vt 0.0000 1.0000
+vt 0.0000 0.0000
+vt 1.0000 0.0000
+vt 1.0000 1.0000
+vt 0.0000 1.0000
+vt 0.0000 0.0000
+vt 1.0000 0.0000
+vt 1.0000 1.0000
+vt 0.0000 1.0000
+vt 1.0000 1.0000
+vt 0.0000 1.0000
+vt 0.0000 0.0000
+vt 1.0000 0.0000
+vn 0.0000 -1.0000 0.0000
+vn 0.0000 1.0000 0.0000
+vn -1.0000 0.0000 0.0000
+vn 1.0000 0.0000 0.0000
+vn 0.0000 0.0000 -1.0000
+vn 0.0000 0.0000 1.0000
+usemtl MaterialTextured
+f 3/1/1 7/2/1 5/3/1 1/4/1
+f 1/9/3 2/10/3 4/11/3 3/12/3
+f 3/1/5 4/6/5 8/17/5 7/18/5
+usemtl Material
+f 8/5/2 4/6/2 2/7/2 6/8/2
+f 7/13/4 8/14/4 6/15/4 5/16/4
+f 5/19/6 6/20/6 2/7/6 1/4/6
diff --git a/specs/data/box-external-resources-in-root/box.mtl b/specs/data/box-external-resources-in-root/box.mtl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4f8d129
--- /dev/null
+++ b/specs/data/box-external-resources-in-root/box.mtl
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# Blender MTL File: 'None'
+# Material Count: 1
+
+newmtl Material
+Ns 96.078431
+Ka 0.100000 0.000000 0.000000
+Kd 0.640000 0.640000 0.640000
+Ks 0.500000 0.500000 0.500000
+Ke 0.000000 0.000000 0.100000
+Ni 1.000000
+d 1.000000
+illum 2
diff --git a/specs/data/box-external-resources-in-root/cesium.png b/specs/data/box-external-resources-in-root/cesium.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3b8baee
Binary files /dev/null and b/specs/data/box-external-resources-in-root/cesium.png differ
diff --git a/specs/data/box-resources-in-root/box-resources-in-root.mtl b/specs/data/box-resources-in-root/box-resources-in-root.mtl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7bc1846
--- /dev/null
+++ b/specs/data/box-resources-in-root/box-resources-in-root.mtl
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# Blender MTL File: 'box.blend'
+# Material Count: 1
+
+newmtl Material
+Ns 96.078431
+Ka 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
+Kd 0.640000 0.640000 0.640000
+Ks 0.500000 0.500000 0.500000
+Ke 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
+Ni 1.000000
+d 1.000000
+illum 2
+map_Kd resources/textures/cesium.png
diff --git a/specs/data/box-resources-in-root/box-resources-in-root.obj b/specs/data/box-resources-in-root/box-resources-in-root.obj
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1e9d945
--- /dev/null
+++ b/specs/data/box-resources-in-root/box-resources-in-root.obj
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+# Blender v2.78 (sub 0) OBJ File: 'box.blend'
+# www.blender.org
+mtllib resources/box-resources-in-root.mtl
+o Cube
+v -1.000000 -1.000000 1.000000
+v -1.000000 1.000000 1.000000
+v -1.000000 -1.000000 -1.000000
+v -1.000000 1.000000 -1.000000
+v 1.000000 -1.000000 1.000000
+v 1.000000 1.000000 1.000000
+v 1.000000 -1.000000 -1.000000
+v 1.000000 1.000000 -1.000000
+vt 0.0000 0.0000
+vt 1.0000 0.0000
+vt 1.0000 1.0000
+vt 0.0000 1.0000
+vt 0.0000 0.0000
+vt 1.0000 0.0000
+vt 1.0000 1.0000
+vt 0.0000 1.0000
+vt 0.0000 0.0000
+vt 1.0000 0.0000
+vt 1.0000 1.0000
+vt 0.0000 1.0000
+vt 0.0000 0.0000
+vt 1.0000 0.0000
+vt 1.0000 1.0000
+vt 0.0000 1.0000
+vt 1.0000 0.0000
+vt 1.0000 1.0000
+vt 0.0000 0.0000
+vt 0.0000 1.0000
+vn -1.0000 0.0000 0.0000
+vn 0.0000 0.0000 -1.0000
+vn 1.0000 0.0000 0.0000
+vn 0.0000 0.0000 1.0000
+vn 0.0000 -1.0000 0.0000
+vn 0.0000 1.0000 0.0000
+usemtl Material
+s off
+f 1/1/1 2/2/1 4/3/1 3/4/1
+f 3/5/2 4/6/2 8/7/2 7/8/2
+f 7/9/3 8/10/3 6/11/3 5/12/3
+f 5/13/4 6/14/4 2/15/4 1/16/4
+f 3/5/5 7/17/5 5/18/5 1/16/5
+f 8/19/6 4/6/6 2/15/6 6/20/6
diff --git a/specs/data/box-resources-in-root/cesium.png b/specs/data/box-resources-in-root/cesium.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3b8baee
Binary files /dev/null and b/specs/data/box-resources-in-root/cesium.png differ
diff --git a/specs/lib/loadMtlSpec.js b/specs/lib/loadMtlSpec.js
index 059dd45..f491e90 100644
--- a/specs/lib/loadMtlSpec.js
+++ b/specs/lib/loadMtlSpec.js
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ var texturedMaterialPath = 'specs/data/box-complex-material/box-complex-material
 var texturedWithOptionsMaterialPath = 'specs/data/box-texture-options/box-texture-options.mtl';
 var multipleMaterialsPath = 'specs/data/box-multiple-materials/box-multiple-materials.mtl';
 var externalMaterialPath = 'specs/data/box-external-resources/box-external-resources.mtl';
+var resourcesInRootMaterialPath = 'specs/data/box-resources-in-root/box-resources-in-root.mtl';
+var externalInRootMaterialPath = 'specs/data/box-external-resources-in-root/box-external-resources-in-root.mtl';
 var transparentMaterialPath = 'specs/data/box-transparent/box-transparent.mtl';
 
