diff --git a/code/renderergl1/tr_shadows.c b/code/renderergl1/tr_shadows.c
index 3582ae44..13fbfdf7 100644
--- a/code/renderergl1/tr_shadows.c
+++ b/code/renderergl1/tr_shadows.c
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ typedef struct {
 static	edgeDef_t	edgeDefs[SHADER_MAX_VERTEXES][MAX_EDGE_DEFS];
 static	int			numEdgeDefs[SHADER_MAX_VERTEXES];
 static	int			facing[SHADER_MAX_INDEXES/3];
+static	vec3_t		shadowXyz[SHADER_MAX_VERTEXES];
 
 void R_AddEdgeDef( int i1, int i2, int facing ) {
 	int		c;
@@ -80,13 +81,13 @@ void R_RenderShadowEdges( void ) {
 
 		qglBegin( GL_TRIANGLE_STRIP );
 		qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i1 ] );
-		qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i1 + tess.numVertexes ] );
+		qglVertex3fv( shadowXyz[ i1 ] );
 		qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i2 ] );
-		qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i2 + tess.numVertexes ] );
+		qglVertex3fv( shadowXyz[ i2 ] );
 		qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i3 ] );
-		qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i3 + tess.numVertexes ] );
+		qglVertex3fv( shadowXyz[ i3 ] );
 		qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i1 ] );
-		qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i1 + tess.numVertexes ] );
+		qglVertex3fv( shadowXyz[ i1 ] );
 		qglEnd();
 	}
 #else
@@ -126,9 +127,9 @@ void R_RenderShadowEdges( void ) {
 			if ( hit[ 1 ] == 0 ) {
 				qglBegin( GL_TRIANGLE_STRIP );
 				qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i ] );
-				qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i + tess.numVertexes ] );
+				qglVertex3fv( shadowXyz[ i ] );
 				qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i2 ] );
-				qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i2 + tess.numVertexes ] );
+				qglVertex3fv( shadowXyz[ i2 ] );
 				qglEnd();
 				c_edges++;
 			} else {
@@ -157,11 +158,6 @@ void RB_ShadowTessEnd( void ) {
 	vec3_t	lightDir;
 	GLboolean rgba[4];
 
-	// we can only do this if we have enough space in the vertex buffers
-	if ( tess.numVertexes >= SHADER_MAX_VERTEXES / 2 ) {
-		return;
-	}
-
 	if ( glConfig.stencilBits < 4 ) {
 		return;
 	}
@@ -170,7 +166,7 @@ void RB_ShadowTessEnd( void ) {
 
 	// project vertexes away from light direction
 	for ( i = 0 ; i < tess.numVertexes ; i++ ) {
-		VectorMA( tess.xyz[i], -512, lightDir, tess.xyz[i+tess.numVertexes] );
+		VectorMA( tess.xyz[i], -512, lightDir, shadowXyz[i] );
 	}
 
 	// decide which triangles face the light
diff --git a/code/renderergl2/tr_shadows.c b/code/renderergl2/tr_shadows.c
index 3582ae44..13fbfdf7 100644
--- a/code/renderergl2/tr_shadows.c
+++ b/code/renderergl2/tr_shadows.c
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ typedef struct {
 static	edgeDef_t	edgeDefs[SHADER_MAX_VERTEXES][MAX_EDGE_DEFS];
 static	int			numEdgeDefs[SHADER_MAX_VERTEXES];
 static	int			facing[SHADER_MAX_INDEXES/3];
+static	vec3_t		shadowXyz[SHADER_MAX_VERTEXES];
 
 void R_AddEdgeDef( int i1, int i2, int facing ) {
 	int		c;
@@ -80,13 +81,13 @@ void R_RenderShadowEdges( void ) {
 
 		qglBegin( GL_TRIANGLE_STRIP );
 		qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i1 ] );
-		qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i1 + tess.numVertexes ] );
+		qglVertex3fv( shadowXyz[ i1 ] );
 		qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i2 ] );
-		qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i2 + tess.numVertexes ] );
+		qglVertex3fv( shadowXyz[ i2 ] );
 		qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i3 ] );
-		qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i3 + tess.numVertexes ] );
+		qglVertex3fv( shadowXyz[ i3 ] );
 		qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i1 ] );
-		qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i1 + tess.numVertexes ] );
+		qglVertex3fv( shadowXyz[ i1 ] );
 		qglEnd();
 	}
 #else
@@ -126,9 +127,9 @@ void R_RenderShadowEdges( void ) {
 			if ( hit[ 1 ] == 0 ) {
 				qglBegin( GL_TRIANGLE_STRIP );
 				qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i ] );
-				qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i + tess.numVertexes ] );
+				qglVertex3fv( shadowXyz[ i ] );
 				qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i2 ] );
-				qglVertex3fv( tess.xyz[ i2 + tess.numVertexes ] );
+				qglVertex3fv( shadowXyz[ i2 ] );
 				qglEnd();
 				c_edges++;
 			} else {
@@ -157,11 +158,6 @@ void RB_ShadowTessEnd( void ) {
 	vec3_t	lightDir;
 	GLboolean rgba[4];
 
-	// we can only do this if we have enough space in the vertex buffers
-	if ( tess.numVertexes >= SHADER_MAX_VERTEXES / 2 ) {
-		return;
-	}
-
 	if ( glConfig.stencilBits < 4 ) {
 		return;
 	}
@@ -170,7 +166,7 @@ void RB_ShadowTessEnd( void ) {
 
 	// project vertexes away from light direction
 	for ( i = 0 ; i < tess.numVertexes ; i++ ) {
-		VectorMA( tess.xyz[i], -512, lightDir, tess.xyz[i+tess.numVertexes] );
+		VectorMA( tess.xyz[i], -512, lightDir, shadowXyz[i] );
 	}
 
 	// decide which triangles face the light