diff --git a/source/opt/eliminate_dead_output_stores_pass.cpp b/source/opt/eliminate_dead_output_stores_pass.cpp
index 99711a16e81..8a4e8e1dc2c 100644
--- a/source/opt/eliminate_dead_output_stores_pass.cpp
+++ b/source/opt/eliminate_dead_output_stores_pass.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ constexpr uint32_t kOpDecorateBuiltInLiteralInIdx = 2;
 constexpr uint32_t kOpDecorateMemberBuiltInLiteralInIdx = 3;
 constexpr uint32_t kOpAccessChainIdx0InIdx = 1;
 constexpr uint32_t kOpConstantValueInIdx = 0;
+constexpr uint32_t kVariableStorageClassInIdx = 0;
+constexpr uint32_t kSpvTypePointerTypeIdInIdx = 1;
 }  // namespace
 
 Pass::Status EliminateDeadOutputStoresPass::Process() {
@@ -45,6 +47,64 @@ bool EliminateDeadOutputStoresPass::IsLiveBuiltin(uint32_t bi) {
   return live_builtins_->find(bi) != live_builtins_->end();
 }
 
+bool EliminateDeadOutputStoresPass::IsVariableRead(
+    Instruction const* const variable) {
+  analysis::DefUseManager* def_use_mgr = context()->get_def_use_mgr();
+
+  bool is_read = false;
+  def_use_mgr->ForEachUser(variable, [&is_read](Instruction* user) {
+    if (user->opcode() == spv::Op::OpLoad) is_read = true;
+  });
+
+  return is_read;
+}
+
+bool EliminateDeadOutputStoresPass::DemoteToPrivate(
+    Instruction* const variable) {
+  assert(spv::StorageClass(variable->GetSingleWordInOperand(
+             kVariableStorageClassInIdx)) == spv::StorageClass::Output);
+
+  auto type_mgr = context()->get_type_mgr();
+
+  // Set the variable's storage class to private.
+  variable->SetInOperand(kVariableStorageClassInIdx,
+                         {uint32_t(spv::StorageClass::Private)});
+
+  // Get the pointee type of the variable.
+  auto const res_type = get_def_use_mgr()->GetDef(variable->type_id());
+  auto pointee_type_id =
+      res_type->GetSingleWordInOperand(kSpvTypePointerTypeIdInIdx);
+
+  // Find a type that matches the pointee type and uses private storage.
+  pointee_type_id =
+      type_mgr->FindPointerToType(pointee_type_id, spv::StorageClass::Private);
+  if (pointee_type_id == 0) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  context()->UpdateDefUse(get_def_use_mgr()->GetDef(pointee_type_id));
+
+  // Remove variable decorations that are not valid for private storage.
+  get_def_use_mgr()->ForEachUser(variable, [this](Instruction* user) {
+    if (user->opcode() == spv::Op::OpDecorate) {
+      auto const decoration = spv::Decoration(user->GetSingleWordInOperand(1));
+      if (decoration == spv::Decoration::Location ||
+          decoration == spv::Decoration::Component) {
+        kill_list_.push_back(user);
+      }
+    }
+  });
+
+  // Update the variable's result type to match the pointee type.
+  variable->SetResultType(pointee_type_id);
+  context()->UpdateDefUse(variable);
+
+  // Move the variable after the result type.
+  variable->RemoveFromList();
+  variable->InsertAfter(get_def_use_mgr()->GetDef(pointee_type_id));
+
+  return true;
+}
+
 bool EliminateDeadOutputStoresPass::AnyLocsAreLive(uint32_t start,
                                                    uint32_t count) {
   auto finish = start + count;
@@ -194,6 +254,17 @@ Pass::Status EliminateDeadOutputStoresPass::DoDeadOutputStoreElimination() {
     if (ptr_type->storage_class() != spv::StorageClass::Output) {
       continue;
     }
+
+    // Stores to write-only output variables are safe to eliminate; however,
+    // stores to read-write output variables may be required for functional
+    // correctness. If a read-write output variable is detected, then it will
+    // be demoted to a private variable and any associated stores will not be
+    // eliminated.
+    if (IsVariableRead(&var)) {
+      if (!DemoteToPrivate(&var)) return Status::Failure;
+      continue;
+    }
+
     // If builtin decoration on variable, process as builtin.
     auto var_id = var.result_id();
     bool is_builtin = false;
@@ -217,7 +288,7 @@ Pass::Status EliminateDeadOutputStoresPass::DoDeadOutputStoreElimination() {
     // locations are dead, kill store or all access chain's stores
     def_use_mgr->ForEachUser(
         var_id, [this, &var, is_builtin](Instruction* user) {
-          auto op = user->opcode();
+          auto const op = user->opcode();
           if (op == spv::Op::OpEntryPoint || op == spv::Op::OpName ||
               op == spv::Op::OpDecorate || user->IsNonSemanticInstruction())
             return;
diff --git a/source/opt/eliminate_dead_output_stores_pass.h b/source/opt/eliminate_dead_output_stores_pass.h
index 676d4f4f000..0be3d422604 100644
--- a/source/opt/eliminate_dead_output_stores_pass.h
+++ b/source/opt/eliminate_dead_output_stores_pass.h
@@ -69,6 +69,12 @@ class EliminateDeadOutputStoresPass : public Pass {
   // Return true if builtin |bi| is live.
   bool IsLiveBuiltin(uint32_t bi);
 
