diff --git a/mp/src/game/client/c_env_projectedtexture.cpp b/mp/src/game/client/c_env_projectedtexture.cpp
index 76f5998f0..24b7a88e2 100644
--- a/mp/src/game/client/c_env_projectedtexture.cpp
+++ b/mp/src/game/client/c_env_projectedtexture.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 #include "tier0/memdbgon.h"
 
 static ConVar mat_slopescaledepthbias_shadowmap( "mat_slopescaledepthbias_shadowmap", "16", FCVAR_CHEAT );
-static ConVar mat_depthbias_shadowmap(	"mat_depthbias_shadowmap", "0.0005", FCVAR_CHEAT  );
+static ConVar mat_depthbias_shadowmap(	"mat_depthbias_shadowmap", "0.00001", FCVAR_CHEAT  );
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Purpose: 
diff --git a/mp/src/game/client/clientshadowmgr.cpp b/mp/src/game/client/clientshadowmgr.cpp
index 8c666c275..ec5fdfe95 100644
--- a/mp/src/game/client/clientshadowmgr.cpp
+++ b/mp/src/game/client/clientshadowmgr.cpp
@@ -1336,6 +1336,13 @@ void CClientShadowMgr::InitDepthTextureShadows()
 {
 	VPROF_BUDGET( "CClientShadowMgr::InitDepthTextureShadows", VPROF_BUDGETGROUP_SHADOW_DEPTH_TEXTURING );
 
+	// SAUL: start benchmark timer
+	CFastTimer timer;
+	timer.Start();
+ 
+	// SAUL: set m_nDepthTextureResolution to the depth resolution we want
+	m_nDepthTextureResolution = r_flashlightdepthres.GetInt();
+
 	if( !m_bDepthTextureActive )
 	{
 		m_bDepthTextureActive = true;
@@ -1352,7 +1359,8 @@ void CClientShadowMgr::InitDepthTextureShadows()
 		m_DummyColorTexture.InitRenderTargetTexture( r_flashlightdepthres.GetInt(), r_flashlightdepthres.GetInt(), RT_SIZE_OFFSCREEN, IMAGE_FORMAT_BGR565, MATERIAL_RT_DEPTH_SHARED, false, "_rt_ShadowDummy" );
 		m_DummyColorTexture.InitRenderTargetSurface( r_flashlightdepthres.GetInt(), r_flashlightdepthres.GetInt(), IMAGE_FORMAT_BGR565, true );
 #else
-		m_DummyColorTexture.InitRenderTarget( r_flashlightdepthres.GetInt(), r_flashlightdepthres.GetInt(), RT_SIZE_OFFSCREEN, nullFormat, MATERIAL_RT_DEPTH_NONE, false, "_rt_ShadowDummy" );
+		// SAUL: we want to create a render target of specific size, so use RT_SIZE_NO_CHANGE
+		m_DummyColorTexture.InitRenderTarget( m_nDepthTextureResolution, m_nDepthTextureResolution, RT_SIZE_NO_CHANGE, nullFormat, MATERIAL_RT_DEPTH_NONE, false, "_rt_ShadowDummy" );
 #endif
 
 		// Create some number of depth-stencil textures
@@ -1372,9 +1380,13 @@ void CClientShadowMgr::InitDepthTextureShadows()
 			depthTex.InitRenderTargetTexture( m_nDepthTextureResolution, m_nDepthTextureResolution, RT_SIZE_OFFSCREEN, dstFormat, MATERIAL_RT_DEPTH_NONE, false, strRTName );
 			depthTex.InitRenderTargetSurface( 1, 1, dstFormat, false );
 #else
-			depthTex.InitRenderTarget( m_nDepthTextureResolution, m_nDepthTextureResolution, RT_SIZE_OFFSCREEN, dstFormat, MATERIAL_RT_DEPTH_NONE, false, strRTName );
+			// SAUL: we want to create a *DEPTH TEXTURE* of specific size, so use RT_SIZE_NO_CHANGE and MATERIAL_RT_DEPTH_ONLY
+			depthTex.InitRenderTarget( m_nDepthTextureResolution, m_nDepthTextureResolution, RT_SIZE_NO_CHANGE, dstFormat, MATERIAL_RT_DEPTH_ONLY, false, strRTName );
 #endif
 
