diff --git a/Gems/AtomLyIntegration/CommonFeatures/Code/Source/Decals/EditorDecalComponent.cpp b/Gems/AtomLyIntegration/CommonFeatures/Code/Source/Decals/EditorDecalComponent.cpp
index c5d61dd54a..02a2e1c0c9 100644
--- a/Gems/AtomLyIntegration/CommonFeatures/Code/Source/Decals/EditorDecalComponent.cpp
+++ b/Gems/AtomLyIntegration/CommonFeatures/Code/Source/Decals/EditorDecalComponent.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@ namespace AZ
 {
     namespace Render
     {
+        static AZ::Data::Asset<AZ::RPI::MaterialAsset> QueueLoad(const AZ::Data::AssetId id)
+        {
+            return AZ::Data::AssetManager::Instance().GetAsset<AZ::RPI::MaterialAsset>(id, AZ::Data::AssetLoadBehavior::QueueLoad);
+        }
+
         EditorDecalComponent::EditorDecalComponent(const DecalComponentConfig& config)
             : BaseClass(config)
         {
@@ -87,16 +92,26 @@ namespace AZ
             AzFramework::EntityDebugDisplayEventBus::Handler::BusConnect(GetEntityId());
             AzToolsFramework::EditorComponentSelectionRequestsBus::Handler::BusConnect(GetEntityId());
             AzFramework::BoundsRequestBus::Handler::BusConnect(GetEntityId());
+            CacheMaterial();
         }
 
         void EditorDecalComponent::Deactivate()
         {
+            m_cachedMaterial = {};
             AzFramework::BoundsRequestBus::Handler::BusDisconnect();
             AzToolsFramework::EditorComponentSelectionRequestsBus::Handler::BusDisconnect();
             AzFramework::EntityDebugDisplayEventBus::Handler::BusDisconnect();
             BaseClass::Deactivate();
         }
 
+        void EditorDecalComponent::CacheMaterial()
+        {
+            DecalComponentConfig decalComponentConfig;
+            GetConfiguration(decalComponentConfig);
+            const auto& materialAsset = decalComponentConfig.m_materialAsset;
+            m_cachedMaterial = QueueLoad(materialAsset.GetId());
+        }
+
         AZ::Transform EditorDecalComponent::GetWorldTransform() const
         {
             AZ::Transform transform = AZ::Transform::CreateIdentity();
@@ -193,6 +208,7 @@ namespace AZ
         u32 EditorDecalComponent::OnConfigurationChanged()
         {
             BaseClass::OnConfigurationChanged();
+            CacheMaterial();
             return Edit::PropertyRefreshLevels::AttributesAndValues;
         }
 
diff --git a/Gems/AtomLyIntegration/CommonFeatures/Code/Source/Decals/EditorDecalComponent.h b/Gems/AtomLyIntegration/CommonFeatures/Code/Source/Decals/EditorDecalComponent.h
index 1ca88d23fc..9878e72da0 100644
--- a/Gems/AtomLyIntegration/CommonFeatures/Code/Source/Decals/EditorDecalComponent.h
+++ b/Gems/AtomLyIntegration/CommonFeatures/Code/Source/Decals/EditorDecalComponent.h
@@ -64,6 +64,12 @@ namespace AZ
 
             //! EditorRenderComponentAdapter overrides ...
             u32 OnConfigurationChanged() override;
+
+			// Hold onto the material for the lifespan of the EditorDecalComponent to smooth out performance. This is so we can avoid
+            // duplicate loads as the DecalTextureArrayFeatureProcessor will unload the materials after texture packing.
+            void CacheMaterial();
+
+            AZ::Data::Asset<Data::AssetData> m_cachedMaterial;
         };
     } // namespace Render
 } // namespace AZ