diff --git a/src/systems/collada_world_exporter/ColladaWorldExporter.cc b/src/systems/collada_world_exporter/ColladaWorldExporter.cc
index b8bf9faef1..69e86077cc 100644
--- a/src/systems/collada_world_exporter/ColladaWorldExporter.cc
+++ b/src/systems/collada_world_exporter/ColladaWorldExporter.cc
@@ -112,12 +112,27 @@ class ignition::gazebo::systems::ColladaWorldExporterPrivate
       ignition::common::MeshManager *meshManager =
           ignition::common::MeshManager::Instance();
 
-      auto addSubmeshFunc = [&](int i, int k) {
-          subm = worldMesh.AddSubMesh(
-              *mesh->SubMeshByIndex(k).lock().get());
-          subm.lock()->SetMaterialIndex(i);
-          subm.lock()->Scale(scale);
-          subMeshMatrix.push_back(matrix);
+      auto addSubmeshFunc = [&](int _matIndex)
+      {
+        int newMatIndex = 0;
+        if (_matIndex != -1)
+        {
+          newMatIndex = worldMesh.IndexOfMaterial(
+              mesh->MaterialByIndex(_matIndex).get());
+          if (_matIndex < 0)
+          {
+            newMatIndex = worldMesh.AddMaterial(
+                mesh->MaterialByIndex(_matIndex));
+          }
+        }
+        else
+        {
+          newMatIndex = worldMesh.AddMaterial(mat);
+        }
+
+        subm.lock()->SetMaterialIndex(newMatIndex);
+        subm.lock()->Scale(scale);
+        subMeshMatrix.push_back(matrix);
       };
 
       if (_geom->Data().Type() == sdf::GeometryType::BOX)
@@ -126,9 +141,10 @@ class ignition::gazebo::systems::ColladaWorldExporterPrivate
         {
           mesh = meshManager->MeshByName("unit_box");
           scale = _geom->Data().BoxShape()->Size();
-          int i = worldMesh.AddMaterial(mat);
+          subm = worldMesh.AddSubMesh(
+              *mesh->SubMeshByIndex(0).lock().get());
 
-          addSubmeshFunc(i, 0);
+          addSubmeshFunc(-1);
         }
       }
       else if (_geom->Data().Type() == sdf::GeometryType::CYLINDER)
@@ -139,10 +155,10 @@ class ignition::gazebo::systems::ColladaWorldExporterPrivate
           scale.X() = _geom->Data().CylinderShape()->Radius() * 2;
           scale.Y() = scale.X();
           scale.Z() = _geom->Data().CylinderShape()->Length();
+          subm = worldMesh.AddSubMesh(
+              *mesh->SubMeshByIndex(0).lock().get());
 
-          int i = worldMesh.AddMaterial(mat);
-
-          addSubmeshFunc(i, 0);
+          addSubmeshFunc(-1);
         }
       }
       else if (_geom->Data().Type() == sdf::GeometryType::PLANE)
@@ -164,9 +180,10 @@ class ignition::gazebo::systems::ColladaWorldExporterPrivate
           worldPose.Rot() = worldPose.Rot() * normalRot;
 
           matrix = math::Matrix4d(worldPose);
+          subm = worldMesh.AddSubMesh(
+              *mesh->SubMeshByIndex(0).lock().get());
 
-          int i = worldMesh.AddMaterial(mat);
-          addSubmeshFunc(i, 0);
+          addSubmeshFunc(-1);
         }
       }
       else if (_geom->Data().Type() == sdf::GeometryType::SPHERE)
@@ -179,8 +196,10 @@ class ignition::gazebo::systems::ColladaWorldExporterPrivate
           scale.Y() = scale.X();
           scale.Z() = scale.X();
 
