diff --git a/Source/Core/VideoBackends/Software/SWVertexLoader.cpp b/Source/Core/VideoBackends/Software/SWVertexLoader.cpp
index 7d9b64f01d..4b9825132e 100644
--- a/Source/Core/VideoBackends/Software/SWVertexLoader.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/VideoBackends/Software/SWVertexLoader.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "VideoCommon/Statistics.h"
 #include "VideoCommon/VertexLoaderBase.h"
 #include "VideoCommon/VertexLoaderManager.h"
+#include "VideoCommon/VertexShaderManager.h"
 #include "VideoCommon/VideoConfig.h"
 #include "VideoCommon/XFMemory.h"
 
@@ -90,10 +91,7 @@ void SWVertexLoader::DrawCurrentBatch(u32 base_index, u32 num_indices, u32 base_
     TransformUnit::TransformPosition(&m_vertex, outVertex);
     outVertex->normal = {};
     if (VertexLoaderManager::g_current_components & VB_HAS_NORMAL)
-    {
-      TransformUnit::TransformNormal(
-          &m_vertex, (VertexLoaderManager::g_current_components & VB_HAS_BINORMAL) != 0, outVertex);
-    }
+      TransformUnit::TransformNormal(&m_vertex, outVertex);
     TransformUnit::TransformColor(&m_vertex, outVertex);
     TransformUnit::TransformTexCoord(&m_vertex, outVertex);
 
@@ -230,6 +228,18 @@ void SWVertexLoader::ParseVertex(const PortableVertexDeclaration& vdec, int inde
   {
     ReadVertexAttribute<float>(&m_vertex.normal[i][0], src, vdec.normals[i], 0, 3, false);
   }
+  if (!vdec.normals[1].enable)
+  {
+    m_vertex.normal[1][0] = VertexShaderManager::constants.cached_tangent[0];
+    m_vertex.normal[1][1] = VertexShaderManager::constants.cached_tangent[1];
+    m_vertex.normal[1][2] = VertexShaderManager::constants.cached_tangent[2];
+  }
+  if (!vdec.normals[2].enable)
+  {
+    m_vertex.normal[2][0] = VertexShaderManager::constants.cached_binormal[0];
+    m_vertex.normal[2][1] = VertexShaderManager::constants.cached_binormal[1];
+    m_vertex.normal[2][2] = VertexShaderManager::constants.cached_binormal[2];
+  }
 
   ParseColorAttributes(&m_vertex, src, vdec);
 
diff --git a/Source/Core/VideoBackends/Software/TransformUnit.cpp b/Source/Core/VideoBackends/Software/TransformUnit.cpp
index bf56307025..e1e6fd68a6 100644
--- a/Source/Core/VideoBackends/Software/TransformUnit.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/VideoBackends/Software/TransformUnit.cpp
@@ -90,22 +90,14 @@ void TransformPosition(const InputVertexData* src, OutputVertexData* dst)
   }
 }
 
-void TransformNormal(const InputVertexData* src, bool nbt, OutputVertexData* dst)
+void TransformNormal(const InputVertexData* src, OutputVertexData* dst)
 {
   const float* mat = &xfmem.normalMatrices[(src->posMtx & 31) * 3];
 
-  if (nbt)
-  {
-    MultiplyVec3Mat33(src->normal[0], mat, dst->normal[0]);
-    MultiplyVec3Mat33(src->normal[1], mat, dst->normal[1]);
-    MultiplyVec3Mat33(src->normal[2], mat, dst->normal[2]);
-    dst->normal[0].Normalize();
-  }
-  else
-  {
-    MultiplyVec3Mat33(src->normal[0], mat, dst->normal[0]);
-    dst->normal[0].Normalize();
-  }
+  MultiplyVec3Mat33(src->normal[0], mat, dst->normal[0]);
+  MultiplyVec3Mat33(src->normal[1], mat, dst->normal[1]);
+  MultiplyVec3Mat33(src->normal[2], mat, dst->normal[2]);
+  dst->normal[0].Normalize();
 }
 
