diff --git a/code/renderergl2/tr_image.c b/code/renderergl2/tr_image.c
index 243d27df..bd20a7fc 100644
--- a/code/renderergl2/tr_image.c
+++ b/code/renderergl2/tr_image.c
@@ -3013,37 +3013,14 @@ void R_SetColorMappings( void ) {
 	int		i, j;
 	float	g;
 	int		inf;
-	int		shift;
 
 	// setup the overbright lighting
 	tr.overbrightBits = r_overBrightBits->integer;
-	if ( !glConfig.deviceSupportsGamma ) {
-		tr.overbrightBits = 0;		// need hardware gamma for overbright
-	}
 
-	// never overbright in windowed mode without soft overbright
-	if ( !glConfig.isFullscreen && !r_softOverbright->integer ) 
-	{
-		tr.overbrightBits = 0;
-	}
-
-	// never overbright with tonemapping
-	if ( r_toneMap->integer && r_hdr->integer )
-	{
-		tr.overbrightBits = 0;
-	}
-
-	// allow 2 overbright bits in 24 bit, but only 1 in 16 bit
-	if ( glConfig.colorBits > 16 ) {
-		if ( tr.overbrightBits > 2 ) {
-			tr.overbrightBits = 2;
-		}
-	} else {
-		if ( tr.overbrightBits > 1 ) {
-			tr.overbrightBits = 1;
-		}
-	}
-	if ( tr.overbrightBits < 0 ) {
+	// allow 2 overbright bits
+	if ( tr.overbrightBits > 2 ) {
+		tr.overbrightBits = 2;
+	} else if ( tr.overbrightBits < 0 ) {
 		tr.overbrightBits = 0;
 	}
 
@@ -3063,14 +3040,6 @@ void R_SetColorMappings( void ) {
 
 	g = r_gamma->value;
 
-	shift = tr.overbrightBits;
-
-	// no shift with soft overbright
-	if (r_softOverbright->integer)
-	{
-		shift = 0;
-	}
-
 	for ( i = 0; i < 256; i++ ) {
 		int i2;
 
@@ -3088,7 +3057,7 @@ void R_SetColorMappings( void ) {
 		} else {
 			inf = 255 * pow ( i2/255.0f, 1.0f / g ) + 0.5f;
 		}
-		inf <<= shift;
+
 		if (inf < 0) {
 			inf = 0;
 		}
diff --git a/code/renderergl2/tr_init.c b/code/renderergl2/tr_init.c
index 84bbeba2..4fb1d99e 100644
--- a/code/renderergl2/tr_init.c
+++ b/code/renderergl2/tr_init.c
@@ -108,8 +108,6 @@ cvar_t  *r_mergeLeafSurfaces;
 
 cvar_t  *r_cameraExposure;
 
-cvar_t  *r_softOverbright;
-
 cvar_t  *r_hdr;
 cvar_t  *r_floatLightmap;
 cvar_t  *r_postProcess;
@@ -1161,8 +1159,6 @@ void R_Register( void )
 	r_greyscale = ri.Cvar_Get("r_greyscale", "0", CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_LATCH);
 	ri.Cvar_CheckRange(r_greyscale, 0, 1, qfalse);
 
-	r_softOverbright = ri.Cvar_Get( "r_softOverbright", "1", CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_LATCH );
-
 	r_hdr = ri.Cvar_Get( "r_hdr", "1", CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_LATCH );
 	r_floatLightmap = ri.Cvar_Get( "r_floatLightmap", "0", CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_LATCH );
 	r_postProcess = ri.Cvar_Get( "r_postProcess", "1", CVAR_ARCHIVE );
diff --git a/code/renderergl2/tr_local.h b/code/renderergl2/tr_local.h
index 12fa10ad..d0448507 100644
--- a/code/renderergl2/tr_local.h
+++ b/code/renderergl2/tr_local.h
@@ -1765,8 +1765,6 @@ extern	cvar_t	*r_anaglyphMode;
 extern  cvar_t  *r_mergeMultidraws;
 extern  cvar_t  *r_mergeLeafSurfaces;
 
-extern  cvar_t  *r_softOverbright;
-
 extern  cvar_t  *r_hdr;
 extern  cvar_t  *r_floatLightmap;
 extern  cvar_t  *r_postProcess;
diff --git a/code/renderergl2/tr_shade.c b/code/renderergl2/tr_shade.c
index 856b8748..115a2c30 100644
--- a/code/renderergl2/tr_shade.c
+++ b/code/renderergl2/tr_shade.c
@@ -602,7 +602,7 @@ static void ComputeShaderColors( shaderStage_t *pStage, vec4_t baseColor, vec4_t
 	}
 
 	// multiply color by overbrightbits if this isn't a blend
-	if (r_softOverbright->integer && tr.overbrightBits 
+	if (tr.overbrightBits 
 	 && !((blend & GLS_SRCBLEND_BITS) == GLS_SRCBLEND_DST_COLOR)
 	 && !((blend & GLS_SRCBLEND_BITS) == GLS_SRCBLEND_ONE_MINUS_DST_COLOR)
 	 && !((blend & GLS_DSTBLEND_BITS) == GLS_DSTBLEND_SRC_COLOR)
diff --git a/code/renderergl2/tr_sky.c b/code/renderergl2/tr_sky.c
index 6a220318..3b739df0 100644
--- a/code/renderergl2/tr_sky.c
+++ b/code/renderergl2/tr_sky.c
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ static void DrawSkySide( struct image_s *image, const int mins[2], const int max
 		
 		color[0] = 
 		color[1] = 
-		color[2] = (r_softOverbright->integer ? 1.0 : tr.identityLight) * backEnd.refdef.colorScale;
+		color[2] = backEnd.refdef.colorScale;
 		color[3] = 1.0f;
 		GLSL_SetUniformVec4(sp, UNIFORM_BASECOLOR, color);