 var diffuseTexturePath = 'specs/data/box-textured/cesium.png';
@@ -207,7 +209,31 @@ describe('loadMtl', function() {
                 var material = materials[0];
                 var baseColorTexture = material.pbrMetallicRoughness.baseColorTexture;
                 expect(baseColorTexture).toBeUndefined();
-                expect(spy.calls.argsFor(0)[0].indexOf('Could not read texture file') >= 0).toBe(true);
+                expect(spy.calls.argsFor(0)[0].indexOf('Texture file is outside of the mtl directory and the secure flag is true. Attempting to read the texture file from within the obj directory instead') >= 0).toBe(true);
+                expect(spy.calls.argsFor(1)[0].indexOf('ENOENT') >= 0).toBe(true);
+                expect(spy.calls.argsFor(2)[0].indexOf('Could not read texture file') >= 0).toBe(true);
+            }), done).toResolve();
+    });
+
+    it('loads textures from root directory when the texture paths do not exist', function(done) {
+        expect(loadMtl(resourcesInRootMaterialPath, options)
+            .then(function(materials) {
+                var material = materials[0];
+                var baseColorTexture = material.pbrMetallicRoughness.baseColorTexture;
+                expect(baseColorTexture.source).toBeDefined();
+                expect(baseColorTexture.name).toBe('cesium');
+            }), done).toResolve();
+    });
+
+    it('loads textures from root directory when texture is outside of the mtl directory and secure is true', function(done) {
+        options.secure = true;
+
+        expect(loadMtl(externalInRootMaterialPath, options)
+            .then(function(materials) {
+                var material = materials[0];
+                var baseColorTexture = material.pbrMetallicRoughness.baseColorTexture;
+                expect(baseColorTexture.source).toBeDefined();
+                expect(baseColorTexture.name).toBe('cesium');
             }), done).toResolve();
     });
 
diff --git a/specs/lib/loadObjSpec.js b/specs/lib/loadObjSpec.js
index 9014b6b..ea6004b 100644
--- a/specs/lib/loadObjSpec.js
+++ b/specs/lib/loadObjSpec.js
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ var objMtllibPath = 'specs/data/box-mtllib/box-mtllib.obj';
 var objMtllibSpacesPath = 'specs/data/box-mtllib-spaces/box mtllib.obj';
 var objMissingMtllibPath = 'specs/data/box-missing-mtllib/box-missing-mtllib.obj';
 var objExternalResourcesPath = 'specs/data/box-external-resources/box-external-resources.obj';
+var objResourcesInRootPath = 'specs/data/box-resources-in-root/box-resources-in-root.obj';
+var objExternalResourcesInRootPath = 'specs/data/box-external-resources-in-root/box-external-resources-in-root.obj';
 var objTexturedPath = 'specs/data/box-textured/box-textured.obj';
 var objMissingTexturePath = 'specs/data/box-missing-texture/box-missing-texture.obj';
 var objSubdirectoriesPath = 'specs/data/box-subdirectories/box-textured.obj';
@@ -317,7 +319,10 @@ describe('loadObj', function() {
         expect(loadObj(objMissingMtllibPath, options)
             .then(function(data) {
                 expect(data.materials.length).toBe(0);
-                expect(spy.calls.argsFor(0)[0].indexOf('Could not read mtl file') >= 0).toBe(true);
+                expect(spy.calls.argsFor(0)[0].indexOf('ENOENT') >= 0).toBe(true);
+                expect(spy.calls.argsFor(1)[0].indexOf('Attempting to read the material file from within the obj directory instead.') >= 0).toBe(true);
+                expect(spy.calls.argsFor(2)[0].indexOf('ENOENT') >= 0).toBe(true);
+                expect(spy.calls.argsFor(3)[0].indexOf('Could not read material file') >= 0).toBe(true);
             }), done).toResolve();
     });
 
