diff --git a/pytensor/tensor/einsum.py b/pytensor/tensor/einsum.py
index 657d195ad6..cba40ec6f8 100644
--- a/pytensor/tensor/einsum.py
+++ b/pytensor/tensor/einsum.py
@@ -410,6 +410,12 @@ def _contraction_list_from_path(
     return contraction_list
 
 
+def _right_to_left_path(n: int) -> tuple[tuple[int, int], ...]:
+    # Create a right to left contraction path
+    # if n = 5, out = ((4, 3), (3, 2), (2, 1), (1, 0))
+    return tuple(pairwise(reversed(range(n))))
+
+
 def einsum(subscripts: str, *operands: "TensorLike", optimize=None) -> TensorVariable:
     """
     Multiplication and summation of tensors using the Einstein summation convention.
@@ -563,7 +569,7 @@ def einsum(subscripts: str, *operands: "TensorLike", optimize=None) -> TensorVar
         else:
             # By default, we try right to left because we assume that most graphs
             # have a lower dimensional rightmost operand
-            path = tuple(pairwise(reversed(range(len(tensor_operands)))))
+            path = _right_to_left_path(len(tensor_operands))
         contraction_list = _contraction_list_from_path(
             subscripts, tensor_operands, path
         )
@@ -581,7 +587,18 @@ def einsum(subscripts: str, *operands: "TensorLike", optimize=None) -> TensorVar
             einsum_call=True,  # Not part of public API
             optimize="optimal",
         )  # type: ignore
-        path = tuple(contraction[0] for contraction in contraction_list)
+        np_path = tuple(contraction[0] for contraction in contraction_list)
+
+        if len(np_path) == 1 and len(np_path[0]) > 2:
+            # When there's nothing to optimize, einsum_path reduces all entries simultaneously instead of doing
+            # pairwise reductions, which our implementation below demands.
+            path = _right_to_left_path(len(tensor_operands))
+            contraction_list = _contraction_list_from_path(
+                subscripts, tensor_operands, path
+            )
+        else:
+            path = np_path
+
         optimized = True
 
     def removechars(s, chars):
@@ -744,7 +761,7 @@ def filter_singleton_dims(operand, names, other_operand, other_names):
                 )
         else:
             raise ValueError(
-                f"Each step of einsum must have 1 or 2 operands, got {len(operand_indices)}"
+                f"Each step of einsum must have 1 or 2 operands, got {len(operand_indices)}, {path=}."
             )
 
         # the resulting 'operand' with axis labels 'names' should be a permutation of the desired result
diff --git a/tests/tensor/test_einsum.py b/tests/tensor/test_einsum.py
index b359f050df..ba8e354518 100644
--- a/tests/tensor/test_einsum.py
+++ b/tests/tensor/test_einsum.py
@@ -262,3 +262,22 @@ def test_broadcastable_dims():
     atol = 1e-12 if config.floatX == "float64" else 1e-2
     np.testing.assert_allclose(suboptimal_eval, np_eval, atol=atol)
     np.testing.assert_allclose(optimal_eval, np_eval, atol=atol)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("static_length", [False, True])
+def test_threeway_mul(static_length):
+    # Regression test for https://github.com/pymc-devs/pytensor/issues/1184
+    # x, y, z = vectors("x", "y", "z")
+    sh = (3,) if static_length else (None,)
+    x = tensor("x", shape=sh)
+    y = tensor("y", shape=sh)
+    z = tensor("z", shape=sh)
+    out = einsum("..., ..., ... -> ...", x, y, z)
+
+    x_test = np.ones((3,), dtype=x.dtype)
+    y_test = x_test + 1
+    z_test = x_test + 2
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(
+        out.eval({x: x_test, y: y_test, z: z_test}),
+        np.full((3,), fill_value=6),
+    )