diff --git a/crates/bevy_pbr/src/prepass/mod.rs b/crates/bevy_pbr/src/prepass/mod.rs
index 9b3420cbc2..ea60f42667 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_pbr/src/prepass/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_pbr/src/prepass/mod.rs
@@ -507,8 +507,15 @@ where
             .mesh_key
             .intersects(MeshPipelineKey::NORMAL_PREPASS | MeshPipelineKey::DEFERRED_PREPASS)
         {
-            vertex_attributes.push(Mesh::ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL.at_shader_location(3));
             shader_defs.push("NORMAL_PREPASS_OR_DEFERRED_PREPASS".into());
+            if layout.0.contains(Mesh::ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL) {
+                shader_defs.push("VERTEX_NORMALS".into());
+                vertex_attributes.push(Mesh::ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL.at_shader_location(3));
+            } else if key.mesh_key.contains(MeshPipelineKey::NORMAL_PREPASS) {
+                warn!(
+                    "The default normal prepass expects the mesh to have vertex normal attributes."
+                );
+            }
             if layout.0.contains(Mesh::ATTRIBUTE_TANGENT) {
                 shader_defs.push("VERTEX_TANGENTS".into());
                 vertex_attributes.push(Mesh::ATTRIBUTE_TANGENT.at_shader_location(4));
diff --git a/crates/bevy_pbr/src/prepass/prepass.wgsl b/crates/bevy_pbr/src/prepass/prepass.wgsl
index 26011d609b..52dd9bf201 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_pbr/src/prepass/prepass.wgsl
+++ b/crates/bevy_pbr/src/prepass/prepass.wgsl
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ fn vertex(vertex_no_morph: Vertex) -> VertexOutput {
 #endif // VERTEX_UVS_B
 
 #ifdef NORMAL_PREPASS_OR_DEFERRED_PREPASS
+#ifdef VERTEX_NORMALS
 #ifdef SKINNED
     out.world_normal = skinning::skin_normals(world_from_local, vertex.normal);
 #else // SKINNED
@@ -106,6 +107,7 @@ fn vertex(vertex_no_morph: Vertex) -> VertexOutput {
         vertex_no_morph.instance_index
     );
 #endif // SKINNED
+#endif // VERTEX_NORMALS
 
 #ifdef VERTEX_TANGENTS
     out.world_tangent = mesh_functions::mesh_tangent_local_to_world(
diff --git a/crates/bevy_pbr/src/prepass/prepass_io.wgsl b/crates/bevy_pbr/src/prepass/prepass_io.wgsl
index 5f7d8ec071..c3c0e55549 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_pbr/src/prepass/prepass_io.wgsl
+++ b/crates/bevy_pbr/src/prepass/prepass_io.wgsl
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@ struct Vertex {
 #endif
 
 #ifdef NORMAL_PREPASS_OR_DEFERRED_PREPASS
+#ifdef VERTEX_NORMALS
     @location(3) normal: vec3<f32>,
+#endif
 #ifdef VERTEX_TANGENTS
     @location(4) tangent: vec4<f32>,
 #endif