diff --git a/src/common/rendering/hwrenderer/data/hw_levelmesh.h b/src/common/rendering/hwrenderer/data/hw_levelmesh.h
index 578f07bce..3749370cc 100644
--- a/src/common/rendering/hwrenderer/data/hw_levelmesh.h
+++ b/src/common/rendering/hwrenderer/data/hw_levelmesh.h
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ public:
 	int LMTextureSize = 1024;
 	TArray<uint16_t> LMTextureData;
 
-	uint16_t LightmapSampleDistance = 16;
+	uint16_t LightmapSampleDistance = 8;
 
 	TArray<LightmapTile> LightmapTiles;
 	bool LMAtlasPacked = false; // Tile sizes can't be changed anymore
diff --git a/src/maploader/maploader.cpp b/src/maploader/maploader.cpp
index 06de343ea..eb4e19c0d 100644
--- a/src/maploader/maploader.cpp
+++ b/src/maploader/maploader.cpp
@@ -3210,7 +3210,7 @@ void MapLoader::LoadLevel(MapData *map, const char *lumpname, int position)
 	// 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;
+	Level->LightmapSampleDistance = 8;
 	Level->lightmaps = false;
 
 	// note: most of this ordering is important