diff --git a/Gems/Atom/RPI/Code/Include/Atom/RPI.Reflect/Model/ModelAsset.h b/Gems/Atom/RPI/Code/Include/Atom/RPI.Reflect/Model/ModelAsset.h
index 465dae960d..c30116eea0 100644
--- a/Gems/Atom/RPI/Code/Include/Atom/RPI.Reflect/Model/ModelAsset.h
+++ b/Gems/Atom/RPI/Code/Include/Atom/RPI.Reflect/Model/ModelAsset.h
@@ -60,12 +60,14 @@ namespace AZ
             //!
             //! @param rayStart  The starting point of the ray.
             //! @param rayDir  The direction and length of the ray (magnitude is encoded in the direction).
+            //! @param allowBruteForce  Allow for brute force queries while the mesh is baking (remove when ATOM-4343 is complete)
             //! @param[out] distanceNormalized  If an intersection is found, will be set to the normalized distance of the intersection
             //! (in the range 0.0-1.0) - to calculate the actual distance, multiply distanceNormalized by the magnitude of rayDir.
             //! @param[out] normal If an intersection is found, will be set to the normal at the point of collision.
             //! @return  True if the ray intersects the mesh.
             virtual bool LocalRayIntersectionAgainstModel(
-                const AZ::Vector3& rayStart, const AZ::Vector3& rayDir, float& distanceNormalized, AZ::Vector3& normal) const;
+                const AZ::Vector3& rayStart, const AZ::Vector3& rayDir, bool allowBruteForce,
+                float& distanceNormalized, AZ::Vector3& normal) const;
 
         private:
             void SetReady();
diff --git a/Gems/Atom/RPI/Code/Source/RPI.Public/Model/Model.cpp b/Gems/Atom/RPI/Code/Source/RPI.Public/Model/Model.cpp
index a0743f97d3..7c869c7910 100644
--- a/Gems/Atom/RPI/Code/Source/RPI.Public/Model/Model.cpp
+++ b/Gems/Atom/RPI/Code/Source/RPI.Public/Model/Model.cpp
@@ -146,7 +146,9 @@ namespace AZ
                     AZ::Debug::Timer timer;
                     timer.Stamp();
 #endif
-                    const bool hit = modelAssetPtr->LocalRayIntersectionAgainstModel(rayStart, rayDir, distanceNormalized, normal);
+                    constexpr bool AllowBruteForce = false;
+                    const bool hit = modelAssetPtr->LocalRayIntersectionAgainstModel(
+                        rayStart, rayDir, AllowBruteForce, distanceNormalized, normal);
 #if defined(AZ_RPI_PROFILE_RAYCASTING_AGAINST_MODELS)
                     if (hit)
                     {
diff --git a/Gems/Atom/RPI/Code/Source/RPI.Reflect/Model/ModelAsset.cpp b/Gems/Atom/RPI/Code/Source/RPI.Reflect/Model/ModelAsset.cpp
index 99e97b0300..bf0e4eb584 100644
--- a/Gems/Atom/RPI/Code/Source/RPI.Reflect/Model/ModelAsset.cpp
+++ b/Gems/Atom/RPI/Code/Source/RPI.Reflect/Model/ModelAsset.cpp
@@ -72,7 +72,8 @@ namespace AZ
         }
 
         bool ModelAsset::LocalRayIntersectionAgainstModel(
-            const AZ::Vector3& rayStart, const AZ::Vector3& rayDir, float& distanceNormalized, AZ::Vector3& normal) const
+            const AZ::Vector3& rayStart, const AZ::Vector3& rayDir, bool allowBruteForce,
+            float& distanceNormalized, AZ::Vector3& normal) const
         {
             AZ_PROFILE_FUNCTION(AZ::Debug::ProfileCategory::AzRender);
 
@@ -90,7 +91,7 @@ namespace AZ
                     BuildKdTree();
 
                     AZ_WarningOnce("Model", false, "ray intersection against a model that is still creating spatial information");
-                    return false;
+                    return allowBruteForce ? BruteForceRayIntersect(rayStart, rayDir, distanceNormalized, normal) : false;
                 }
                 else
                 {
diff --git a/Gems/Atom/RPI/Code/Tests/Model/ModelTests.cpp b/Gems/Atom/RPI/Code/Tests/Model/ModelTests.cpp
index 6329d11a55..7bc9ed5d11 100644
--- a/Gems/Atom/RPI/Code/Tests/Model/ModelTests.cpp
+++ b/Gems/Atom/RPI/Code/Tests/Model/ModelTests.cpp
@@ -1214,11 +1214,12 @@ namespace UnitTest
 
         float distance = AZStd::numeric_limits<float>::max();
         AZ::Vector3 normal;
+        constexpr bool AllowBruteForce = false;
 
