diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.cpp b/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.cpp
index 2d8d7b598b..2fae09a158 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.cpp
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/MeshPartPayload.cpp
@@ -470,6 +470,9 @@ void ModelMeshPartPayload::render(RenderArgs* args) const {
     ModelRender::pickPrograms(batch, mode, translucentMesh, alphaThreshold, hasLightmap, hasTangents, hasSpecular, isSkinned, wireframe,
                               args, locations);
     
+    if (!locations) { // the pipeline could not be found
+        return;
+    }
 
     // Bind the model transform and the skinCLusterMatrices if needed
     bindTransform(batch, locations);