diff --git a/crates/bevy_ecs/src/lib.rs b/crates/bevy_ecs/src/lib.rs
index 99f95763d5..c366a73885 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_ecs/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_ecs/src/lib.rs
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ pub mod prelude {
             Command, Commands, Deferred, EntityCommand, EntityCommands, In, InMut, InRef,
             IntoSystem, Local, NonSend, NonSendMut, ParamSet, Populated, Query, ReadOnlySystem,
             Res, ResMut, Single, System, SystemIn, SystemInput, SystemParamBuilder,
-            SystemParamFunction,
+            SystemParamFunction, When,
         },
         world::{
             EntityMut, EntityRef, EntityWorldMut, FilteredResources, FilteredResourcesMut,
diff --git a/crates/bevy_ecs/src/system/builder.rs b/crates/bevy_ecs/src/system/builder.rs
index 6261b9e355..3f15e9ef17 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_ecs/src/system/builder.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_ecs/src/system/builder.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use crate::{
     query::{QueryData, QueryFilter, QueryState},
     resource::Resource,
     system::{
-        DynSystemParam, DynSystemParamState, Local, ParamSet, Query, SystemMeta, SystemParam,
+        DynSystemParam, DynSystemParamState, Local, ParamSet, Query, SystemMeta, SystemParam, When,
     },
     world::{
         FilteredResources, FilteredResourcesBuilder, FilteredResourcesMut,
@@ -710,6 +710,19 @@ unsafe impl<'w, 's, T: FnOnce(&mut FilteredResourcesMutBuilder)>
     }
 }
 
+/// A [`SystemParamBuilder`] for a [`When`].
+#[derive(Clone)]
+pub struct WhenBuilder<T>(T);
+
+// SAFETY: `WhenBuilder<B>` builds a state that is valid for `P`, and any state valid for `P` is valid for `When<P>`
+unsafe impl<P: SystemParam, B: SystemParamBuilder<P>> SystemParamBuilder<When<P>>
+    for WhenBuilder<B>
+{
+    fn build(self, world: &mut World, meta: &mut SystemMeta) -> <When<P> as SystemParam>::State {
+        self.0.build(world, meta)
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use crate::{
diff --git a/crates/bevy_ecs/src/system/system_param.rs b/crates/bevy_ecs/src/system/system_param.rs
index 99d4c72df6..7a16c48519 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_ecs/src/system/system_param.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_ecs/src/system/system_param.rs
@@ -1916,6 +1916,112 @@ unsafe impl SystemParam for SystemChangeTick {
     }
 }
 
+/// A [`SystemParam`] that wraps another parameter and causes its system to skip instead of failing when the parameter is invalid.
+///
+/// # Example
+///
+/// ```
+/// # use bevy_ecs::prelude::*;
+/// # #[derive(Resource)]
+/// # struct SomeResource;
+/// // This system will fail if `SomeResource` is not present.
+/// fn fails_on_missing_resource(res: Res<SomeResource>) {}
+///
+/// // This system will skip without error if `SomeResource` is not present.
+/// fn skips_on_missing_resource(res: When<Res<SomeResource>>) {
+///     // The inner parameter is available using `Deref`
+///     let some_resource: &SomeResource = &res;
+/// }
+/// # bevy_ecs::system::assert_is_system(skips_on_missing_resource);
+/// ```
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct When<T>(pub T);
+
+impl<T> When<T> {
+    /// Returns the inner `T`.
+    ///
+    /// The inner value is `pub`, so you can also obtain it by destructuring the parameter:
+    ///
+    /// ```
+    /// # use bevy_ecs::prelude::*;
+    /// # #[derive(Resource)]
+    /// # struct SomeResource;
+    /// fn skips_on_missing_resource(When(res): When<Res<SomeResource>>) {
+    ///     let some_resource: Res<SomeResource> = res;
+    /// }
+    /// # bevy_ecs::system::assert_is_system(skips_on_missing_resource);
+    /// ```
+    pub fn into_inner(self) -> T {
+        self.0
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> Deref for When<T> {
+    type Target = T;
+    fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
+        &self.0
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> DerefMut for When<T> {
+    fn deref_mut(&mut self) -> &mut Self::Target {
+        &mut self.0
+    }
+}
+
+// SAFETY: Delegates to `T`, which ensures the safety requirements are met
+unsafe impl<T: SystemParam> SystemParam for When<T> {
+    type State = T::State;
+
+    type Item<'world, 'state> = When<T::Item<'world, 'state>>;
+
+    fn init_state(world: &mut World, system_meta: &mut SystemMeta) -> Self::State {
+        T::init_state(world, system_meta)
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    unsafe fn validate_param(
+        state: &Self::State,
+        system_meta: &SystemMeta,
+        world: UnsafeWorldCell,
+    ) -> Result<(), SystemParamValidationError> {
+        T::validate_param(state, system_meta, world).map_err(|mut e| {
+            e.skipped = true;
+            e
+        })
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    unsafe fn get_param<'world, 'state>(
+        state: &'state mut Self::State,
+        system_meta: &SystemMeta,
+        world: UnsafeWorldCell<'world>,
+        change_tick: Tick,
+    ) -> Self::Item<'world, 'state> {
+        When(T::get_param(state, system_meta, world, change_tick))
+    }
+
+    unsafe fn new_archetype(
+        state: &mut Self::State,
+        archetype: &Archetype,
+        system_meta: &mut SystemMeta,
+    ) {
+        // SAFETY: The caller ensures that `archetype` is from the World the state was initialized from in `init_state`.
+        unsafe { T::new_archetype(state, archetype, system_meta) };
+    }
+
+    fn apply(state: &mut Self::State, system_meta: &SystemMeta, world: &mut World) {
+        T::apply(state, system_meta, world);
+    }
+
+    fn queue(state: &mut Self::State, system_meta: &SystemMeta, world: DeferredWorld) {
+        T::queue(state, system_meta, world);
+    }
+}
+
+// SAFETY: Delegates to `T`, which ensures the safety requirements are met
+unsafe impl<T: ReadOnlySystemParam> ReadOnlySystemParam for When<T> {}
+
 // SAFETY: When initialized with `init_state`, `get_param` returns an empty `Vec` and does no access.
 // Therefore, `init_state` trivially registers all access, and no accesses can conflict.
 // Note that the safety requirements for non-empty `Vec`s are handled by the `SystemParamBuilder` impl that builds them.
@@ -2699,11 +2805,12 @@ pub struct SystemParamValidationError {
     /// By default, this will result in a panic. See [`crate::error`] for more information.
     ///
     /// This is the default behavior, and is suitable for system params that should *always* be valid,
-    /// either because sensible fallback behavior exists (like [`Query`] or because
+    /// either because sensible fallback behavior exists (like [`Query`]) or because
     /// failures in validation should be considered a bug in the user's logic that must be immediately addressed (like [`Res`]).
     ///
     /// If `true`, the system should be skipped.
-    /// This is suitable for system params that are intended to only operate in certain application states, such as [`Single`].
+    /// This is set by wrapping the system param in [`When`],
+    /// and indicates that the system is intended to only operate in certain application states.
     pub skipped: bool,
 
     /// A message describing the validation error.