         EXPECT_THAT(
             mesh.GetModel()->LocalRayIntersectionAgainstModel(
                 AZ::Vector3(GetParam().xpos, GetParam().ypos, GetParam().zpos),
-                AZ::Vector3(GetParam().xdir, GetParam().ydir, GetParam().zdir), distance, normal),
+                AZ::Vector3(GetParam().xdir, GetParam().ydir, GetParam().zdir), AllowBruteForce, distance, normal),
             testing::Eq(GetParam().expectedShouldIntersect));
         EXPECT_THAT(distance, testing::FloatEq(GetParam().expectedDistance));
     }
@@ -1262,9 +1263,10 @@ namespace UnitTest
 
         // firing down the negative z axis, positioned 5 units from cube (cube is 2x2x2 so intersection
         // happens at 1 in z)
+        constexpr bool AllowBruteForce = false;
         EXPECT_THAT(
             m_mesh->GetModel()->LocalRayIntersectionAgainstModel(
-                AZ::Vector3::CreateAxisZ(5.0f), -AZ::Vector3::CreateAxisZ(10.0f), t, normal),
+                AZ::Vector3::CreateAxisZ(5.0f), -AZ::Vector3::CreateAxisZ(10.0f), AllowBruteForce, t, normal),
             testing::Eq(true));
         EXPECT_THAT(t, testing::FloatEq(0.4f));
     }
@@ -1275,9 +1277,10 @@ namespace UnitTest
         AZ::Vector3 normal = AZ::Vector3::CreateOne(); // invalid starting normal
 
         // ensure the intersection happens right at the end of the ray
+        constexpr bool AllowBruteForce = false;
         EXPECT_THAT(
             m_mesh->GetModel()->LocalRayIntersectionAgainstModel(
-                AZ::Vector3::CreateAxisY(10.0f), -AZ::Vector3::CreateAxisY(9.0f), t, normal),
+                AZ::Vector3::CreateAxisY(10.0f), -AZ::Vector3::CreateAxisY(9.0f), AllowBruteForce, t, normal),
             testing::Eq(true));
         EXPECT_THAT(t, testing::FloatEq(1.0f));
         EXPECT_THAT(normal, IsClose(AZ::Vector3::CreateAxisY()));
diff --git a/Gems/SurfaceData/Code/Source/SurfaceDataUtility.cpp b/Gems/SurfaceData/Code/Source/SurfaceDataUtility.cpp
index 72dee012c2..439bc35071 100644
--- a/Gems/SurfaceData/Code/Source/SurfaceDataUtility.cpp
+++ b/Gems/SurfaceData/Code/Source/SurfaceDataUtility.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ namespace SurfaceData
 
         AZ::Vector3 normalLocal;
 
-        if (meshAsset.LocalRayIntersectionAgainstModel(rayStartLocal, rayDirectionLocal, distance, normalLocal))
+        constexpr bool AllowBruteForce = true;
+        if (meshAsset.LocalRayIntersectionAgainstModel(rayStartLocal, rayDirectionLocal, AllowBruteForce, distance, normalLocal))
         {
             // Transform everything back to world space
             outPosition = meshTransform.TransformPoint((rayStartLocal + (rayDirectionLocal * distance)) * clampedScale);
diff --git a/Gems/Vegetation/Code/Tests/VegetationMocks.h b/Gems/Vegetation/Code/Tests/VegetationMocks.h
index 1b95975e67..e2e135a3f3 100644
--- a/Gems/Vegetation/Code/Tests/VegetationMocks.h
+++ b/Gems/Vegetation/Code/Tests/VegetationMocks.h
@@ -475,7 +475,8 @@ namespace UnitTest
         ~MockMeshAsset() override = default;
 
         bool LocalRayIntersectionAgainstModel(
-            [[maybe_unused]] const AZ::Vector3& rayStart, [[maybe_unused]] const AZ::Vector3& dir, [[maybe_unused]] float& distance, [[maybe_unused]] AZ::Vector3& normal) const override
+            [[maybe_unused]] const AZ::Vector3& rayStart, [[maybe_unused]] const AZ::Vector3& dir, [[maybe_unused]] bool allowBruteForce,
+            [[maybe_unused]] float& distance, [[maybe_unused]] AZ::Vector3& normal) const override
         {
             distance = 0.1f;
             return true;