diff --git a/engine/client/image.c b/engine/client/image.c
index 1a25f7aa5..72f135c85 100644
--- a/engine/client/image.c
+++ b/engine/client/image.c
@@ -1545,8 +1545,72 @@ qbyte *ReadBMPFile(qbyte *buf, int length, int *width, int *height)
 	return NULL;
 }*/
 
+// saturate function, stolen from jitspoe
+void SaturateR8G8B8(qbyte *data, int size, float sat)
+{
+	int i;
+	float r, g, b, v;
 
+	if (sat > 1)
+	{
+		for(i=0; i < size; i+=3)
+		{
+			r = data[i];
+			g = data[i+1];
+			b = data[i+2];
 
+			v = r * 0.30 + g * 0.59 + b * 0.11;
+			r = v + (r - v) * sat;
+			g = v + (g - v) * sat;
+			b = v + (b - v) * sat;
+
+			// bounds check
+			if (r < 0)
+				r = 0;
+			else if (r > 255)
+				r = 255;
+
+			if (g < 0)
+				g = 0;
+			else if (g > 255)
+				g = 255;
+
+			if (b < 0)
+				b = 0;
+			else if (b > 255)
+				b = 255;
+
+			// scale down to avoid overbright lightmaps
+			v = v / (r * 0.30 + g * 0.59 + b * 0.11);
+			if (v > 1)
+				v = 1;
+			else
+				v *= v;
+			
+			data[i]   = r*v;
+			data[i+1] = g*v;
+			data[i+2] = b*v;
+		}
+	}
+	else // avoid bounds check for desaturation
+	{
+		if (sat < 0)
+			sat = 0;
+
+		for(i=0; i < size; i+=3)
+		{
+			r = data[i];
+			g = data[i+1];
+			b = data[i+2];
+
+			v = r * 0.30 + g * 0.59 + b * 0.11;
+
+			data[i]   = v + (r - v) * sat;
+			data[i+1] = v + (g - v) * sat;
+			data[i+2] = v + (b - v) * sat;
+		}
+	}
+}
 
 void BoostGamma(qbyte *rgba, int width, int height)
 {
diff --git a/engine/client/render.h b/engine/client/render.h
index bc81bf375..8ab60828c 100644
--- a/engine/client/render.h
+++ b/engine/client/render.h
@@ -290,6 +290,7 @@ qbyte *ReadPNGFile(qbyte *buf, int length, int *width, int *height);
 qbyte *ReadPCXPalette(qbyte *buf, int len, qbyte *out);
 
 void BoostGamma(qbyte *rgba, int width, int height);
+void SaturateR8G8B8(qbyte *data, int size, float sat);
 
 void CL_NewDlightRGB (int key, float x, float y, float z, float radius, float time,
 				   float r, float g, float b);
@@ -337,7 +338,7 @@ extern	cvar_t	gl_playermip;
 extern	cvar_t	r_palconvbits;
 extern cvar_t   r_palconvwrite;
 
-
+extern  cvar_t	r_lightmap_saturation;
 
 enum {
 	RSPEED_TOTALREFRESH,
diff --git a/engine/client/renderer.c b/engine/client/renderer.c
index 3a00c1de9..7d049691a 100644
--- a/engine/client/renderer.c
+++ b/engine/client/renderer.c
@@ -208,6 +208,8 @@ cvar_t r_transtablewrite = {"r_transtablewrite", "1"};
 cvar_t r_palconvbits = {"r_palconvbits", "565"};
 cvar_t r_palconvwrite = {"r_palconvwrite", "1"};
 
+cvar_t r_lightmap_saturation = {"r_lightmap_saturation", "1"};
+
 extern cvar_t bul_text1;
 extern cvar_t bul_text2;
 extern cvar_t bul_text3;
@@ -240,6 +242,7 @@ cvar_t	gl_lerpimages = {"gl_lerpimages", "1"};
 extern cvar_t r_waterlayers;
 cvar_t			gl_triplebuffer = {"gl_triplebuffer", "1", NULL, CVAR_ARCHIVE};
 cvar_t			vid_hardwaregamma = {"vid_hardwaregamma", "1", NULL, CVAR_ARCHIVE};
+
 void GLRenderer_Init(void)
 {
 	extern cvar_t gl_contrast;
@@ -432,7 +435,6 @@ void Renderer_Init(void)
 	SWRenderer_Init();
 #endif
 
-
 	//but register ALL vid_ commands.
 	Cvar_Register (&vid_wait, VIDCOMMANDGROUP);
 	Cvar_Register (&vid_nopageflip, VIDCOMMANDGROUP);
@@ -501,6 +503,7 @@ void Renderer_Init(void)
 	Cvar_Register (&r_netgraph, SCREENOPTIONS);
 
 	Cvar_Register (&r_dynamic, GRAPHICALNICETIES);
+	Cvar_Register (&r_lightmap_saturation, GRAPHICALNICETIES);
 
 	Cvar_Register (&r_nolerp, GRAPHICALNICETIES);
 	Cvar_Register (&r_nolightdir, GRAPHICALNICETIES);
diff --git a/engine/gl/gl_model.c b/engine/gl/gl_model.c
index 9a5c114b6..ade0c7187 100644
--- a/engine/gl/gl_model.c
+++ b/engine/gl/gl_model.c
@@ -1486,7 +1486,15 @@ void GLMod_LoadLighting (lump_t *l)
 #endif
 
 	if (loadmodel->lightdata)
+	{
+		if (loadmodel->rgblighting && r_lightmap_saturation.value != 1.0f)
+		{
+			// desaturate lightmap according to cvar
+			SaturateR8G8B8(loadmodel->lightdata, l->filelen, r_lightmap_saturation.value);
+		}
+
 		return;
+	}
 
 	loadmodel->lightdata = Hunk_AllocName ( l->filelen, loadname);
 
@@ -1500,6 +1508,9 @@ void GLMod_LoadLighting (lump_t *l)
 		{
 			*out++ = lmgamma[*in++];
 		}
+
+		if (loadmodel->rgblighting && r_lightmap_saturation.value != 1.0f)
+			SaturateR8G8B8(loadmodel->lightdata, l->filelen, r_lightmap_saturation.value);
 	}
 	//memcpy (loadmodel->lightdata, mod_base + l->fileofs, l->filelen);
 }
diff --git a/engine/sw/sw_model.c b/engine/sw/sw_model.c
index c47855d9b..2a6066a51 100644
--- a/engine/sw/sw_model.c
+++ b/engine/sw/sw_model.c
@@ -901,6 +901,9 @@ void SWMod_LoadLighting (lump_t *l)
 				dest+=3;
 			}
 		}
+
+		if (r_lightmap_saturation.value != 1.0f)
+			SaturateR8G8B8(loadmodel->lightdata, l->filelen, r_lightmap_saturation.value);
 	}
 	else
 	{