diff --git a/crates/bevy_pbr/src/meshlet/instance_manager.rs b/crates/bevy_pbr/src/meshlet/instance_manager.rs
index 94d03a925a490..5817ff4a49eed 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_pbr/src/meshlet/instance_manager.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_pbr/src/meshlet/instance_manager.rs
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ impl InstanceManager {
         aabb: MeshletAabb,
         bvh_depth: u32,
         transform: &GlobalTransform,
-        previous_transform: Option<&PreviousGlobalTransform>,
+        previous_transform: &PreviousGlobalTransform,
         render_layers: Option<&RenderLayers>,
         mesh_material_ids: &RenderMaterialInstances,
         render_material_bindings: &RenderMaterialBindings,
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ impl InstanceManager {
     ) {
         // Build a MeshUniform for the instance
         let transform = transform.affine();
-        let previous_transform = previous_transform.map(|t| t.0).unwrap_or(transform);
+        let previous_transform = previous_transform.0;
         let mut flags = if not_shadow_receiver {
             MeshFlags::empty()
         } else {
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ pub fn extract_meshlet_mesh_entities(
                     Entity,
                     &MeshletMesh3d,
                     &GlobalTransform,
-                    Option<&PreviousGlobalTransform>,
+                    &PreviousGlobalTransform,
                     Option<&RenderLayers>,
                     Has<NotShadowReceiver>,
                     Has<NotShadowCaster>,
diff --git a/crates/bevy_pbr/src/prepass/mod.rs b/crates/bevy_pbr/src/prepass/mod.rs
index 66de219a90186..3273f2f7eb71d 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_pbr/src/prepass/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_pbr/src/prepass/mod.rs
@@ -241,10 +241,12 @@ pub fn update_mesh_previous_global_transforms(
     let should_run = views.iter().any(|camera| camera.is_active);
 
     if should_run {
+        // Initialize PreviousGlobalTransform for new mesh entities to current GlobalTransform
         for (entity, transform) in &new_meshes {
             let new_previous_transform = PreviousGlobalTransform(transform.affine());
             commands.entity(entity).try_insert(new_previous_transform);
         }
+        // Update previous transforms to current transform values for next frame
         meshes.par_iter_mut().for_each(|(transform, mut previous)| {
             previous.set_if_neq(PreviousGlobalTransform(transform.affine()));
         });
diff --git a/examples/test_previous_transform.rs b/examples/test_previous_transform.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..4a6142d0873d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/test_previous_transform.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+//! Test example that verifies PreviousGlobalTransform is correctly initialized
+//! to match GlobalTransform on the first frame for new entities.
+
+use bevy::pbr::PreviousGlobalTransform;
+use bevy::prelude::*;
+
+fn main() {
+    App::new()
+        .add_plugins(DefaultPlugins)
+        .add_systems(Startup, setup)
+        .add_systems(Update, check_transforms)
+        .run();
+}
+
+fn setup(
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    mut meshes: ResMut<Assets<Mesh>>,
+    mut materials: ResMut<Assets<StandardMaterial>>,
+) {
+    // Camera
+    commands.spawn((
+        Camera3d::default(),
+        Transform::from_xyz(3.0, 3.0, 3.0).looking_at(Vec3::ZERO, Vec3::Y),
+    ));
+
+    // Light
+    commands.spawn((
+        DirectionalLight::default(),
+        Transform::from_rotation(Quat::from_euler(EulerRot::XYZ, -0.5, -0.5, 0.0)),
+    ));
+
+    // Spawn a mesh entity - this should trigger PreviousGlobalTransform initialization
+    commands.spawn((
+        Mesh3d(meshes.add(Sphere::new(1.0))),
+        MeshMaterial3d(materials.add(StandardMaterial::default())),
+        Transform::from_xyz(1.0, 2.0, 3.0),
+        TestEntity,
+    ));
+}
+
+#[derive(Component)]
+struct TestEntity;
+
+fn check_transforms(
+    query: Query<(&GlobalTransform, Option<&PreviousGlobalTransform>), With<TestEntity>>,
+    mut frame_count: Local<u32>,
+) {
+    *frame_count += 1;
+
+    for (global_transform, maybe_previous) in &query {
+        println!(
+            "Frame {}: GlobalTransform: {:?}",
+            *frame_count,
+            global_transform.translation()
+        );
+        if let Some(previous) = maybe_previous {
+            println!(
+                "Frame {}: PreviousGlobalTransform exists: {:?}",
+                *frame_count, previous.0.translation
+            );
+
+            // On the first frame, previous should equal current
+            if *frame_count == 1 {
+                let current_affine = global_transform.affine();
+                if (previous.0.translation - current_affine.translation).length() < 0.001 {
+                    println!(
+                        "SUCCESS: PreviousGlobalTransform correctly initialized to GlobalTransform"
+                    );
+                } else {
+                    println!("FAIL: PreviousGlobalTransform not initialized correctly");
+                    println!("Current: {:?}", current_affine.translation);
+                    println!("Previous: {:?}", previous.0.translation);
+                }
+            }
+        } else {
+            println!("Frame {}: PreviousGlobalTransform missing", *frame_count);
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Exit after a few frames
+    if *frame_count >= 3 {
+        std::process::exit(0);
+    }
+}