diff --git a/tools/matedit/src/ExternalCompile.cpp b/tools/matedit/src/ExternalCompile.cpp
index 11d1583d1b..f8f13dbbf8 100644
--- a/tools/matedit/src/ExternalCompile.cpp
+++ b/tools/matedit/src/ExternalCompile.cpp
@@ -287,7 +287,8 @@ bool compileMetalShaders(const std::vector<filamat::TextEntry>& mslEntries,
     return true;
 }
 
-int externalCompile(utils::Path input, utils::Path output, std::vector<std::string> args) {
+int externalCompile(utils::Path input, utils::Path output, bool preserveTextShaders,
+        std::vector<std::string> args) {
     std::ifstream in(input.c_str(), std::ifstream::in | std::ios::binary);
     if (!in.is_open()) {
         std::cerr << "Could not open the source material " << input << std::endl;
@@ -333,18 +334,7 @@ int externalCompile(utils::Path input, utils::Path output, std::vector<std::stri
         return 1;
     }
 
-    // Since we're modifying text shaders, we'll need to regenerate the text dictionary.
-    // We'll also need to re-emit text based shaders that rely on the dictionary.
-    // Here we ONLY add GLSL and ESSL 1 types, as we're removing MSL completely.
-    filamat::LineDictionary textDictionary;
-    for (const auto& s : glslEntries) {
-        textDictionary.addText(s.shader);
-    }
-    for (const auto& s : essl1Entries) {
-        textDictionary.addText(s.shader);
-    }
-
-    // We'll also need to regenerate the SPIRV dictionary and SPIRV shaders.
+    // We always need to regenerate the SPIRV dictionary and SPIRV shaders.
     // This is required, as the SPIRV blobs have alignment requirements. Since we're modifying other
     // chunks, their alignment might have changed.
     filamat::BlobDictionary spirvDictionary;
@@ -359,19 +349,28 @@ int externalCompile(utils::Path input, utils::Path output, std::vector<std::stri
         e.dictionaryIndex = metalBinaryDictionary.addBlob(data);
     }
 
+    bool removingMslShaders = !preserveTextShaders;
+
     // Pass through chunks that don't need to change.
     filamat::ChunkContainer outputChunks;
     for (int i = 0; i < container.getChunkCount(); i++) {
         filaflat::ChunkContainer::Chunk c = container.getChunk(i);
-        if (c.type == filamat::ChunkType::MaterialMetal) {
-            // This chunk is being removed, skip it.
-            continue;
+
+        if (removingMslShaders) {
+            if (c.type == filamat::ChunkType::MaterialMetal) {
+                // This chunk is being removed, skip it.
+                continue;
+            }
+            if (c.type == filamat::ChunkType::MaterialGlsl ||
+                    c.type == filamat::ChunkType::MaterialEssl1 ||
+                    c.type == filamat::ChunkType::DictionaryText) {
+                // These shader / dictionary chunks will be re-added below.
+                continue;
+            }
         }
-        if (c.type == filamat::ChunkType::MaterialGlsl ||
-                c.type == filamat::ChunkType::MaterialEssl1 ||
-                c.type == filamat::ChunkType::MaterialSpirv ||
-                c.type == filamat::ChunkType::DictionarySpirv ||
-                c.type == filamat::ChunkType::DictionaryText) {
+
+        if (c.type == filamat::ChunkType::MaterialSpirv ||
+                c.type == filamat::ChunkType::DictionarySpirv) {
             // These shader / dictionary chunks will be re-added below.
             continue;
         }
@@ -379,21 +378,34 @@ int externalCompile(utils::Path input, utils::Path output, std::vector<std::stri
                 reinterpret_cast<const char*>(c.desc.start), c.desc.size, c.type);
     }
 
-    // Add the re-generated text dictionary chunk and text-based shaders.
-    if (!textDictionary.isEmpty()) {
-        const auto& dictionaryChunk = outputChunks.push<filamat::DictionaryTextChunk>(
-                std::move(textDictionary), filamat::ChunkType::DictionaryText);
-
-        // Re-emit GLSL chunk (MaterialTextChunk).
-        if (!glslEntries.empty()) {
-            outputChunks.push<filamat::MaterialTextChunk>(std::move(glslEntries),
-                    dictionaryChunk.getDictionary(), filamat::ChunkType::MaterialGlsl);
+    if (removingMslShaders) {
+        // Since we're modifying text shaders, we'll need to regenerate the text dictionary.
+        // We'll also need to re-emit text based shaders that rely on the dictionary.
+        // Here we ONLY add GLSL and ESSL 1 types, as we're removing MSL completely.
+        filamat::LineDictionary textDictionary;
+        for (const auto& s : glslEntries) {
+            textDictionary.addText(s.shader);
+        }
+        for (const auto& s : essl1Entries) {
+            textDictionary.addText(s.shader);
         }
 
