stl model disappears if scale parameter is set in urdf file

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os: ubuntu 18.04.3 kernel: 4.15-72 rosdistro: ros melodic

Hi, this is a part of my urdf file that works correctly (except the component uses mm as scale so it is zoomed):

<link name="base_link">
  <visual>
    <origin rpy="0 0 0" xyz="0 0 0"/>
    <geometry>
      <mesh filename="package://nightmare_description/meshes/base_link.stl"/>
    </geometry>
    <material name="silver">
      <color rgba="1 0 0 1"/>
    </material>
  </visual>
  <collision>
    <origin rpy="0 0 0" xyz="0 0 0"/>
    <geometry>
      <mesh filename="package://nightmare_description/meshes/base_link.stl"/>
    </geometry>
  </collision>
</link>

now if I add the scale parameter to this link it completely disappears from rviz although I can see all the axes move correctly:

<link name="base_link">
  <visual>
    <origin rpy="0 0 0" xyz="0 0 0"/>
    <geometry>
      <mesh scale="0.001 0.001 0.001" filename="package://nightmare_description/meshes/base_link.stl"/>
    </geometry>
    <material name="silver">
      <color rgba="1 0 0 1"/>
    </material>
  </visual>
  <collision>
    <origin rpy="0 0 0" xyz="0 0 0"/>
    <geometry>
      <mesh scale="0.001 0.001 0.001" filename="package://nightmare_description/meshes/base_link.stl"/>
    </geometry>
  </collision>
</link>

what am I doing wrong? has it something to do with the stl files used?