+  // Return true if an OpLoad is using this variable.
+  bool IsVariableRead(Instruction const* const var);
+
+  // Demote the variable's storage class from output to private.
+  bool DemoteToPrivate(Instruction* const var);
+
   std::unordered_set<uint32_t>* live_locs_;
   std::unordered_set<uint32_t>* live_builtins_;
 
diff --git a/test/opt/eliminate_dead_output_stores_test.cpp b/test/opt/eliminate_dead_output_stores_test.cpp
index 4c2e44c0016..e4667ad4985 100644
--- a/test/opt/eliminate_dead_output_stores_test.cpp
+++ b/test/opt/eliminate_dead_output_stores_test.cpp
@@ -946,6 +946,73 @@ TEST_F(ElimDeadOutputStoresTest, VertMultipleLocationsF16) {
                                                        &live_builtins);
 }
 
+TEST_F(ElimDeadOutputStoresTest, DemoteOutputVariableToPrivate) {
+  //
+  // #version 450
+  //
+  // layout(location=0) out vec4 pos;
+  // void main()
+  // {
+  //     pos = vec4(0.0);
+  //     gl_Position = pos;
+  // }
+
+  const std::string text = R"(OpCapability Shader
+          %1 = OpExtInstImport "GLSL.std.450"
+               OpMemoryModel Logical GLSL450
+               OpEntryPoint Vertex %main "main" %pos %_
+               OpSource GLSL 450
+               OpName %main "main"
+               OpName %pos "pos"
+               OpName %gl_PerVertex "gl_PerVertex"
+               OpMemberName %gl_PerVertex 0 "gl_Position"
+               OpMemberName %gl_PerVertex 1 "gl_PointSize"
+               OpMemberName %gl_PerVertex 2 "gl_ClipDistance"
+               OpMemberName %gl_PerVertex 3 "gl_CullDistance"
+               OpName %_ ""
+               OpDecorate %pos Location 0
+               OpMemberDecorate %gl_PerVertex 0 BuiltIn Position
+               OpMemberDecorate %gl_PerVertex 1 BuiltIn PointSize
+               OpMemberDecorate %gl_PerVertex 2 BuiltIn ClipDistance
+               OpMemberDecorate %gl_PerVertex 3 BuiltIn CullDistance
+               OpDecorate %gl_PerVertex Block
+       %void = OpTypeVoid
+          %3 = OpTypeFunction %void
+      %float = OpTypeFloat 32
+    %v4float = OpTypeVector %float 4
+%_ptr_Output_v4float = OpTypePointer Output %v4float
+;CHECK: %_ptr_Private_v4float = OpTypePointer Private %v4float
+        %pos = OpVariable %_ptr_Output_v4float Output
+;CHECK: %pos = OpVariable %_ptr_Private_v4float Private
+    %float_0 = OpConstant %float 0
+         %11 = OpConstantComposite %v4float %float_0 %float_0 %float_0 %float_0
+       %uint = OpTypeInt 32 0
+     %uint_1 = OpConstant %uint 1
+%_arr_float_uint_1 = OpTypeArray %float %uint_1
+%gl_PerVertex = OpTypeStruct %v4float %float %_arr_float_uint_1 %_arr_float_uint_1
+%_ptr_Output_gl_PerVertex = OpTypePointer Output %gl_PerVertex
+          %_ = OpVariable %_ptr_Output_gl_PerVertex Output
+        %int = OpTypeInt 32 1
+      %int_0 = OpConstant %int 0
+       %main = OpFunction %void None %3
+          %5 = OpLabel
+               OpStore %pos %11
+;CHECK:        OpStore %pos %11
+         %20 = OpLoad %v4float %pos
+         %21 = OpAccessChain %_ptr_Output_v4float %_ %int_0
+               OpStore %21 %20
+               OpReturn
+               OpFunctionEnd)";
+
+  SetTargetEnv(SPV_ENV_VULKAN_1_3);
+  SetAssembleOptions(SPV_TEXT_TO_BINARY_OPTION_PRESERVE_NUMERIC_IDS);
+
+  std::unordered_set<uint32_t> live_inputs{};
+  std::unordered_set<uint32_t> live_builtins{};
+  SinglePassRunAndMatch<EliminateDeadOutputStoresPass>(text, true, &live_inputs,
+                                                       &live_builtins);
+}
+
 }  // namespace
 }  // namespace opt
 }  // namespace spvtools