diff --git a/src/pc/debug_context.h b/src/pc/debug_context.h
index 27048a91f..013f1e469 100644
--- a/src/pc/debug_context.h
+++ b/src/pc/debug_context.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ enum DebugContext {
     CTX_RENDER,
     CTX_LEVEL_SCRIPT,
     CTX_HOOK,
+    CTX_LIGHTING,
     CTX_MAX,
     // MUST BE KEPT IN SYNC WITH sDebugContextNames
 };
diff --git a/src/pc/djui/djui_ctx_display.c b/src/pc/djui/djui_ctx_display.c
index b485f76a4..08359ec32 100644
--- a/src/pc/djui/djui_ctx_display.c
+++ b/src/pc/djui/djui_ctx_display.c
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ static char* sDebugContextNames[] = {
     "RENDER",
     "LEVEL",
     "HOOK",
+    "LIGHTING",
     "OTHER",
     "MAX",
 };
diff --git a/src/pc/gfx/gfx_pc.c b/src/pc/gfx/gfx_pc.c
index 340a4205b..e5ea2384b 100644
--- a/src/pc/gfx/gfx_pc.c
+++ b/src/pc/gfx/gfx_pc.c
@@ -892,17 +892,21 @@ static void OPTIMIZE_O3 gfx_sp_vertex(size_t n_vertices, size_t dest_index, cons
             }
 
             // if lighting engine is enabled and either we want to affect all shaded surfaces or the lighting engine geometry mode is on
-            if (le_is_enabled() && ((le_get_mode() != LE_MODE_AFFECT_ONLY_GEOMETRY_MODE) || (rsp.geometry_mode & G_LIGHTING_ENGINE_EXT))) {
+            if (le_is_enabled() && luaVertexColor && ((le_get_mode() != LE_MODE_AFFECT_ONLY_GEOMETRY_MODE) || (rsp.geometry_mode & G_LIGHTING_ENGINE_EXT))) {
                 Color color = { gLEAmbientColor[0], gLEAmbientColor[1], gLEAmbientColor[2] };
 
                 Vec3f vpos    = { v->ob[0], v->ob[1], v->ob[2] };
                 Vec3f vnormal = { nx, ny, nz };
 
+                CTX_BEGIN(CTX_LIGHTING);
+
                 // transform vpos and vnormal to world space
                 gfx_local_to_world_space(vpos, vnormal);
 
                 le_calculate_lighting_color_with_normal(vpos, vnormal, color, 1.0f);
 
+                CTX_END(CTX_LIGHTING);
+
                 d->color.r *= color[0] / 255.0f;
                 d->color.g *= color[1] / 255.0f;
                 d->color.b *= color[2] / 255.0f;
@@ -913,6 +917,8 @@ static void OPTIMIZE_O3 gfx_sp_vertex(size_t n_vertices, size_t dest_index, cons
 
             Vec3f vpos = { v->ob[0], v->ob[1], v->ob[2] };
 
+            CTX_BEGIN(CTX_LIGHTING);
+
             // transform vpos to world space
             gfx_local_to_world_space(vpos, NULL);
 
@@ -926,6 +932,8 @@ static void OPTIMIZE_O3 gfx_sp_vertex(size_t n_vertices, size_t dest_index, cons
                 le_calculate_vertex_lighting((Vtx_t*)v, vpos, color);
             }
 
+            CTX_END(CTX_LIGHTING);
+
             // combine the colors
             if (affectAllVertexColored && !(rsp.geometry_mode & G_LIGHTING_ENGINE_EXT)) {
                 d->color.r = (v->cn[0] * color[0] / 255.0f) * vertexColorCached[0];