diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index b43ced4f0..2a3bbb39d 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ DFHack v0.34.11-r4
     - outsideOnly: make raw-specified buildings impossible to build inside
     - resume: A plugin to help display and resume suspended constructions conveniently
     - stocks: An improved stocks display screen.
+	- rendermax: a heap of rendering experiments. Including one that does lighting.
+    
   Internals:
     - Core: there is now a per-save dfhack.init file for when the save is loaded, and another for when it is unloaded
     - EventManager: fixed job completion detection, fixed removal of TICK events, added EQUIPMENT_CHANGE event
diff --git a/plugins/rendermax/renderer_light.cpp b/plugins/rendermax/renderer_light.cpp
index fb5bd8f0e..1af05f176 100644
--- a/plugins/rendermax/renderer_light.cpp
+++ b/plugins/rendermax/renderer_light.cpp
@@ -105,7 +105,6 @@ lightingEngineViewscreen::lightingEngineViewscreen(renderer_light* target):light
 {
     reinit();
     defaultSettings();
-    loadSettings();
     int numTreads=tthread::thread::hardware_concurrency();
     if(numTreads==0)numTreads=1;
     threading.start(numTreads);
@@ -240,6 +239,11 @@ void lightingEngineViewscreen::clear()
 }
 void lightingEngineViewscreen::calculate()
 {
+    if(lightMap.size()!=myRenderer->lightGrid.size())
+    {
+        reinit();
+        myRenderer->invalidate();
+    }
     rect2d vp=getMapViewport();
     const rgbf dim(levelDim,levelDim,levelDim);
     lightMap.assign(lightMap.size(),rgbf(1,1,1));
@@ -1035,8 +1039,7 @@ lightThread::lightThread( lightThreadDispatch& dispatch ):dispatch(dispatch),isD
 }
 lightThread::~lightThread()
 {
-    if(myThread)
-        delete myThread;
+    delete myThread;
 }
 
 void lightThread::run()
diff --git a/plugins/rendermax/renderer_light.hpp b/plugins/rendermax/renderer_light.hpp
index 0e3d2c986..5e768c27d 100644
--- a/plugins/rendermax/renderer_light.hpp
+++ b/plugins/rendermax/renderer_light.hpp
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ private:
     void reinitLightGrid(int w,int h)
     {
         tthread::lock_guard<tthread::fast_mutex> guard(dataMutex);
-        lightGrid.resize(w*h);
+        lightGrid.resize(w*h,rgbf(1,1,1));
     }
     void reinitLightGrid()
     {
diff --git a/plugins/rendermax/rendermax.cpp b/plugins/rendermax/rendermax.cpp
index c5fe90a66..8cfe463bd 100644
--- a/plugins/rendermax/rendermax.cpp
+++ b/plugins/rendermax/rendermax.cpp
@@ -279,7 +279,41 @@ DFHACK_PLUGIN_LUA_COMMANDS {
     DFHACK_LUA_END
 };
 
+static void enable_hooks(bool enable)
+{
+    INTERPOSE_HOOK(dwarmode_render_hook,render).apply(enable);
+    INTERPOSE_HOOK(dungeon_render_hook,render).apply(enable);
+    if(enable && engine)
+    {
+        engine->loadSettings();
+    }
+}
+
 
+DFhackCExport command_result plugin_onstatechange(color_ostream &out, state_change_event event)
+{
+    switch(event)
+    {
+    case SC_VIEWSCREEN_CHANGED:
+        {
+            CoreSuspendClaimer suspender;
+            if(current_mode==MODE_LIGHT)
+            {
+                engine->clear();
+            }
+        }
+        break;
+    case SC_WORLD_LOADED:
+        enable_hooks(true);
+        break;
+    case SC_WORLD_UNLOADED:
+        enable_hooks(false);
+        break;
+    default:
+        break;
+    }
+    return CR_OK;
+}
 
 
 static command_result rendermax(color_ostream &out, vector <string> & parameters)
@@ -361,8 +395,9 @@ static command_result rendermax(color_ostream &out, vector <string> & parameters
             renderer_light *myRender=new renderer_light(df::global::enabler->renderer);
             installNew(myRender,MODE_LIGHT);
             engine=new lightingEngineViewscreen(myRender);
-            INTERPOSE_HOOK(dwarmode_render_hook,render).apply(true);
-            INTERPOSE_HOOK(dungeon_render_hook,render).apply(true);
+            
+            if (Core::getInstance().isWorldLoaded())
+                plugin_onstatechange(out, SC_WORLD_LOADED);
         }
         else if(current_mode==MODE_LIGHT && parameters.size()>1)
         {
@@ -417,15 +452,3 @@ DFhackCExport command_result plugin_shutdown(color_ostream &)
     removeOld();
     return CR_OK;
 }
-DFhackCExport command_result plugin_onstatechange(color_ostream &out, state_change_event event)
-{
-    if(event==SC_VIEWSCREEN_CHANGED)
-    {
-        CoreSuspendClaimer suspender;
-        if(current_mode==MODE_LIGHT)
-        {
-            engine->clear();
-        }
-    }
-    return CR_OK;
-}
\ No newline at end of file