diff --git a/src/common/rendering/hwrenderer/data/hw_levelmesh.h b/src/common/rendering/hwrenderer/data/hw_levelmesh.h
index c537f8ae3..f294bcbbd 100644
--- a/src/common/rendering/hwrenderer/data/hw_levelmesh.h
+++ b/src/common/rendering/hwrenderer/data/hw_levelmesh.h
@@ -178,6 +178,7 @@ public:
 
 	FVector3 SunDirection = FVector3(0.0f, 0.0f, -1.0f);
 	FVector3 SunColor = FVector3(0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f);
+	uint16_t LightmapSampleDistance = 16;
 
 	bool Trace(const FVector3& start, FVector3 direction, float maxDist)
 	{
diff --git a/src/g_levellocals.h b/src/g_levellocals.h
index ab05e2b9f..ab76f6600 100644
--- a/src/g_levellocals.h
+++ b/src/g_levellocals.h
@@ -458,6 +458,7 @@ public:
 	TArray<DoomLevelMeshSurface*> LMSurfaces;
 	FVector3 SunDirection;
 	FVector3 SunColor;
+	uint16_t LightmapSampleDistance;
 
 	// Portal information.
 	FDisplacementTable Displacements;
diff --git a/src/maploader/maploader.cpp b/src/maploader/maploader.cpp
index 6fce19c05..932ec36c8 100644
--- a/src/maploader/maploader.cpp
+++ b/src/maploader/maploader.cpp
@@ -2945,9 +2945,6 @@ void MapLoader::CalcIndices()
 
 void MapLoader::InitLevelMesh()
 {
-	Level->SunColor = FVector3(1.f, 1.f, 1.f);
-	Level->SunDirection = FVector3(0.45f, 0.3f, 0.9f);
-
 	// Propagate sample distance where it isn't yet set
 	for (auto& line : Level->lines)
 	{
@@ -2983,6 +2980,11 @@ void MapLoader::LoadLevel(MapData *map, const char *lumpname, int position)
 {
 	const int *oldvertextable  = nullptr;
 
+	// Reset defaults for lightmapping
+	Level->SunColor = FVector3(1.f, 1.f, 1.f);
+	Level->SunDirection = FVector3(0.45f, 0.3f, 0.9f);
+	Level->LightmapSampleDistance = 16;
+
 	// note: most of this ordering is important 
 	ForceNodeBuild = gennodes;
 
diff --git a/src/maploader/udmf.cpp b/src/maploader/udmf.cpp
index 979f8f649..260d68de4 100644
--- a/src/maploader/udmf.cpp
+++ b/src/maploader/udmf.cpp
@@ -754,10 +754,31 @@ public:
 				break;
 
 			case NAME_lm_suncolor:
+				CHECK_N(Zd | Zdt)
+				if (CheckInt(key) < 0 || CheckInt(key) > 0xFFFFFF)
+				{
+					DPrintf(DMSG_WARNING, "Sun Color '%x' is out of range %s\n", CheckInt(key));
+				}
+				else
+				{
+					auto n = uint32_t(CheckInt(key));
+					Level->SunColor = FVector3(float((n >> 16) & 0xFF) / 0xFF, float((n >> 8) & 0xFF) / 0xFF, float(n & 0xFF) / 0xFF);
+				}
+				break;
 			case NAME_lm_sampledistance:
+				CHECK_N(Zd | Zdt)
+				if (CheckInt(key) >= 0 && CheckInt(key) <= 0xFFFF)
+				{
+					Level->LightmapSampleDistance = CheckInt(key);
+				}
+				else
+				{
+					DPrintf(DMSG_WARNING, "Can't set the global lm_sampledistance to %s\n", key.GetChars());
+				}
+				break;
 			case NAME_lm_gridsize:
 				CHECK_N(Zd | Zdt)
-					break;
+				break;
 
 			default:
 				CHECK_N(Zd | Zdt)
@@ -806,6 +827,15 @@ public:
 			th->special = 0;
 			memset(th->args, 0, sizeof (th->args));
 		}
+
+		if (th->EdNum == 9890) // ZDRAY INFO thing
+		{
+			FAngle angle = FAngle::fromDeg(float(th->angle));
+			FAngle pitch = FAngle::fromDeg(float(th->pitch));
+
+			auto pc = pitch.Cos();
+			Level->SunDirection = -FVector3 { pc * angle.Cos(), pc * angle.Sin(), -pitch.Sin() }; // [RaveYard]: is there a dedicated function for this?
+		}
 	}
 
 	//===========================================================================
diff --git a/src/rendering/hwrenderer/doom_levelmesh.cpp b/src/rendering/hwrenderer/doom_levelmesh.cpp
index 7b844773f..932a5f08a 100644
--- a/src/rendering/hwrenderer/doom_levelmesh.cpp
+++ b/src/rendering/hwrenderer/doom_levelmesh.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ DoomLevelMesh::DoomLevelMesh(FLevelLocals &doomMap)
 {
 	SunColor = doomMap.SunColor; // TODO keep only one copy?
 	SunDirection = doomMap.SunDirection;
+	LightmapSampleDistance = doomMap.LightmapSampleDistance;
 
 	for (unsigned int i = 0; i < doomMap.sides.Size(); i++)
 	{
@@ -890,7 +891,7 @@ void DoomLevelMesh::BuildSurfaceParams(int lightMapTextureWidth, int lightMapTex
 
 	if (surface.sampleDimension <= 0)
 	{
-		surface.sampleDimension = 16;
+		surface.sampleDimension = LightmapSampleDistance;
 	}
 	//surface->sampleDimension = Math::RoundPowerOfTwo(surface->sampleDimension);