diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableEntityItem.cpp b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableEntityItem.cpp
index 1318f221c9..b1251a2530 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableEntityItem.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableEntityItem.cpp
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ Item::Bound EntityRenderer::getBound() {
 
 ItemKey EntityRenderer::getKey() {
     if (isTransparent()) {
-        return ItemKey::Builder::transparentShape().withTypeMeta().withTagBits(render::ItemKey::TAG_BITS_0 | render::ItemKey::TAG_BITS_1).withNoShadowCaster();
+        return ItemKey::Builder::transparentShape().withTypeMeta().withTagBits(render::ItemKey::TAG_BITS_0 | render::ItemKey::TAG_BITS_1);
     }
 
     return ItemKey::Builder::opaqueShape().withTypeMeta().withTagBits(render::ItemKey::TAG_BITS_0 | render::ItemKey::TAG_BITS_1).withShadowCaster();
diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.cpp b/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.cpp
index 293150d552..16eca007af 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.cpp
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.cpp
@@ -87,8 +87,6 @@ void MeshPartPayload::updateKey(bool isVisible, bool isLayered, bool canCastShad
 
     if (canCastShadow) {
         builder.withShadowCaster();
-    } else {
-        builder.withNoShadowCaster();
     }
 
     if (isGroupCulled) {
@@ -413,6 +411,7 @@ void ModelMeshPartPayload::updateTransformForSkinnedMesh(const Transform& render
     _worldBound.transform(boundTransform);
 }
 
+// Note that this method is called for models but not for shapes
 void ModelMeshPartPayload::updateKey(bool isVisible, bool isLayered, bool canCastShadow, uint8_t tagBits, bool isGroupCulled) {
     ItemKey::Builder builder;
     builder.withTypeShape();
@@ -429,8 +428,6 @@ void ModelMeshPartPayload::updateKey(bool isVisible, bool isLayered, bool canCas
 
     if (canCastShadow) {
         builder.withShadowCaster();
-    } else {
-        builder.withNoShadowCaster();
     }
 
     if (isGroupCulled) {
diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/RenderShadowTask.cpp b/libraries/render-utils/src/RenderShadowTask.cpp
index 7806c95330..be84482c63 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/RenderShadowTask.cpp
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/RenderShadowTask.cpp
@@ -223,7 +223,10 @@ void RenderShadowTask::build(JobModel& task, const render::Varying& input, rende
     const auto setupOutput = task.addJob<RenderShadowSetup>("ShadowSetup");
     const auto queryResolution = setupOutput.getN<RenderShadowSetup::Outputs>(2);
     // Fetch and cull the items from the scene
+
+    // Enable models to not cast shadows (otherwise, models will always cast shadows)
     static const auto shadowCasterFilter = ItemFilter::Builder::visibleWorldItems().withTypeShape().withOpaque().withoutLayered().withTagBits(tagBits, tagMask).withShadowCaster();
+
     const auto fetchInput = FetchSpatialTree::Inputs(shadowCasterFilter, queryResolution).asVarying();
     const auto shadowSelection = task.addJob<FetchSpatialTree>("FetchShadowTree", fetchInput);
     const auto selectionInputs = FetchSpatialSelection::Inputs(shadowSelection, shadowCasterFilter).asVarying();
diff --git a/libraries/render/src/render/Item.h b/libraries/render/src/render/Item.h
index 25c1244990..f6cd6a19e1 100644
--- a/libraries/render/src/render/Item.h
+++ b/libraries/render/src/render/Item.h
@@ -123,7 +123,6 @@ public:
         Builder& withDeformed() { _flags.set(DEFORMED); return (*this); }
         Builder& withInvisible() { _flags.set(INVISIBLE); return (*this); }
         Builder& withShadowCaster() { _flags.set(SHADOW_CASTER); return (*this); }
-        Builder& withNoShadowCaster() { _flags.reset(SHADOW_CASTER); return (*this); }
         Builder& withLayered() { _flags.set(LAYERED); return (*this); }
         Builder& withMetaCullGroup() { _flags.set(META_CULL_GROUP); return (*this); }
         Builder& withSubMetaCulled() { _flags.set(SUB_META_CULLED); return (*this); }
@@ -227,7 +226,6 @@ public:
         Builder& withVisible()          { _value.reset(ItemKey::INVISIBLE); _mask.set(ItemKey::INVISIBLE); return (*this); }
         Builder& withInvisible()        { _value.set(ItemKey::INVISIBLE);  _mask.set(ItemKey::INVISIBLE); return (*this); }
 
-        Builder& withNoShadowCaster()   { _value.reset(ItemKey::SHADOW_CASTER); _mask.set(ItemKey::SHADOW_CASTER); return (*this); }
         Builder& withShadowCaster()     { _value.set(ItemKey::SHADOW_CASTER);  _mask.set(ItemKey::SHADOW_CASTER); return (*this); }
 
         Builder& withoutLayered()       { _value.reset(ItemKey::LAYERED); _mask.set(ItemKey::LAYERED); return (*this); }