diff --git a/engine/src/core-data/Common/MatDefs/Shadow/PostShadowFilter.frag b/engine/src/core-data/Common/MatDefs/Shadow/PostShadowFilter.frag
index c2666fcc8..f22a93af2 100644
--- a/engine/src/core-data/Common/MatDefs/Shadow/PostShadowFilter.frag
+++ b/engine/src/core-data/Common/MatDefs/Shadow/PostShadowFilter.frag
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ vec3 getPosition(in float depth, in vec2 uv){
 }
 
 void main(){    
+    #if !defined( RENDER_SHADOWS )
+          gl_FragColor = texture2D(m_Texture,texCoord);
+          return;
+    #endif
     
     float depth = texture2D(m_DepthTexture,texCoord).r;
     vec4 color = texture2D(m_Texture,texCoord);
diff --git a/engine/src/core-data/Common/MatDefs/Shadow/PostShadowFilter.j3md b/engine/src/core-data/Common/MatDefs/Shadow/PostShadowFilter.j3md
index 8fd8b82f0..c97f0a323 100644
--- a/engine/src/core-data/Common/MatDefs/Shadow/PostShadowFilter.j3md
+++ b/engine/src/core-data/Common/MatDefs/Shadow/PostShadowFilter.j3md
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ MaterialDef Post Shadow {
             FADE : FadeInfo
             PSSM : Splits
             POINTLIGHT : LightViewProjectionMatrix5
+            //if no shadow map don't render shadows
+            RENDER_SHADOWS : ShadowMap0
+
         }
       
     }
diff --git a/engine/src/core-data/Common/MatDefs/Shadow/PostShadowFilter15.frag b/engine/src/core-data/Common/MatDefs/Shadow/PostShadowFilter15.frag
index a8280ea1c..c4579fdf8 100644
--- a/engine/src/core-data/Common/MatDefs/Shadow/PostShadowFilter15.frag
+++ b/engine/src/core-data/Common/MatDefs/Shadow/PostShadowFilter15.frag
@@ -87,6 +87,11 @@ vec4 main_multiSample(in int numSample){
 
 void main(){  
 
+    #if !defined( RENDER_SHADOWS )
+          outFragColor = fetchTextureSample(m_Texture,texCoord,0);
+          return;
+    #endif
+    
     #ifdef RESOLVE_MS
         vec4 color = vec4(0.0);
         for (int i = 0; i < m_NumSamples; i++){
diff --git a/engine/src/core/com/jme3/shadow/AbstractShadowFilter.java b/engine/src/core/com/jme3/shadow/AbstractShadowFilter.java
index a10775458..ce7e35bc5 100644
--- a/engine/src/core/com/jme3/shadow/AbstractShadowFilter.java
+++ b/engine/src/core/com/jme3/shadow/AbstractShadowFilter.java
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractShadowFilter<T extends AbstractShadowRenderer> ext
     @SuppressWarnings("all")
     protected AbstractShadowFilter(AssetManager manager, int shadowMapSize, T shadowRenderer) {
         super("Post Shadow");
-        material = new Material(manager, "Common/MatDefs/Shadow/PostShadowFilter.j3md");
+        material = new Material(manager, "Common/MatDefs/Shadow/PostShadowFilter.j3md");       
         this.shadowRenderer = shadowRenderer;
         this.shadowRenderer.setPostShadowMaterial(material);
     }
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractShadowFilter<T extends AbstractShadowRenderer> ext
         return true;
     }
 
-    public Material getShadowMaterial() {
+    public Material getShadowMaterial() {       
         return material;
     }
     Vector4f tmpv = new Vector4f();
@@ -103,11 +103,17 @@ public abstract class AbstractShadowFilter<T extends AbstractShadowRenderer> ext
     @Override
     protected void postQueue(RenderQueue queue) {
         shadowRenderer.postQueue(queue);
+         if(shadowRenderer.skipPostPass){
+             //removing the shadow map so that the post pass is skipped
+             material.setTexture("ShadowMap0", null);
+         }
     }
 
     @Override
     protected void postFrame(RenderManager renderManager, ViewPort viewPort, FrameBuffer prevFilterBuffer, FrameBuffer sceneBuffer) {
-        shadowRenderer.setPostShadowParams();
+        if(!shadowRenderer.skipPostPass){
+            shadowRenderer.setPostShadowParams();
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/engine/src/core/com/jme3/shadow/AbstractShadowRenderer.java b/engine/src/core/com/jme3/shadow/AbstractShadowRenderer.java
index d3fb58034..094291a95 100644
--- a/engine/src/core/com/jme3/shadow/AbstractShadowRenderer.java
+++ b/engine/src/core/com/jme3/shadow/AbstractShadowRenderer.java
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractShadowRenderer implements SceneProcessor, Savable
     protected GeometryList shadowMapOccluders = new GeometryList(new OpaqueComparator());
     private String[] shadowMapStringCache;
     private String[] lightViewStringCache;
+    //used to skip the post pass when there are no shadow casters.
+    protected boolean skipPostPass;
 
     
     /**
@@ -350,7 +352,9 @@ public abstract class AbstractShadowRenderer implements SceneProcessor, Savable
     public void postQueue(RenderQueue rq) {
         GeometryList occluders = rq.getShadowQueueContent(ShadowMode.Cast);
         sceneReceivers = rq.getShadowQueueContent(ShadowMode.Receive);
+        skipPostPass = false;
         if (sceneReceivers.size() == 0 || occluders.size() == 0) {
+            skipPostPass = true;
             return;
         }
 
@@ -427,7 +431,9 @@ public abstract class AbstractShadowRenderer implements SceneProcessor, Savable
     abstract GeometryList getReceivers(GeometryList sceneReceivers, GeometryList lightReceivers);
 
     public void postFrame(FrameBuffer out) {
-
+        if (skipPostPass) {
+            return;
+        }
         if (debug) {
             displayShadowMap(renderManager.getRenderer());
         }