+			// SAUL: ensure the depth texture size wasn't changed
+			Assert(depthTex->GetActualWidth() == m_nDepthTextureResolution);
+
 			if ( i == 0 )
 			{
 				// Shadow may be resized during allocation (due to resolution constraints etc)
@@ -1388,6 +1400,9 @@ void CClientShadowMgr::InitDepthTextureShadows()
 
 		materials->EndRenderTargetAllocation();
 	}
+
+	timer.End();
+	DevMsg("InitDepthTextureShadows took %.2f msec\n", timer.GetDuration().GetMillisecondsF());
 }
 
 void CClientShadowMgr::ShutdownDepthTextureShadows() 
diff --git a/mp/src/game/client/viewrender.cpp b/mp/src/game/client/viewrender.cpp
index 67a8307cb..baa6cb61f 100644
--- a/mp/src/game/client/viewrender.cpp
+++ b/mp/src/game/client/viewrender.cpp
@@ -4983,6 +4983,10 @@ void CShadowDepthView::Draw()
 		render->Push3DView( (*this), VIEW_CLEAR_DEPTH, m_pRenderTarget, GetFrustum() );
 	}
 
+	pRenderContext.GetFrom(materials);
+	pRenderContext->PushRenderTargetAndViewport(m_pRenderTarget, m_pDepthTexture, 0, 0, m_pDepthTexture->GetMappingWidth(), m_pDepthTexture->GetMappingWidth());
+	pRenderContext.SafeRelease();
+
 	SetupCurrentView( origin, angles, VIEW_SHADOW_DEPTH_TEXTURE );
 
 	MDLCACHE_CRITICAL_SECTION();
@@ -5027,6 +5031,7 @@ void CShadowDepthView::Draw()
 		pRenderContext->CopyRenderTargetToTextureEx( m_pDepthTexture, -1, NULL, NULL );
 	}
 
+	pRenderContext->PopRenderTargetAndViewport();
 	render->PopView( GetFrustum() );
 
 #if defined( _X360 )
diff --git a/sp/src/game/client/c_env_projectedtexture.cpp b/sp/src/game/client/c_env_projectedtexture.cpp
index 76f5998f0..24b7a88e2 100644
--- a/sp/src/game/client/c_env_projectedtexture.cpp
+++ b/sp/src/game/client/c_env_projectedtexture.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 #include "tier0/memdbgon.h"
 
 static ConVar mat_slopescaledepthbias_shadowmap( "mat_slopescaledepthbias_shadowmap", "16", FCVAR_CHEAT );
-static ConVar mat_depthbias_shadowmap(	"mat_depthbias_shadowmap", "0.0005", FCVAR_CHEAT  );
+static ConVar mat_depthbias_shadowmap(	"mat_depthbias_shadowmap", "0.00001", FCVAR_CHEAT  );
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Purpose: 
diff --git a/sp/src/game/client/clientshadowmgr.cpp b/sp/src/game/client/clientshadowmgr.cpp
index b2f9baa95..188f1cadc 100644
--- a/sp/src/game/client/clientshadowmgr.cpp
+++ b/sp/src/game/client/clientshadowmgr.cpp
@@ -1336,6 +1336,13 @@ void CClientShadowMgr::InitDepthTextureShadows()
 {
 	VPROF_BUDGET( "CClientShadowMgr::InitDepthTextureShadows", VPROF_BUDGETGROUP_SHADOW_DEPTH_TEXTURING );
 
