Disclosed is a dual-bus battery precharge circuit. A power control system for a vehicle includes a precharge circuit that is configured to selectively couple a resistor across either a main or returncontactor that are configured to selectively couple terminals of a battery to a load bus. The power control system includes a controller programmed to, in response to a precharge request in a presenceof the main contactor being closed when commanded to open and the return contactor being open, couple the resistor across the return contactor to precharge the load bus.