 static void TransformTexCoordRegular(const TexMtxInfo& texinfo, int coordNum,
diff --git a/Source/Core/VideoBackends/Software/TransformUnit.h b/Source/Core/VideoBackends/Software/TransformUnit.h
index e764127ec4..59152250b0 100644
--- a/Source/Core/VideoBackends/Software/TransformUnit.h
+++ b/Source/Core/VideoBackends/Software/TransformUnit.h
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ struct OutputVertexData;
 namespace TransformUnit
 {
 void TransformPosition(const InputVertexData* src, OutputVertexData* dst);
-void TransformNormal(const InputVertexData* src, bool nbt, OutputVertexData* dst);
+void TransformNormal(const InputVertexData* src, OutputVertexData* dst);
 void TransformColor(const InputVertexData* src, OutputVertexData* dst);
 void TransformTexCoord(const InputVertexData* src, OutputVertexData* dst);
 }  // namespace TransformUnit
diff --git a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/ConstantManager.h b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/ConstantManager.h
index 5335af963a..9fd4c060cd 100644
--- a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/ConstantManager.h
+++ b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/ConstantManager.h
@@ -90,6 +90,9 @@ struct VertexShaderConstants
 
   // .x - texMtxInfo, .y - postMtxInfo, [0..1].z = color, [0..1].w = alpha
   std::array<uint4, 8> xfmem_pack1;
+
+  float4 cached_tangent;
+  float4 cached_binormal;
 };
 
 struct GeometryShaderConstants
diff --git a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/ShaderGenCommon.h b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/ShaderGenCommon.h
index bec69fe7c0..c9f0246318 100644
--- a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/ShaderGenCommon.h
+++ b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/ShaderGenCommon.h
@@ -296,6 +296,8 @@ void WriteSwitch(ShaderCode& out, APIType ApiType, std::string_view variable,
 #define I_POSTTRANSFORMMATRICES "cpostmtx"
 #define I_PIXELCENTERCORRECTION "cpixelcenter"
 #define I_VIEWPORT_SIZE "cviewport"
+#define I_CACHED_TANGENT "ctangent"
+#define I_CACHED_BINORMAL "cbinormal"
 
 #define I_STEREOPARAMS "cstereo"
 #define I_LINEPTPARAMS "clinept"
@@ -317,6 +319,8 @@ static const char s_shader_uniforms[] = "\tuint    components;\n"
                                         "\tfloat4 " I_PIXELCENTERCORRECTION ";\n"
                                         "\tfloat2 " I_VIEWPORT_SIZE ";\n"
                                         "\tuint4   xfmem_pack1[8];\n"
+                                        "\tfloat4 " I_CACHED_TANGENT ";\n"
+                                        "\tfloat4 " I_CACHED_BINORMAL ";\n"
                                         "\t#define xfmem_texMtxInfo(i) (xfmem_pack1[(i)].x)\n"
                                         "\t#define xfmem_postMtxInfo(i) (xfmem_pack1[(i)].y)\n"
                                         "\t#define xfmem_color(i) (xfmem_pack1[(i)].z)\n"
diff --git a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/UberShaderVertex.cpp b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/UberShaderVertex.cpp
index 91568a4cec..c68c996b0a 100644
--- a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/UberShaderVertex.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/UberShaderVertex.cpp
@@ -169,12 +169,18 @@ ShaderCode GenVertexShader(APIType api_type, const ShaderHostConfig& host_config
             "if ((components & {}u) != 0u) // VB_HAS_TANGENT\n",
             VB_HAS_TANGENT);
   out.Write("  _tangent = float3(dot(N0, rawtangent), dot(N1, rawtangent), dot(N2, rawtangent));\n"
+            "else\n"
+            "  _tangent = float3(dot(N0, " I_CACHED_TANGENT ".xyz), dot(N1, " I_CACHED_TANGENT
+            ".xyz), dot(N2, " I_CACHED_TANGENT ".xyz));\n"
             "\n"
             "float3 _binormal = float3(0.0, 0.0, 0.0);\n"
             "if ((components & {}u) != 0u) // VB_HAS_BINORMAL\n",
             VB_HAS_BINORMAL);
   out.Write("  _binormal = float3(dot(N0, rawbinormal), dot(N1, rawbinormal), dot(N2, "
             "rawbinormal));\n"
+            "else\n"
+            "  _binormal = float3(dot(N0, " I_CACHED_BINORMAL ".xyz), dot(N1, " I_CACHED_BINORMAL
+            ".xyz), dot(N2, " I_CACHED_BINORMAL ".xyz));\n"
             "\n");
 