@@ -343,8 +348,34 @@ describe('loadObj', function() {
         expect(loadObj(objExternalResourcesPath, options)
             .then(function(data) {
                 expect(data.materials.length).toBe(1); // obj references 2 materials, one of which is outside the input directory
-                expect(spy.calls.argsFor(0)[0].indexOf('Could not read mtl file') >= 0).toBe(true);
-                expect(spy.calls.argsFor(1)[0].indexOf('Could not read texture file') >= 0).toBe(true);
+                expect(spy.calls.argsFor(0)[0].indexOf('The material file is outside of the obj directory and the secure flag is true. Attempting to read the material file from within the obj directory instead.') >= 0).toBe(true);
+                expect(spy.calls.argsFor(1)[0].indexOf('ENOENT') >= 0).toBe(true);
+                expect(spy.calls.argsFor(2)[0].indexOf('Could not read material file') >= 0).toBe(true);
+            }), done).toResolve();
+    });
+
+    it('loads .mtl from root directory when the .mtl path does not exist', function(done) {
+        expect(loadObj(objResourcesInRootPath, options)
+            .then(function(data) {
+                var baseColorTexture = data.materials[0].pbrMetallicRoughness.baseColorTexture;
+                expect(baseColorTexture.name).toBe('cesium');
+                expect(baseColorTexture.source).toBeDefined();
+            }), done).toResolve();
+    });
+
+    it('loads .mtl from root directory when the .mtl path is outside of the obj directory and secure is true', function(done) {
+        options.secure = true;
+
+        expect(loadObj(objExternalResourcesInRootPath, options)
+            .then(function(data) {
+                var materials = data.materials;
+                expect(materials.length).toBe(2);
+
+                // .mtl files are loaded in an arbitrary order, so find the "MaterialTextured" material
+                var materialTextured = materials[0].name === 'MaterialTextured' ? materials[0] : materials[1];
+                var baseColorTexture = materialTextured.pbrMetallicRoughness.baseColorTexture;
+                expect(baseColorTexture.source).toBeDefined();
+                expect(baseColorTexture.name).toEqual('cesium');
             }), done).toResolve();
     });
 
@@ -365,7 +396,10 @@ describe('loadObj', function() {
             .then(function(data) {
                 var baseColorTexture = data.materials[0].pbrMetallicRoughness.baseColorTexture;
                 expect(baseColorTexture).toBeUndefined();
-                expect(spy.calls.argsFor(0)[0].indexOf('Could not read texture file') >= 0).toBe(true);
+                expect(spy.calls.argsFor(0)[0].indexOf('ENOENT') >= 0).toBe(true);
+                expect(spy.calls.argsFor(1)[0].indexOf('Attempting to read the texture file from within the obj directory instead.') >= 0).toBe(true);
+                expect(spy.calls.argsFor(2)[0].indexOf('ENOENT') >= 0).toBe(true);
+                expect(spy.calls.argsFor(3)[0].indexOf('Could not read texture file') >= 0).toBe(true);
             }), done).toResolve();
     });
 
diff --git a/specs/lib/obj2gltfSpec.js b/specs/lib/obj2gltfSpec.js
index be16cf2..d54b5bc 100644
--- a/specs/lib/obj2gltfSpec.js
+++ b/specs/lib/obj2gltfSpec.js
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ describe('obj2gltf', function() {
         };
         expect(obj2gltf(missingMtllibObjPath, options)
             .then(function() {
-                expect(lastMessage.indexOf('Could not read mtl file') >= 0).toBe(true);
+                expect(lastMessage.indexOf('Could not read material file') >= 0).toBe(true);
             }), done).toResolve();
     });