diff --git a/packages/melonjs/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/melonjs/CHANGELOG.md
index 166088827..b79052094 100644
--- a/packages/melonjs/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/melonjs/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 **Highlights:** glTF / GLB scene loading lands — author a 3D scene in Blender (or any DCC tool), export a `.glb`, and load it like a Tiled map with `level.load(...)`. Animated models play back through the same `setCurrentAnimation` / `play` / `pause` / `stop` API as a 2D `Sprite`. Scene meshes are lit by the authored sun, and 3D meshes can now report a real bounding box.
 
 ### Added
+- **`loader.preload()` / `loader.load()` are now `await`-able** — `preload(assets)` returns a `Promise<void>` that resolves once every asset has loaded (and rejects on failure), so you can `await loader.preload(assets)` instead of nesting an `onload` callback. `load(asset)` called **without** callbacks likewise returns a Promise for a one-off dynamic load. Both are fully back-compat: the callback forms (and `loader.onload` / `LOADER_PROGRESS` / `LOADER_ERROR` events) are unchanged, and `load(asset, onload, onerror)` still returns the resource count. (`preload` was already promise-based internally — it just didn't hand the promise back.)
 - **glTF / GLB scene loader (Tier 1)** — preload a `.glb`/`.gltf` and it auto-registers with the `level` director, so `level.load(name, { scale, rightHanded, onLoaded })` instantiates every mesh node as a `Mesh` in one call, exactly like a Tiled map. Parses the node graph, mesh primitives (`POSITION` / `NORMAL` / `TEXCOORD_0` / `COLOR_0` / indices), materials (`pbrMetallicRoughness.baseColorTexture` + `baseColorFactor`), perspective cameras, scene bounds, `KHR_lights_punctual` lights, and node animations. `loader.getGLTF(name)` returns the raw `{ nodes, cameras, lights, bounds, graph, animations }` descriptor for custom framing/instantiation. View under a `Camera3d`. New **glTF Scene** example (Kenney Platformer Kit, CC0).
 - **glTF node animation + `GLTFModel`** — assets that define animation channels load as a single rig-driven `GLTFModel` that keeps the node **hierarchy** intact (a parent transform carries its children — rotate a character's `torso` and its `arm`/`head` follow). Each frame the active clip is sampled (translation/scale `LERP`, rotation `SLERP`, plus `STEP`; `CUBICSPLINE` keyframe values) and the rig is re-posed. This is rigid node/TRS animation (no vertex skinning) — walk/idle/sprint characters, spinning pickups, doors, lifts. The animation API mirrors `Sprite`: `setCurrentAnimation(name, { loop, speed, onComplete, next })`, `isCurrentAnimation`, `getAnimationNames`, `animationspeed` (a playback multiplier), `play` / `pause` / `stop`. Retrieve the model after loading with `world.getChildByName(assetName)[0]`. New **glTF Animated Model** example (Kenney Blocky Characters, CC0).
 - **Aligned 2D + 3D animation API** — `Sprite.setCurrentAnimation(name, options)` now also accepts an options object `{ loop, speed, onComplete, next }` (the existing string / callback / no-arg forms are unchanged), plus a `speed` playback multiplier, and new `getAnimationNames()`. Both `Sprite` and `GLTFModel` gained `play(name?, options?)` (switch-and-play, or resume), chainable `pause()`, and `stop()` (reset to the first frame / bind pose) so 2D and 3D animation share one vocabulary.
diff --git a/packages/melonjs/src/loader/loader.js b/packages/melonjs/src/loader/loader.js
index 1ee873af3..8cc6697a9 100644
--- a/packages/melonjs/src/loader/loader.js
+++ b/packages/melonjs/src/loader/loader.js
@@ -243,10 +243,11 @@ function completeLoading(onloadcb) {
 	const callback = onloadcb || onload;
 	if (typeof callback === "function") {
 		callback();
-		emit(LOADER_COMPLETE);
-	} else {
-		throw new Error("no load callback defined");
 	}
+	// always signal completion — with the Promise form of preload() a callback
+	// is optional (you can `await` instead), so a missing callback is no longer
+	// an error; the loading screen / consumers react to LOADER_COMPLETE.
+	emit(LOADER_COMPLETE);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -371,6 +372,9 @@ export function setParser(type, parserFn) {
  * @param {Asset[]} assets - list of assets to load
  * @param {Function} [onloadcb=loader.onload] - function to be called when all resources are loaded
  * @param {boolean} [switchToLoadState=true] - automatically switch to the loading screen
+ * @returns {Promise<void>} resolves once every asset has loaded (rejects on a
+ * load failure). The `onloadcb` callback is still invoked on success, so both
+ * the callback and `await` forms work — use whichever you prefer.
  * @example
  * game.assets = [
  *   // PNG tileset
@@ -407,8 +411,10 @@ export function setParser(type, parserFn) {
  *   me.loader.load({name: "avatar", type:"video", src: "data:video/mp4;base64,AAAAIGZ0eXBpc29tAAACAGlzb21pc28yYXZjMW1wNDEAAAAIZnJlZ..."};
  * ];
  * ...
- * // set all resources to be loaded
+ * // set all resources to be loaded (callback form)
  * me.loader.preload(game.assets, () => this.loaded());
+ * // ...or await it (the callback still fires too)
+ * await me.loader.preload(game.assets);
  * @category Assets
  */
 export function preload(assets, onloadcb, switchToLoadState = true) {
@@ -417,38 +423,37 @@ export function preload(assets, onloadcb, switchToLoadState = true) {
 		onload = onloadcb;
 	}
 