   // Hardware Lighting
@@ -449,12 +455,9 @@ static void GenVertexShaderTexGens(APIType api_type, u32 num_texgen, ShaderCode&
   for (u32 i = 0; i < num_texgen; i++)
     out.Write("      case {}u: output_tex.xyz = o.tex{}; break;\n", i, i);
   out.Write("      default: output_tex.xyz = float3(0.0, 0.0, 0.0); break;\n"
-            "      }}\n");
-  out.Write("      if ((components & {}u) != 0u) {{ // VB_HAS_TANGENT | VB_HAS_BINORMAL\n",
-            VB_HAS_TANGENT | VB_HAS_BINORMAL);
-  out.Write("        float3 ldir = normalize(" I_LIGHTS "[light].pos.xyz - pos.xyz);\n"
-            "        output_tex.xyz += float3(dot(ldir, _tangent), dot(ldir, _binormal), 0.0);\n"
             "      }}\n"
+            "      float3 ldir = normalize(" I_LIGHTS "[light].pos.xyz - pos.xyz);\n"
+            "      output_tex.xyz += float3(dot(ldir, _tangent), dot(ldir, _binormal), 0.0);\n"
             "    }}\n"
             "    break;\n\n");
   out.Write("  case {:s}:\n", TexGenType::Color0);
diff --git a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexLoaderARM64.cpp b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexLoaderARM64.cpp
index ab9ced5d8a..eff8a29993 100644
--- a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexLoaderARM64.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexLoaderARM64.cpp
@@ -215,6 +215,20 @@ int VertexLoaderARM64::ReadVertex(VertexComponentFormat attribute, ComponentForm
     m_float_emit.STR(128, coords, EncodeRegTo64(scratch2_reg), ArithOption(remaining_reg, true));
     SetJumpTarget(dont_store);
   }
+  else if (native_format == &m_native_vtx_decl.normals[1])
+  {
+    FixupBranch dont_store = CBNZ(remaining_reg);
+    MOVP2R(EncodeRegTo64(scratch2_reg), VertexLoaderManager::tangent_cache.data());
+    m_float_emit.STR(128, IndexType::Unsigned, coords, EncodeRegTo64(scratch2_reg), 0);
+    SetJumpTarget(dont_store);
+  }
+  else if (native_format == &m_native_vtx_decl.normals[2])
+  {
+    FixupBranch dont_store = CBNZ(remaining_reg);
+    MOVP2R(EncodeRegTo64(scratch2_reg), VertexLoaderManager::binormal_cache.data());
+    m_float_emit.STR(128, IndexType::Unsigned, coords, EncodeRegTo64(scratch2_reg), 0);
+    SetJumpTarget(dont_store);
+  }
 
   native_format->components = count_out;
   native_format->enable = true;
diff --git a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexLoaderManager.cpp b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexLoaderManager.cpp
index f5c9578a70..7710b7cc20 100644
--- a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexLoaderManager.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexLoaderManager.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ namespace VertexLoaderManager
 std::array<u32, 3> position_matrix_index_cache;
 // 3 vertices, 4 floats each to allow SIMD overwrite
 alignas(sizeof(std::array<float, 4>)) std::array<std::array<float, 4>, 3> position_cache;
+alignas(sizeof(std::array<float, 4>)) std::array<float, 4> tangent_cache;
+alignas(sizeof(std::array<float, 4>)) std::array<float, 4> binormal_cache;
 
 static NativeVertexFormatMap s_native_vertex_map;
 static NativeVertexFormat* s_current_vtx_fmt;
diff --git a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexLoaderManager.h b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexLoaderManager.h
index 5573e08103..c5f9ae5376 100644
--- a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexLoaderManager.h
+++ b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexLoaderManager.h
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ void UpdateVertexArrayPointers();
 // These arrays are in reverse order.
 extern std::array<std::array<float, 4>, 3> position_cache;
 extern std::array<u32, 3> position_matrix_index_cache;
+// Store the tangent and binormal vectors for games that use emboss texgens when the vertex format
+// doesn't include them (e.g. RS2 and RS3).  These too are 4 floats each for SIMD overwrites.
+extern std::array<float, 4> tangent_cache;
+extern std::array<float, 4> binormal_cache;
 
