diff --git a/src/game/landscape/C4Landscape.cpp b/src/game/landscape/C4Landscape.cpp
index d53e7b51c..655ff0b1a 100644
--- a/src/game/landscape/C4Landscape.cpp
+++ b/src/game/landscape/C4Landscape.cpp
@@ -2629,7 +2629,7 @@ bool C4Landscape::ApplyLighting(C4Rect To)
 				// Sky
 				if (!pix)
 				{
-					Surface32->SetPixDw(iX, iY, GetClrByTex(iX, iY));
+					Surface32->SetPixDw(iX, iY, 0x00ffffff);
 					continue;
 				}
 				// get density
@@ -2638,8 +2638,12 @@ bool C4Landscape::ApplyLighting(C4Rect To)
 				iOwnDens *= 2;
 				iOwnDens += GetPlacement(iX + 1, iY) + GetPlacement(iX - 1, iY);
 				iOwnDens /= 4;
-				// Normal color
-				DWORD dwBackClr = GetClrByTex(iX, iY);
+				// get texture map entry for pixel
+				const C4TexMapEntry *pTex = ::TextureMap.GetEntry(PixCol2Tex(pix));
+				assert(pTex);
+				// get texture contents
+				DWORD dwBackClr;
+				if (pTex) dwBackClr = pTex->GetPattern().PatternClr(iX, iY);
 				// get density of surrounding materials
 				int iCompareDens = AboveDensity / 8;
 				if (iOwnDens > iCompareDens)
@@ -2664,20 +2668,6 @@ bool C4Landscape::ApplyLighting(C4Rect To)
 	return true;
 }
 
-DWORD C4Landscape::GetClrByTex(int32_t iX, int32_t iY)
-{
-	// Get pixel and default color
-	BYTE pix = _GetPix(iX, iY);
-	// get texture map entry for pixel
-	const C4TexMapEntry *pTex;
-	if (pix && (pTex = ::TextureMap.GetEntry(PixCol2Tex(pix))))
-	{
-		// pattern color
-		return pTex->GetPattern().PatternClr(iX, iY);
-	}
-	return Surface8->pPal->GetClr(pix);
-}
-
 bool C4Landscape::DrawMap(int32_t iX, int32_t iY, int32_t iWdt, int32_t iHgt, const char *szMapDef)
 {
 	// safety
diff --git a/src/game/landscape/C4Landscape.h b/src/game/landscape/C4Landscape.h
index 5c794be57..ae8e669ad 100644
--- a/src/game/landscape/C4Landscape.h
+++ b/src/game/landscape/C4Landscape.h
@@ -230,7 +230,6 @@ protected:
 	CSurface8 * CreateMapS2(C4Group &ScenFile); // create map by def file
 	bool Relight(C4Rect To);
 	bool ApplyLighting(C4Rect To);
-	DWORD GetClrByTex(int32_t iX, int32_t iY);
 	bool Mat2Pal(); // assign material colors to landscape palette
 	void DigFreeSinglePix(int32_t x, int32_t y, int32_t dx, int32_t dy)
 	{