-	// parse the resources and collect promises for each asset
-	const promises = [];
-	for (let i = 0; i < assets.length; i++) {
-		const asset = assets[i];
-		const promise = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-			const count = load(
-				asset,
-				() => {
-					onResourceLoaded(asset);
-					resolve();
-				},
-				(err) => {
-					onLoadingError.call(this, asset);
-					reject(err);
-				},
-			);
-			resourceCount += count;
-			if (count === 0) {
-				// asset already loaded, resolve immediately
-				resolve();
-			}
-		});
-		promises.push(promise);
-	}
+	// parse the resources and collect a promise for each asset. `load()` now
+	// returns a Promise in its no-callback form, so there's no need to wrap a
+	// callback in `new Promise` here — just layer the progress / error reporting
+	// on top of it. Each asset counts as one toward the progress total (parsers
+	// load 0 or 1 resource; a cached asset resolves immediately and still
+	// reports progress, keeping `loadCount`/`resourceCount` balanced).
+	const promises = assets.map((asset) => {
+		resourceCount += 1;
+		return load(asset)
+			.then(() => {
+				onResourceLoaded(asset);
+			})
+			.catch((err) => {
+				// onLoadingError emits LOADER_ERROR and throws by design, so this
+				// re-rejects → Promise.all (and the returned promise) reject and
+				// `await loader.preload(...)` surfaces the failure. The trailing
+				// throw keeps the rejection meaningful should it ever stop throwing.
+				onLoadingError.call(this, asset);
+				throw err;
+			});
+	});
 
 	if (switchToLoadState === true) {
 		// switch to the loading screen
 		state.change(state.LOADING);
 	}
 
-	// call the completion callback as soon as all assets are loaded
-	Promise.all(promises).then(() => {
+	// Resolve once every asset has loaded; call the completion callback on
+	// success (back-compat). Returned so callers can `await loader.preload(...)`
+	// instead of (or as well as) passing a callback.
+	return Promise.all(promises).then(() => {
 		completeLoading(onload);
 	});
 }
@@ -501,10 +506,15 @@ export function reload(src) {
  * @param {Asset} asset
  * @param {Function} [onload] - function to be called when the asset is loaded
  * @param {Function} [onerror] - function to be called in case of error
- * @returns {number} the amount of corresponding resource to be preloaded
+ * @returns {number|Promise<void>} with `onload`/`onerror` provided, the amount
+ * of corresponding resource to be preloaded (the legacy callback form). With
+ * **both omitted**, a Promise that resolves once the asset has loaded, so you
+ * can `await loader.load(asset)` for a one-off dynamic load.
  * @example
- * // load an image asset
+ * // load an image asset (callback form)
  * me.loader.load({name: "avatar",  type:"image",  src: "data/avatar.png"}, () => this.onload(), () => this.onerror());
+ * // ...or await a single dynamic asset (no callbacks)
+ * await me.loader.load({name: "avatar", type: "image", src: "data/avatar.png"});
  * // load a compressed texture with fallback chain
  * me.loader.load({name: "terrain", type:"image", src: ["data/gfx/terrain.astc.ktx", "data/gfx/terrain.dds", "data/gfx/terrain.png"]}, () => this.onload());
  * // load a base64 image asset
@@ -555,12 +565,36 @@ export function load(asset, onload, onerror) {
 		throw new Error("load : unknown or invalid resource type : " + asset.type);
 	}
 