 // VB_HAS_X. Bitmask telling what vertex components are present.
 extern u32 g_current_components;
diff --git a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexLoaderX64.cpp b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexLoaderX64.cpp
index da52788d3c..aebba7680d 100644
--- a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexLoaderX64.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexLoaderX64.cpp
@@ -127,6 +127,22 @@ int VertexLoaderX64::ReadVertex(OpArg data, VertexComponentFormat attribute, Com
       MOVUPS(MPIC(VertexLoaderManager::position_cache.data(), scratch3, SCALE_4), coords);
       SetJumpTarget(dont_store);
     }
+    else if (native_format == &m_native_vtx_decl.normals[1])
+    {
+      TEST(32, R(remaining_reg), R(remaining_reg));
+      FixupBranch dont_store = J_CC(CC_NZ);
+      // For similar reasons, the cached tangent and binormal are 4 floats each
+      MOVUPS(MPIC(VertexLoaderManager::tangent_cache.data()), coords);
+      SetJumpTarget(dont_store);
+    }
+    else if (native_format == &m_native_vtx_decl.normals[2])
+    {
+      CMP(32, R(remaining_reg), R(remaining_reg));
+      FixupBranch dont_store = J_CC(CC_NZ);
+      // For similar reasons, the cached tangent and binormal are 4 floats each
+      MOVUPS(MPIC(VertexLoaderManager::binormal_cache.data()), coords);
+      SetJumpTarget(dont_store);
+    }
   };
 
   int elem_size = GetElementSize(format);
@@ -217,7 +233,9 @@ int VertexLoaderX64::ReadVertex(OpArg data, VertexComponentFormat attribute, Com
         dest.AddMemOffset(sizeof(float));
 
         // zfreeze
-        if (native_format == &m_native_vtx_decl.position)
+        if (native_format == &m_native_vtx_decl.position ||
+            native_format == &m_native_vtx_decl.normals[1] ||
+            native_format == &m_native_vtx_decl.normals[2])
         {
           if (cpu_info.bSSE4_1)
           {
diff --git a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexLoader_Normal.cpp b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexLoader_Normal.cpp
index 254bcacff3..db955639d7 100644
--- a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexLoader_Normal.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexLoader_Normal.cpp
@@ -40,14 +40,22 @@ constexpr float FracAdjust(float val)
 }
 
 template <typename T, u32 N>
-void ReadIndirect(const T* data)
+void ReadIndirect(VertexLoader* loader, const T* data)
 {
   static_assert(3 == N || 9 == N, "N is only sane as 3 or 9!");
   DataReader dst(g_vertex_manager_write_ptr, nullptr);
 
   for (u32 i = 0; i < N; ++i)
   {
-    dst.Write(FracAdjust(Common::FromBigEndian(data[i])));
+    const float value = FracAdjust(Common::FromBigEndian(data[i]));
+    if (loader->m_remaining == 0)
+    {
+      if (i >= 3 && i < 6)
+        VertexLoaderManager::tangent_cache[i - 3] = value;
+      else if (i >= 6 && i < 9)
+        VertexLoaderManager::binormal_cache[i - 6] = value;
+    }
+    dst.Write(value);
   }
 
   g_vertex_manager_write_ptr = dst.GetPointer();
@@ -57,10 +65,10 @@ void ReadIndirect(const T* data)
 template <typename T, u32 N>
 struct Normal_Direct
 {
-  static void function([[maybe_unused]] VertexLoader* loader)
+  static void function(VertexLoader* loader)
   {
     const auto source = reinterpret_cast<const T*>(DataGetPosition());
-    ReadIndirect<T, N * 3>(source);
+    ReadIndirect<T, N * 3>(loader, source);
     DataSkip<N * 3 * sizeof(T)>();
   }
 
