diff --git a/crates/bevy_core/src/bytes.rs b/crates/bevy_core/src/bytes.rs
index cf6f43a55b..555f314bc7 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_core/src/bytes.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_core/src/bytes.rs
@@ -91,58 +91,11 @@ unsafe impl Byteable for i64 {}
 unsafe impl Byteable for isize {}
 unsafe impl Byteable for f32 {}
 unsafe impl Byteable for f64 {}
-
-impl Bytes for Vec2 {
-    fn write_bytes(&self, buffer: &mut [u8]) {
-        let array: [f32; 2] = (*self).into();
-        array.write_bytes(buffer);
-    }
-    fn byte_len(&self) -> usize {
-        std::mem::size_of::<Self>()
-    }
-}
-
-impl FromBytes for Vec2 {
-    fn from_bytes(bytes: &[u8]) -> Self {
-        let array = <[f32; 2]>::from_bytes(bytes);
-        Vec2::from(array)
-    }
-}
-
-impl Bytes for Vec3 {
-    fn write_bytes(&self, buffer: &mut [u8]) {
-        let array: [f32; 3] = (*self).into();
-        array.write_bytes(buffer);
-    }
-    fn byte_len(&self) -> usize {
-        // cant use self here because Vec3 is a simd type / technically a vec4
-        std::mem::size_of::<[f32; 3]>()
-    }
-}
-
-impl FromBytes for Vec3 {
-    fn from_bytes(bytes: &[u8]) -> Self {
-        let array = <[f32; 3]>::from_bytes(bytes);
-        Vec3::from(array)
-    }
-}
-
-impl Bytes for Vec4 {
-    fn write_bytes(&self, buffer: &mut [u8]) {
-        let array: [f32; 4] = (*self).into();
-        array.write_bytes(buffer);
-    }
-    fn byte_len(&self) -> usize {
-        std::mem::size_of::<Self>()
-    }
-}
-
-impl FromBytes for Vec4 {
-    fn from_bytes(bytes: &[u8]) -> Self {
-        let array = <[f32; 4]>::from_bytes(bytes);
-        Vec4::from(array)
-    }
-}
+unsafe impl Byteable for Vec2 {}
+// NOTE: Vec3 actually takes up the size of 4 floats / 16 bytes due to SIMD. This is actually convenient because GLSL
+// uniform buffer objects pad Vec3s to be 16 bytes. 
+unsafe impl Byteable for Vec3 {}
+unsafe impl Byteable for Vec4 {}
 
 impl Bytes for Mat4 {
     fn write_bytes(&self, buffer: &mut [u8]) {
diff --git a/crates/bevy_pbr/src/lib.rs b/crates/bevy_pbr/src/lib.rs
index d5d1ce493b..524a260e2f 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_pbr/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_pbr/src/lib.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ impl AppPlugin for PbrPlugin {
             .register_component::<Light>()
             .add_system_to_stage(
                 stage::POST_UPDATE,
-                shader::asset_shader_def_system::<StandardMaterial>.system(),
+                shader::asset_shader_defs_system::<StandardMaterial>.system(),
             );
         let resources = app.resources();
         let mut render_graph = resources.get_mut::<RenderGraph>().unwrap();
diff --git a/crates/bevy_render/src/draw.rs b/crates/bevy_render/src/draw.rs
index 4fa3093249..635cc2d48a 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_render/src/draw.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_render/src/draw.rs
@@ -219,6 +219,7 @@ impl<'a> DrawContext<'a> {
                 specialization,
             )
         };
+
         draw.set_pipeline(specialized_pipeline);
         self.current_pipeline = Some(specialized_pipeline);
         Ok(())
diff --git a/crates/bevy_render/src/lib.rs b/crates/bevy_render/src/lib.rs
index 1a35646bba..c65801521b 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_render/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_render/src/lib.rs
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ use mesh::mesh_resource_provider_system;
 use pipeline::{draw_render_pipelines_system, RenderPipelines};
 use render_graph::{system::render_graph_schedule_executor_system, RenderGraph};
 use render_resource::AssetRenderResourceBindings;
+use shader::clear_shader_defs_system;
 use std::ops::Range;
 use texture::{PngTextureLoader, TextureResourceSystemState};
 
@@ -112,7 +113,8 @@ impl AppPlugin for RenderPlugin {
                 stage::RENDER_GRAPH_SYSTEMS,
                 render_graph_schedule_executor_system,
             )
-            .add_system_to_stage(stage::DRAW, draw_render_pipelines_system.system());
+            .add_system_to_stage(stage::DRAW, draw_render_pipelines_system.system())
+            .add_system_to_stage(stage::POST_RENDER, clear_shader_defs_system.system());
 