-	// parser returns the amount of asset to be loaded (usually 1 unless an asset is splitted into several ones)
-	return parser.call(this, asset, onload, onerror, {
+	const settings = {
 		nocache: nocache,
 		crossOrigin: crossOrigin,
 		withCredentials: withCredentials,
-	});
+	};
+
+	// Promise form: with no callbacks, resolve once the asset (and any
+	// sub-resources) have loaded — for a one-off `await loader.load(asset)`.
+	// The legacy callback form below still returns the resource count.
+	if (onload === undefined && onerror === undefined) {
+		return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+			// parser returns the amount of asset to be loaded (usually 1, more
+			// if it splits into several); 0 means already cached → resolve now.
+			const count = parser.call(
+				this,
+				asset,
+				() => {
+					resolve();
+				},
+				reject,
+				settings,
+			);
+			if (count === 0) {
+				resolve();
+			}
+		});
+	}
+
+	// parser returns the amount of asset to be loaded (usually 1 unless an asset is splitted into several ones)
+	return parser.call(this, asset, onload, onerror, settings);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/packages/melonjs/tests/loader.spec.js b/packages/melonjs/tests/loader.spec.js
index 2894f13c1..0901506f4 100644
--- a/packages/melonjs/tests/loader.spec.js
+++ b/packages/melonjs/tests/loader.spec.js
@@ -539,4 +539,120 @@ describe("loader", () => {
 			).resolves.toBe(true);
 		});
 	});
+
+	// preload() and load() support BOTH a legacy callback form and a Promise
+	// (await) form; these cover the two forms side-by-side.
+	describe("callback form (legacy)", () => {
+		it("preload() invokes the completion callback", async () => {
+			// drive the test off the callback itself (don't await preload's return)
+			await new Promise((resolve) => {
+				loader.preload(
+					[{ name: "cb_pre", type: "image", src: imgURI }],
+					() => {
+						resolve();
+					},
+					false, // don't switch to the loading screen in the test
+				);
+			});
+			expect(loader.getImage("cb_pre")).toBeTruthy();
+		});
+
+		it("load() invokes the onload callback", async () => {
+			await new Promise((resolve) => {
+				loader.load({ name: "cb_load", type: "image", src: imgURI }, () => {
+					resolve();
+				});
+			});
+			expect(loader.getImage("cb_load")).toBeTruthy();
+		});
+
+		it("load() invokes onerror on a failed asset", async () => {
+			let errored = false;
+			await new Promise((resolve) => {
+				loader.load(
+					{ name: "cb_bad", type: "image", src: "data:image/png;base64,Zm9v" },
+					() => {
+						resolve();
+					},
+					() => {
+						errored = true;
+						resolve();
+					},
+				);
+			});
+			expect(errored).toBe(true);
+		});
+
+		it("load() with callbacks still returns the resource count", () => {
+			const count = loader.load(
+				{ name: "cb_count", type: "image", src: imgURI },
+				() => {},
+				() => {},
+			);
+			expect(typeof count).toBe("number");
+		});
+	});
+
+	describe("promise form (await)", () => {
+		it("preload() resolves as a Promise, and the callback still fires too", async () => {
+			let cbFired = false;
+			await loader.preload(
+				[{ name: "promise_pre", type: "image", src: imgURI }],
+				() => {
+					cbFired = true;
+				},
+				false,
+			);
+			expect(cbFired).toBe(true);
+			expect(loader.getImage("promise_pre")).toBeTruthy();
+		});
+
+		it("preload() resolves with no callback at all (pure await)", async () => {
+			await loader.preload(
+				[{ name: "promise_pre_nocb", type: "image", src: imgURI }],
+				undefined,
+				false,
+			);
+			expect(loader.getImage("promise_pre_nocb")).toBeTruthy();
+		});
+
+		it("load() with no callbacks resolves as a Promise", async () => {
+			await loader.load({ name: "promise_load", type: "image", src: imgURI });
+			expect(loader.getImage("promise_load")).toBeTruthy();
+		});
+
+		it("ADVERSARIAL: load() (promise form) rejects on a failed asset", async () => {
+			let rejected = false;
+			await loader
+				.load({
+					name: "promise_bad",
+					type: "image",
+					src: "data:image/png;base64,Zm9v", // not a valid PNG → onerror
+				})
+				.catch(() => {
+					rejected = true;
+				});
+			expect(rejected).toBe(true);
+		});
+
+		it("ADVERSARIAL: preload() (promise form) rejects when an asset fails", async () => {
+			let rejected = false;
+			await loader
+				.preload(
+					[
+						{
+							name: "promise_bad2",
+							type: "image",
+							src: "data:image/png;base64,Zm9v",
+						},
+					],
+					undefined,
+					false,
+				)
+				.catch(() => {
+					rejected = true;
+				});
+			expect(rejected).toBe(true);
+		});
+	});
 });