@@ -68,7 +76,7 @@ struct Normal_Direct
 };
 
 template <typename I, typename T, u32 N, u32 Offset>
-void Normal_Index_Offset()
+void Normal_Index_Offset(VertexLoader* loader)
 {
   static_assert(std::is_unsigned_v<I>, "Only unsigned I is sane!");
 
@@ -76,24 +84,24 @@ void Normal_Index_Offset()
   const auto data = reinterpret_cast<const T*>(
       VertexLoaderManager::cached_arraybases[CPArray::Normal] +
       (index * g_main_cp_state.array_strides[CPArray::Normal]) + sizeof(T) * 3 * Offset);
-  ReadIndirect<T, N * 3>(data);
+  ReadIndirect<T, N * 3>(loader, data);
 }
 
 template <typename I, typename T, u32 N>
 struct Normal_Index
 {
-  static void function([[maybe_unused]] VertexLoader* loader) { Normal_Index_Offset<I, T, N, 0>(); }
+  static void function(VertexLoader* loader) { Normal_Index_Offset<I, T, N, 0>(loader); }
   static constexpr u32 size = sizeof(I);
 };
 
 template <typename I, typename T>
 struct Normal_Index_Indices3
 {
-  static void function([[maybe_unused]] VertexLoader* loader)
+  static void function(VertexLoader* loader)
   {
-    Normal_Index_Offset<I, T, 1, 0>();
-    Normal_Index_Offset<I, T, 1, 1>();
-    Normal_Index_Offset<I, T, 1, 2>();
+    Normal_Index_Offset<I, T, 1, 0>(loader);
+    Normal_Index_Offset<I, T, 1, 1>(loader);
+    Normal_Index_Offset<I, T, 1, 2>(loader);
   }
 
   static constexpr u32 size = sizeof(I) * 3;
diff --git a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexManagerBase.cpp b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexManagerBase.cpp
index a93a9b34f1..bb23a468ea 100644
--- a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexManagerBase.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexManagerBase.cpp
@@ -453,6 +453,7 @@ void VertexManagerBase::Flush()
     }
   }
 
+  CalculateBinormals(VertexLoaderManager::GetCurrentVertexFormat());
   // Calculate ZSlope for zfreeze
   VertexShaderManager::SetConstants();
   if (!bpmem.genMode.zfreeze)
@@ -595,6 +596,31 @@ void VertexManagerBase::CalculateZSlope(NativeVertexFormat* format)
   m_zslope.dirty = true;
 }
 
+void VertexManagerBase::CalculateBinormals(NativeVertexFormat* format)
+{
+  const PortableVertexDeclaration vert_decl = format->GetVertexDeclaration();
+
+  // Only update the binormal/tangent vertex shader constants if the vertex format lacks binormals
+  // (VertexLoaderManager::binormal_cache gets updated by the vertex loader when binormals are
+  // present, though)
+  if (vert_decl.normals[1].enable)
+    return;
+
+  VertexLoaderManager::tangent_cache[3] = 0;
+  VertexLoaderManager::binormal_cache[3] = 0;
+
+  if (VertexShaderManager::constants.cached_tangent != VertexLoaderManager::tangent_cache)
+  {
+    VertexShaderManager::constants.cached_tangent = VertexLoaderManager::tangent_cache;
+    VertexShaderManager::dirty = true;
+  }
+  if (VertexShaderManager::constants.cached_binormal != VertexLoaderManager::binormal_cache)
+  {
+    VertexShaderManager::constants.cached_binormal = VertexLoaderManager::binormal_cache;
+    VertexShaderManager::dirty = true;
+  }
+}
+
 void VertexManagerBase::UpdatePipelineConfig()
 {
   NativeVertexFormat* vertex_format = VertexLoaderManager::GetCurrentVertexFormat();
diff --git a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexManagerBase.h b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexManagerBase.h
index c413889713..e4d029e9c7 100644
--- a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexManagerBase.h
+++ b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexManagerBase.h
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@ protected:
   u32 GetRemainingIndices(OpcodeDecoder::Primitive primitive) const;
 
