diff --git a/src/back/msl/mod.rs b/src/back/msl/mod.rs
index 15af43abd1..5ef18730c9 100644
--- a/src/back/msl/mod.rs
+++ b/src/back/msl/mod.rs
@@ -141,6 +141,8 @@ pub enum Error {
     UnsupportedArrayOf(String),
     #[error("array of type '{0:?}' is not supported")]
     UnsupportedArrayOfType(Handle<crate::Type>),
+    #[error("ray tracing is not supported prior to MSL 2.3")]
+    UnsupportedRayTracing,
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, thiserror::Error)]
diff --git a/src/back/msl/writer.rs b/src/back/msl/writer.rs
index 060773fc0b..c960c9863c 100644
--- a/src/back/msl/writer.rs
+++ b/src/back/msl/writer.rs
@@ -1947,6 +1947,10 @@ impl<W: Write> Writer<W> {
                 }
             }
             crate::Expression::RayQueryGetIntersection { query, committed } => {
+                if context.lang_version < (2, 3) {
+                    return Err(Error::UnsupportedRayTracing);
+                }
+
                 if !committed {
                     unimplemented!()
                 }
@@ -2899,6 +2903,10 @@ impl<W: Write> Writer<W> {
                     self.write_barrier(crate::Barrier::WORK_GROUP, level)?;
                 }
                 crate::Statement::RayQuery { query, ref fun } => {
+                    if context.expression.lang_version < (2, 3) {
+                        return Err(Error::UnsupportedRayTracing);
+                    }
+
                     match *fun {
                         crate::RayQueryFunction::Initialize {
                             acceleration_structure,
@@ -3090,33 +3098,28 @@ impl<W: Write> Writer<W> {
         // Work around Metal bug where `uint` is not available by default
         writeln!(self.out, "using {NAMESPACE}::uint;")?;
 
-        if module.types.iter().any(|(_, t)| match t.inner {
-            crate::TypeInner::RayQuery => true,
-            _ => false,
-        }) {
-            let tab = back::INDENT;
-            writeln!(self.out, "struct {RAY_QUERY_TYPE} {{")?;
-            let full_type = format!("{RT_NAMESPACE}::intersector<{RT_NAMESPACE}::instancing, {RT_NAMESPACE}::triangle_data, {RT_NAMESPACE}::world_space_data>");
-            writeln!(self.out, "{tab}{full_type} {RAY_QUERY_FIELD_INTERSECTOR};")?;
-            writeln!(
-                self.out,
-                "{tab}{full_type}::result_type {RAY_QUERY_FIELD_INTERSECTION};"
-            )?;
-            writeln!(self.out, "{tab}bool {RAY_QUERY_FIELD_READY} = false;")?;
-            writeln!(self.out, "}};")?;
-            writeln!(self.out, "constexpr {NAMESPACE}::uint {RAY_QUERY_FUN_MAP_INTERSECTION}(const {RT_NAMESPACE}::intersection_type ty) {{")?;
-            let v_triangle = back::RayIntersectionType::Triangle as u32;
-            let v_bbox = back::RayIntersectionType::BoundingBox as u32;
-            writeln!(
-                self.out,
-                "{tab}return ty=={RT_NAMESPACE}::intersection_type::triangle ? {v_triangle} : "
-            )?;
-            writeln!(
-                self.out,
-                "{tab}{tab}ty=={RT_NAMESPACE}::intersection_type::bounding_box ? {v_bbox} : 0;"
-            )?;
-            writeln!(self.out, "}}")?;
+        for (_, ty) in module.types.iter() {
+            match ty.inner {
+                crate::TypeInner::AccelerationStructure | crate::TypeInner::RayQuery
+                    if options.lang_version < (2, 3) =>
+                {
+                    return Err(Error::UnsupportedRayTracing);
+                }
+                crate::TypeInner::RayQuery => {
+                    self.put_ray_query_type()?;
+                    break;
+                }
+                _ => {}
+            }
         }
+        if module.special_types.ray_desc.is_some()
+            || module.special_types.ray_intersection.is_some()
+        {
+            if options.lang_version < (2, 3) {
+                return Err(Error::UnsupportedRayTracing);
+            }
+        }
+
         if options
             .bounds_check_policies
             .contains(index::BoundsCheckPolicy::ReadZeroSkipWrite)
@@ -3174,6 +3177,32 @@ impl<W: Write> Writer<W> {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    fn put_ray_query_type(&mut self) -> BackendResult {
+        let tab = back::INDENT;
+        writeln!(self.out, "struct {RAY_QUERY_TYPE} {{")?;
+        let full_type = format!("{RT_NAMESPACE}::intersector<{RT_NAMESPACE}::instancing, {RT_NAMESPACE}::triangle_data, {RT_NAMESPACE}::world_space_data>");
+        writeln!(self.out, "{tab}{full_type} {RAY_QUERY_FIELD_INTERSECTOR};")?;
+        writeln!(
+            self.out,
+            "{tab}{full_type}::result_type {RAY_QUERY_FIELD_INTERSECTION};"
+        )?;
+        writeln!(self.out, "{tab}bool {RAY_QUERY_FIELD_READY} = false;")?;
+        writeln!(self.out, "}};")?;
+        writeln!(self.out, "constexpr {NAMESPACE}::uint {RAY_QUERY_FUN_MAP_INTERSECTION}(const {RT_NAMESPACE}::intersection_type ty) {{")?;
+        let v_triangle = back::RayIntersectionType::Triangle as u32;
+        let v_bbox = back::RayIntersectionType::BoundingBox as u32;
+        writeln!(
+            self.out,
+            "{tab}return ty=={RT_NAMESPACE}::intersection_type::triangle ? {v_triangle} : "
+        )?;
+        writeln!(
+            self.out,
+            "{tab}{tab}ty=={RT_NAMESPACE}::intersection_type::bounding_box ? {v_bbox} : 0;"
+        )?;
+        writeln!(self.out, "}}")?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     fn write_type_defs(&mut self, module: &crate::Module) -> BackendResult {
         for (handle, ty) in module.types.iter() {
             if !ty.needs_alias() {
diff --git a/tests/in/ray-query.param.ron b/tests/in/ray-query.param.ron
index c400db8c64..6823e3ede4 100644
--- a/tests/in/ray-query.param.ron
+++ b/tests/in/ray-query.param.ron
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 		version: (1, 4),
 	),
 	msl: (
-	    lang_version: (2, 4),
+	    lang_version: (2, 3),
 		spirv_cross_compatibility: false,
 		fake_missing_bindings: true,
 		zero_initialize_workgroup_memory: false,
diff --git a/tests/out/msl/ray-query.msl b/tests/out/msl/ray-query.msl
index 0d4560f313..028a1939db 100644
--- a/tests/out/msl/ray-query.msl
+++ b/tests/out/msl/ray-query.msl
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// language: metal2.4
+// language: metal2.3
 #include <metal_stdlib>
 #include <simd/simd.h>