-          int i = worldMesh.AddMaterial(mat);
-          addSubmeshFunc(i, 0);
+          subm = worldMesh.AddSubMesh(
+              *mesh->SubMeshByIndex(0).lock().get());
+
+          addSubmeshFunc(-1);
         }
       }
       else if (_geom->Data().Type() == sdf::GeometryType::MESH)
@@ -200,27 +219,22 @@ class ignition::gazebo::systems::ColladaWorldExporterPrivate
           return true;
         }
 
-        for (unsigned int k = 0; k < mesh->SubMeshCount(); k++)
+        const auto subMeshName = _geom->Data().MeshShape()->Submesh();
+        scale = _geom->Data().MeshShape()->Scale();
+        if(subMeshName == "")
         {
-          auto subMeshLock = mesh->SubMeshByIndex(k).lock();
-          int j = subMeshLock->MaterialIndex();
-
-          int i = 0;
-          if (j != -1)
+          for (unsigned int k = 0; k < mesh->SubMeshCount(); k++)
           {
-            i = worldMesh.IndexOfMaterial(mesh->MaterialByIndex(j).get());
-            if (i < 0)
-            {
-              i = worldMesh.AddMaterial(mesh->MaterialByIndex(j));
-            }
+            auto subMeshLock = mesh->SubMeshByIndex(k).lock();
+            subm = worldMesh.AddSubMesh(*subMeshLock.get());
+            addSubmeshFunc(subMeshLock->MaterialIndex());
           }
-          else
-          {
-            i = worldMesh.AddMaterial(mat);
-          }
-
-          scale = _geom->Data().MeshShape()->Scale();
-          addSubmeshFunc(i, k);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+          auto subMeshLock = mesh->SubMeshByName(subMeshName).lock();
+          subm = worldMesh.AddSubMesh(*subMeshLock.get());
+          addSubmeshFunc(subMeshLock->MaterialIndex());
         }
       }
       else
diff --git a/test/integration/collada_world_exporter.cc b/test/integration/collada_world_exporter.cc
index ffd4a1d7be..bfb54b600c 100644
--- a/test/integration/collada_world_exporter.cc
+++ b/test/integration/collada_world_exporter.cc
@@ -17,8 +17,11 @@
 
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
 
+#include <ignition/common/ColladaLoader.hh>
 #include <ignition/common/Console.hh>
 #include <ignition/common/Filesystem.hh>
+#include <ignition/common/Mesh.hh>
+#include <ignition/common/SubMesh.hh>
 
 #include "ignition/gazebo/Server.hh"
 #include "ignition/gazebo/test_config.hh"
@@ -95,6 +98,14 @@ TEST_F(ColladaWorldExporterFixture, ExportWorldFromFuelWithSubmesh)
   // The export directory should now exist.
   EXPECT_TRUE(common::exists(outputPath));
 
+  // Original .dae file has two submeshes
+  // .sdf loads them together and a submesh alone
+  // Check that output has three nodes
+  common::ColladaLoader loader;
+  const common::Mesh *meshExported = loader.Load(common::joinPaths(
+      outputPath, "meshes", "collada_world_exporter_submesh_test.dae"));
+  EXPECT_EQ(3u, meshExported->SubMeshCount());
+
   // Cleanup
   common::removeAll(outputPath);
 }
diff --git a/test/worlds/models/mesh_with_submeshes/model.sdf b/test/worlds/models/mesh_with_submeshes/model.sdf
index 4bba6e8d75..973c4a7bf3 100644
--- a/test/worlds/models/mesh_with_submeshes/model.sdf
+++ b/test/worlds/models/mesh_with_submeshes/model.sdf
@@ -3,6 +3,17 @@
   <model name='scheme_resource_uri'>
     <pose>0 0 1 0 0 0</pose>
     <link name='the_link'>
+      <visual name='visual_submesh'>
+        <geometry>
+          <mesh>
+            <uri>model://mesh_with_submeshes/meshes/mesh_with_submeshes.dae</uri>
+            <submesh>
+              <name>node_0</name>
+              <center>false</center>
+            </submesh>
+          </mesh>
+        </geometry>
+      </visual>
       <visual name='the_visual'>
         <geometry>
           <mesh>