   void CalculateZSlope(NativeVertexFormat* format);
+  void CalculateBinormals(NativeVertexFormat* format);
   void LoadTextures();
 
   u8* m_cur_buffer_pointer = nullptr;
diff --git a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexShaderGen.cpp b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexShaderGen.cpp
index 50ef13a9d7..0b176386e9 100644
--- a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexShaderGen.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/VertexShaderGen.cpp
@@ -253,23 +253,24 @@ ShaderCode GenerateVertexShaderCode(APIType api_type, const ShaderHostConfig& ho
             "float4 pos = float4(dot(P0, rawpos), dot(P1, rawpos), dot(P2, rawpos), 1.0);\n");
   if ((uid_data->components & VB_HAS_NORMAL) != 0)
   {
+    if ((uid_data->components & VB_HAS_TANGENT) == 0)
+      out.Write("float3 rawtangent = " I_CACHED_TANGENT ".xyz;\n");
+    if ((uid_data->components & VB_HAS_BINORMAL) == 0)
+      out.Write("float3 rawbinormal = " I_CACHED_BINORMAL ".xyz;\n");
+
     // Only the first normal gets normalized (TODO: why?)
     out.Write("float3 _normal = normalize(float3(dot(N0, rawnormal), dot(N1, rawnormal), dot(N2, "
-              "rawnormal)));\n");
+              "rawnormal)));\n"
+              "float3 _tangent = float3(dot(N0, rawtangent), dot(N1, rawtangent), dot(N2, "
+              "rawtangent));\n"
+              "float3 _binormal = float3(dot(N0, rawbinormal), dot(N1, rawbinormal), dot(N2, "
+              "rawbinormal));\n");
   }
   else
   {
     out.Write("float3 _normal = float3(0.0, 0.0, 0.0);\n");
-  }
-  if ((uid_data->components & VB_HAS_TANGENT) != 0)
-  {
-    out.Write("float3 _tangent = float3(dot(N0, rawtangent), dot(N1, rawtangent), dot(N2, "
-              "rawtangent));\n");
-  }
-  if ((uid_data->components & VB_HAS_BINORMAL) != 0)
-  {
-    out.Write("float3 _binormal = float3(dot(N0, rawbinormal), dot(N1, rawbinormal), dot(N2, "
-              "rawbinormal));\n");
+    out.Write("float3 _binormal = float3(0.0, 0.0, 0.0);\n");
+    out.Write("float3 _tangent = float3(0.0, 0.0, 0.0);\n");
   }
 
   out.Write("o.pos = float4(dot(" I_PROJECTION "[0], pos), dot(" I_PROJECTION
@@ -341,22 +342,12 @@ ShaderCode GenerateVertexShaderCode(APIType api_type, const ShaderHostConfig& ho
     {
     case TexGenType::EmbossMap:  // calculate tex coords into bump map
 
-      if ((uid_data->components & (VB_HAS_TANGENT | VB_HAS_BINORMAL)) != 0)
-      {
-        // transform the light dir into tangent space
-        out.Write("ldir = normalize(" LIGHT_POS ".xyz - pos.xyz);\n",
-                  LIGHT_POS_PARAMS(texinfo.embosslightshift));
-        out.Write(
-            "o.tex{}.xyz = o.tex{}.xyz + float3(dot(ldir, _tangent), dot(ldir, _binormal), 0.0);\n",
-            i, texinfo.embosssourceshift);
-      }
-      else
-      {
-        // The following assert was triggered in House of the Dead Overkill and Star Wars Rogue
-        // Squadron 2
-        // ASSERT(0); // should have normals
-        out.Write("o.tex{}.xyz = o.tex{}.xyz;\n", i, texinfo.embosssourceshift);
-      }
+      // transform the light dir into tangent space
+      out.Write("ldir = normalize(" LIGHT_POS ".xyz - pos.xyz);\n",
+                LIGHT_POS_PARAMS(texinfo.embosslightshift));
+      out.Write(
+          "o.tex{}.xyz = o.tex{}.xyz + float3(dot(ldir, _tangent), dot(ldir, _binormal), 0.0);\n",
+          i, texinfo.embosssourceshift);
 
       break;
     case TexGenType::Color0: