diff --git a/src/server/types/Pet.js b/src/server/types/Pet.js
index 4655e75..96aa0b1 100644
--- a/src/server/types/Pet.js
+++ b/src/server/types/Pet.js
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ const resolvers = {
     pose: ({ customPetData, petMetaData }) =>
       getPoseFromPetData(petMetaData, customPetData),
     petAppearance: async (
-      { customPetData, petMetaData },
+      { name, customPetData, petMetaData },
       _,
       { petTypeBySpeciesAndColorLoader, petStatesForPetTypeLoader }
     ) => {
@@ -41,9 +41,55 @@ const resolvers = {
         colorId: customPetData.custom_pet.color_id,
       });
       const petStates = await petStatesForPetTypeLoader.load(petType.id);
+
+      let petState;
+
+      // First, look for a pet state containing exactly the same assets as this
+      // one.
+      const swfAssetIdsString = Object.values(
+        customPetData.custom_pet.biology_by_zone
+      )
+        .map((b) => b.part_id)
+        .sort((a, b) => Number(a) - Number(b))
+        .join(",");
+      petState = petStates.find((ps) => ps.swfAssetIds === swfAssetIdsString);
+      if (petState) {
+        return { id: petState.id };
+      }
+
+      // Next, look for a pet state matching the same pose. (This can happen if
+      // modeling data for this pet hasn't saved yet.)
       const pose = getPoseFromPetData(petMetaData, customPetData);
-      const petState = petStates.find((ps) => getPoseFromPetState(ps) === pose);
-      return { id: petState.id };
+      petState = petStates.find((ps) => getPoseFromPetState(ps) === pose);
+      if (petState) {
+        console.warn(
+          `Warning: For pet "${name}", fell back to pet state ${petState.id} ` +
+            `because it matches pose ${pose}. Actual pet state for these ` +
+            `assets not found: ${swfAssetIdsString}`
+        );
+        return { id: petState.id };
+      }
+
+      // Finally, look for an UNKNOWN pet state. (This can happen if modeling
+      // data for this pet hasn't saved yet, and we haven't manually labeled a
+      // matching pose.)
+      petState = petStates.find((ps) => getPoseFromPetState(ps) === "UNKNOWN");
+      if (petState) {
+        console.warn(
+          `Warning: For pet "${name}", fell back to pet state ${petState.id} ` +
+            `as an UNKNOWN fallback pose. Actual pet state for these ` +
+            `assets not found: ${swfAssetIdsString}`
+        );
+        return { id: petState.id };
+      }
+
+      // If we still don't have a pet state, raise an error. (This can happen
+      // for a brand new new species/color combination, when the modeling data
+      // hasn't been saved yet.)
+      throw new Error(
+        `This pet's modeling data isn't loaded into our database yet, ` +
+          `sorry! Try using the Modeling Hub on Classic DTI to upload it first?`
+      );
     },
     wornItems: ({ customPetData }) =>
       Object.values(customPetData.object_info_registry).map((o) => ({