         if let Some(ref config) = self.base_render_graph_config {
             let resources = app.resources();
diff --git a/crates/bevy_render/src/pipeline/pipeline_layout.rs b/crates/bevy_render/src/pipeline/pipeline_layout.rs
index b3b98a8f68..a80b2f8983 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_render/src/pipeline/pipeline_layout.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_render/src/pipeline/pipeline_layout.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ impl PipelineLayout {
             .iter()
             .find(|bind_group| bind_group.index == index)
     }
-    
+
     pub fn from_shader_layouts(shader_layouts: &mut [ShaderLayout]) -> Self {
         let mut bind_groups = HashMap::<u32, BindGroupDescriptor>::new();
         let mut vertex_buffer_descriptors = Vec::new();
diff --git a/crates/bevy_render/src/shader/shader_defs.rs b/crates/bevy_render/src/shader/shader_defs.rs
index 8252455d96..4fb2439246 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_render/src/shader/shader_defs.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_render/src/shader/shader_defs.rs
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ impl ShaderDef for Option<Handle<Texture>> {
     }
 }
 
-pub fn shader_def_system<T>(shader_defs: Com<T>, mut render_pipelines: ComMut<RenderPipelines>)
+pub fn shader_defs_system<T>(shader_defs: Com<T>, mut render_pipelines: ComMut<RenderPipelines>)
 where
     T: ShaderDefs + Send + Sync + 'static,
 {
@@ -70,7 +70,17 @@ where
     }
 }
 
-pub fn asset_shader_def_system<T>(
+pub fn clear_shader_defs_system(mut render_pipelines: ComMut<RenderPipelines>) {
+    for render_pipeline in render_pipelines.pipelines.iter_mut() {
+        render_pipeline
+            .specialization
+            .shader_specialization
+            .shader_defs
+            .clear();
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn asset_shader_defs_system<T>(
     assets: Res<Assets<T>>,
     asset_handle: Com<Handle<T>>,
     mut render_pipelines: ComMut<RenderPipelines>,
diff --git a/crates/bevy_sprite/src/lib.rs b/crates/bevy_sprite/src/lib.rs
index ac91837762..a2ce159023 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_sprite/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_sprite/src/lib.rs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ use bevy_asset::{AddAsset, Assets, Handle};
 use bevy_render::{
     mesh::{shape, Mesh},
     render_graph::RenderGraph,
-    shader::asset_shader_def_system,
+    shader::asset_shader_defs_system,
 };
 use glam::Vec2;
 use legion::prelude::IntoSystem;
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ impl AppPlugin for SpritePlugin {
             .add_system_to_stage(stage::POST_UPDATE, sprite_system())
             .add_system_to_stage(
                 stage::POST_UPDATE,
-                asset_shader_def_system::<ColorMaterial>.system(),
+                asset_shader_defs_system::<ColorMaterial>.system(),
             );
 
         let resources = app.resources();
diff --git a/crates/bevy_sprite/src/render/sprite_sheet.frag b/crates/bevy_sprite/src/render/sprite_sheet.frag
index d2bcdbe6e4..8c8d9217f0 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_sprite/src/render/sprite_sheet.frag
+++ b/crates/bevy_sprite/src/render/sprite_sheet.frag
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #version 450
 
 layout(location = 0) in vec2 v_Uv;
+layout(location = 1) in vec4 v_Color;
 
 layout(location = 0) out vec4 o_Target;
 
@@ -8,7 +9,7 @@ layout(set = 1, binding = 2) uniform texture2D TextureAtlas_texture;
 layout(set = 1, binding = 3) uniform sampler TextureAtlas_texture_sampler;
 
 void main() {
-    o_Target = texture(
+    o_Target = v_Color * texture(
         sampler2D(TextureAtlas_texture, TextureAtlas_texture_sampler),
         v_Uv);
 }
diff --git a/crates/bevy_sprite/src/render/sprite_sheet.vert b/crates/bevy_sprite/src/render/sprite_sheet.vert
index 0449f9abf4..f3ec814894 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_sprite/src/render/sprite_sheet.vert
+++ b/crates/bevy_sprite/src/render/sprite_sheet.vert
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ layout(location = 1) in vec3 Vertex_Normal;
 layout(location = 2) in vec2 Vertex_Uv;
 
 layout(location = 0) out vec2 v_Uv;
+layout(location = 1) out vec4 v_Color;
 
 // TODO: remove UI shader def and replace with generic "Camera" when its easier to manually bind global RenderResourceBindings 
 #ifdef UI_CAMERA
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ layout(set = 1, binding = 1) buffer TextureAtlas_textures {
 
