diff --git a/Gems/PhysX/Code/Source/Pipeline/MeshGroup.cpp b/Gems/PhysX/Code/Source/Pipeline/MeshGroup.cpp
index d0ff4008b2..24bfeef1be 100644
--- a/Gems/PhysX/Code/Source/Pipeline/MeshGroup.cpp
+++ b/Gems/PhysX/Code/Source/Pipeline/MeshGroup.cpp
@@ -864,7 +864,8 @@ namespace PhysX
         {
             if (auto* physicsSystem = AZ::Interface<AzPhysics::SystemInterface>::Get())
             {
-                if (const auto* physicsConfiguration = physicsSystem->GetConfiguration())
+                if (const auto* physicsConfiguration = physicsSystem->GetConfiguration();
+                    physicsConfiguration && physicsConfiguration->m_materialLibraryAsset)
                 {
                     const auto& materials = physicsConfiguration->m_materialLibraryAsset->GetMaterialsData();
 
diff --git a/Registry/AssetProcessorPlatformConfig.setreg b/Registry/AssetProcessorPlatformConfig.setreg
index ddc465c201..7c52feb10b 100644
--- a/Registry/AssetProcessorPlatformConfig.setreg
+++ b/Registry/AssetProcessorPlatformConfig.setreg
@@ -442,6 +442,7 @@
                 "RC physmaterial": {
                     "glob": "*.physmaterial",
                     "params": "copy",
+                    "critical": "true",
                     "productAssetType": "{9E366D8C-33BB-4825-9A1F-FA3ADBE11D0F}"
                 },
                 "RC ocm": {