-        // Re-emit ESSL1 chunk (MaterialTextChunk).
-        if (!essl1Entries.empty()) {
-            outputChunks.push<filamat::MaterialTextChunk>(std::move(essl1Entries),
-                    dictionaryChunk.getDictionary(), filamat::ChunkType::MaterialEssl1);
+        // Add the re-generated text dictionary chunk and text-based shaders.
+        if (!textDictionary.isEmpty()) {
+            const auto& dictionaryChunk = outputChunks.push<filamat::DictionaryTextChunk>(
+                    std::move(textDictionary), filamat::ChunkType::DictionaryText);
+
+            // Re-emit GLSL chunk (MaterialTextChunk).
+            if (!glslEntries.empty()) {
+                outputChunks.push<filamat::MaterialTextChunk>(std::move(glslEntries),
+                        dictionaryChunk.getDictionary(), filamat::ChunkType::MaterialGlsl);
+            }
+
+            // Re-emit ESSL1 chunk (MaterialTextChunk).
+            if (!essl1Entries.empty()) {
+                outputChunks.push<filamat::MaterialTextChunk>(std::move(essl1Entries),
+                        dictionaryChunk.getDictionary(), filamat::ChunkType::MaterialEssl1);
+            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/tools/matedit/src/ExternalCompile.h b/tools/matedit/src/ExternalCompile.h
index d24907c690..0fc13dd17f 100644
--- a/tools/matedit/src/ExternalCompile.h
+++ b/tools/matedit/src/ExternalCompile.h
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@
 
 namespace matedit {
 
-int externalCompile(utils::Path input, utils::Path output, std::vector<std::string> args);
+int externalCompile(utils::Path input, utils::Path output, bool preserveTextShaders,
+        std::vector<std::string> args);
 
 } // namespace matedit
 
diff --git a/tools/matedit/src/main.cpp b/tools/matedit/src/main.cpp
index 0adc980877..05c2a2bd90 100644
--- a/tools/matedit/src/main.cpp
+++ b/tools/matedit/src/main.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ struct Config {
     utils::Path inputFile;
     utils::Path outputFile;
     std::vector<std::string> commandArgs;
+    bool preserveTextShaders = false;
 };
 
 static void printUsage(const char* name) {
@@ -55,6 +56,9 @@ static void printUsage(const char* name) {
         "   --type=[shader type], -t\n"
         "       Specify the shader type, currently only metal is supported\n"
         "\n"
+        "   --preserve-text-shaders, -p\n"
+        "       Keep the text-based shaders when writing the output file\n"
+        "\n"
         "Commands:\n"
         "   external-compile\n"
         "       Transforms all the text-based shaders of the specified type in the input file into binaries\n"
@@ -76,7 +80,8 @@ static void printUsage(const char* name) {
         "               <input shader> is guaranteed to have a .metal extension.\n"
         "               <output binary> is guaranteed to have a .metallib extension.\n"
         "\n"
-        "       This command will remove the text-based shaders when writing the output material file.\n"
+        "       This command will remove the text-based shaders when writing the output material file, unless\n"
+        "       the --preserve-text-shaders option is specified.\n"
         "\n"
         "       If script exits with a non-zero exit code, MATEDIT will terminate with error. Multiple\n"
         "       invocations of script may be launched in parallel.\n"
@@ -93,12 +98,13 @@ static void printUsage(const char* name) {
 }
 
 static int handleArguments(int argc, char* argv[], Config* config) {
-    static constexpr const char* OPTSTR = "hi:o:t:";
+    static constexpr const char* OPTSTR = "hi:o:t:p";
     static const struct option OPTIONS[] = {
-            { "help",               no_argument,       nullptr, 'h' },
-            { "input",              required_argument, nullptr, 'i' },
-            { "output",             required_argument, nullptr, 'o' },
-            { "type",               required_argument, nullptr, 't' },
+            { "help",                  no_argument,       nullptr, 'h' },
+            { "input",                 required_argument, nullptr, 'i' },
+            { "output",                required_argument, nullptr, 'o' },
+            { "type",                  required_argument, nullptr, 't' },
+            { "preserve-text-shaders", no_argument,       nullptr, 'p' },
             { nullptr, 0, nullptr, 0 }  // termination of the option list
     };
 
@@ -126,6 +132,10 @@ static int handleArguments(int argc, char* argv[], Config* config) {
                               << std::endl;
                     exit(1);
                 }
+                break;
+            case 'p':
+                config->preserveTextShaders = true;
+                break;
         }
     }
 
@@ -176,5 +186,6 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
         return 1;
     }
 
-    return matedit::externalCompile(config.inputFile, config.outputFile, config.commandArgs);
+    return matedit::externalCompile(
+            config.inputFile, config.outputFile, config.preserveTextShaders, config.commandArgs);
 }