 layout(set = 2, binding = 0) uniform TextureAtlasSprite {
     vec3 TextureAtlasSprite_position;
+    vec4 TextureAtlasSprite_color;
     float TextureAtlasSprite_scale;
     uint TextureAtlasSprite_index;
 };
@@ -41,7 +43,7 @@ layout(set = 2, binding = 0) uniform TextureAtlasSprite {
 void main() {
     Rect sprite_rect = Textures[TextureAtlasSprite_index];
     vec2 sprite_dimensions = sprite_rect.end - sprite_rect.begin;
-    vec3 vertex_position = vec3(Vertex_Position.xy * sprite_dimensions * TextureAtlasSprite_scale, 0.0) + TextureAtlasSprite_position;
+    vec3 vertex_position = vec3(Vertex_Position.xy * sprite_dimensions * TextureAtlasSprite_scale, 0.0) + TextureAtlasSprite_position.xyz;
     vec2 uvs[4] = vec2[](
         vec2(sprite_rect.begin.x, sprite_rect.end.y),
         sprite_rect.begin,
@@ -49,5 +51,6 @@ void main() {
         sprite_rect.end
     );
     v_Uv = uvs[gl_VertexIndex] / AtlasSize;
+    v_Color = TextureAtlasSprite_color;
     gl_Position = ViewProj * vec4(vertex_position, 1.0);
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/crates/bevy_sprite/src/texture_atlas.rs b/crates/bevy_sprite/src/texture_atlas.rs
index 2989e9d21c..5a52a6c4d2 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_sprite/src/texture_atlas.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_sprite/src/texture_atlas.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use bevy_core::bytes::Bytes;
 use bevy_render::{
     render_resource::{RenderResource, RenderResources},
     texture::Texture,
+    Color,
 };
 use glam::{Vec2, Vec3};
 use std::collections::HashMap;
@@ -21,14 +22,26 @@ pub struct TextureAtlas {
 
 // NOTE: cannot do `unsafe impl Byteable` here because Vec3 takes up the space of a Vec4. If/when glam changes this we can swap out
 // Bytes for Byteable as a micro-optimization. https://github.com/bitshifter/glam-rs/issues/36
-#[derive(Bytes, RenderResources, RenderResource, Default)]
+#[derive(Bytes, RenderResources, RenderResource)]
 #[render_resources(from_self)]
 pub struct TextureAtlasSprite {
     pub position: Vec3,
+    pub color: Color,
     pub scale: f32,
     pub index: u32,
 }
 
+impl Default for TextureAtlasSprite {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            index: 0,
+            color: Color::WHITE,
+            scale: 1.0,
+            position: Default::default(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 impl TextureAtlas {
     pub fn new_empty(texture: Handle<Texture>, dimensions: Vec2) -> Self {
         Self {
@@ -81,3 +94,36 @@ impl TextureAtlas {
             .and_then(|texture_handles| texture_handles.get(&texture).cloned())
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use crate::TextureAtlasSprite;
+    use bevy_core::bytes::{Bytes, FromBytes};
+    use bevy_render::Color;
+    use glam::Vec3;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_atlas_byte_conversion() {
+        let x = TextureAtlasSprite {
+            color: Color::RED,
+            index: 2,
+            position: Vec3::new(1., 2., 3.),
+            scale: 4.0,
+        };
+
+        assert_eq!(x.byte_len(), 36);
+        let mut bytes = vec![0; x.byte_len()];
+
+        x.write_bytes(&mut bytes);
+
+        let position = Vec3::from_bytes(&bytes[0..12]);
+        let color = Color::from_bytes(&bytes[12..28]);
+        let scale = f32::from_bytes(&bytes[28..32]);
+        let index = u32::from_bytes(&bytes[32..36]);
+
+        assert_eq!(position, x.position);
+        assert_eq!(color, x.color);
+        assert_eq!(scale, x.scale);
+        assert_eq!(index, x.index);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/bevy_text/src/draw.rs b/crates/bevy_text/src/draw.rs
index cdcff02317..5ad6dc589d 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_text/src/draw.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_text/src/draw.rs
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ impl<'a> Drawable for DrawableText<'a> {
                     let offset = scaled_font.descent() + glyph_height;
                     let sprite_buffer = TextureAtlasSprite {
                         index: glyph_atlas_info.char_index,
+                        color: self.style.color,
                         position: caret
                             + Vec3::new(
                                 0.0 + glyph_width / 2.0 + bounds.min.x,
diff --git a/examples/2d/sprite_sheet.rs b/examples/2d/sprite_sheet.rs
index ae49ac354b..884ad9506c 100644
--- a/examples/2d/sprite_sheet.rs
+++ b/examples/2d/sprite_sheet.rs
@@ -42,9 +42,8 @@ fn setup(
         .add_entity(SpriteSheetEntity {
             texture_atlas: texture_atlas_handle,
             sprite: TextureAtlasSprite {
-                index: 0,
                 scale: 6.0,
-                position: Vec3::new(0.0, 0.0, 0.0),
+                ..Default::default()
             },
             ..Default::default()
         })
diff --git a/examples/shader/shader_defs.rs b/examples/shader/shader_defs.rs
index d7f0a830ea..c5d0fc41db 100644
--- a/examples/shader/shader_defs.rs
+++ b/examples/shader/shader_defs.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ fn main() {
         .add_startup_system(setup.system())
         .add_system_to_stage(
             stage::POST_UPDATE,
-            shader::asset_shader_def_system::<MyMaterial>.system(),
+            shader::asset_shader_defs_system::<MyMaterial>.system(),
         )
         .run();
 }