+	// SAUL: start benchmark timer
+	CFastTimer timer;
+	timer.Start();
+ 
+	// SAUL: set m_nDepthTextureResolution to the depth resolution we want
+	m_nDepthTextureResolution = r_flashlightdepthres.GetInt();
+
 	if( !m_bDepthTextureActive )
 	{
 		m_bDepthTextureActive = true;
@@ -1352,7 +1359,8 @@ void CClientShadowMgr::InitDepthTextureShadows()
 		m_DummyColorTexture.InitRenderTargetTexture( r_flashlightdepthres.GetInt(), r_flashlightdepthres.GetInt(), RT_SIZE_OFFSCREEN, IMAGE_FORMAT_BGR565, MATERIAL_RT_DEPTH_SHARED, false, "_rt_ShadowDummy" );
 		m_DummyColorTexture.InitRenderTargetSurface( r_flashlightdepthres.GetInt(), r_flashlightdepthres.GetInt(), IMAGE_FORMAT_BGR565, true );
 #else
-		m_DummyColorTexture.InitRenderTarget( r_flashlightdepthres.GetInt(), r_flashlightdepthres.GetInt(), RT_SIZE_OFFSCREEN, nullFormat, MATERIAL_RT_DEPTH_NONE, false, "_rt_ShadowDummy" );
+		// SAUL: we want to create a render target of specific size, so use RT_SIZE_NO_CHANGE
+		m_DummyColorTexture.InitRenderTarget( m_nDepthTextureResolution, m_nDepthTextureResolution, RT_SIZE_NO_CHANGE, nullFormat, MATERIAL_RT_DEPTH_NONE, false, "_rt_ShadowDummy" );
 #endif
 
 		// Create some number of depth-stencil textures
@@ -1372,9 +1380,13 @@ void CClientShadowMgr::InitDepthTextureShadows()
 			depthTex.InitRenderTargetTexture( m_nDepthTextureResolution, m_nDepthTextureResolution, RT_SIZE_OFFSCREEN, dstFormat, MATERIAL_RT_DEPTH_NONE, false, strRTName );
 			depthTex.InitRenderTargetSurface( 1, 1, dstFormat, false );
 #else
-			depthTex.InitRenderTarget( m_nDepthTextureResolution, m_nDepthTextureResolution, RT_SIZE_OFFSCREEN, dstFormat, MATERIAL_RT_DEPTH_NONE, false, strRTName );
+			// SAUL: we want to create a *DEPTH TEXTURE* of specific size, so use RT_SIZE_NO_CHANGE and MATERIAL_RT_DEPTH_ONLY
+			depthTex.InitRenderTarget( m_nDepthTextureResolution, m_nDepthTextureResolution, RT_SIZE_NO_CHANGE, dstFormat, MATERIAL_RT_DEPTH_ONLY, false, strRTName );
 #endif
 
+			// SAUL: ensure the depth texture size wasn't changed
+			Assert(depthTex->GetActualWidth() == m_nDepthTextureResolution);
+
 			if ( i == 0 )
 			{
 				// Shadow may be resized during allocation (due to resolution constraints etc)
@@ -1388,6 +1400,9 @@ void CClientShadowMgr::InitDepthTextureShadows()
 
 		materials->EndRenderTargetAllocation();
 	}
+
+	timer.End();
+	DevMsg("InitDepthTextureShadows took %.2f msec\n", timer.GetDuration().GetMillisecondsF());
 }
 
 void CClientShadowMgr::ShutdownDepthTextureShadows() 
diff --git a/sp/src/game/client/viewrender.cpp b/sp/src/game/client/viewrender.cpp
index a4fd0f8b9..981f925a4 100644
--- a/sp/src/game/client/viewrender.cpp
+++ b/sp/src/game/client/viewrender.cpp
@@ -4997,6 +4997,10 @@ void CShadowDepthView::Draw()
 		render->Push3DView( (*this), VIEW_CLEAR_DEPTH, m_pRenderTarget, GetFrustum() );
 	}
 
+	pRenderContext.GetFrom(materials);
+	pRenderContext->PushRenderTargetAndViewport(m_pRenderTarget, m_pDepthTexture, 0, 0, m_pDepthTexture->GetMappingWidth(), m_pDepthTexture->GetMappingWidth());
+	pRenderContext.SafeRelease();
+
 	SetupCurrentView( origin, angles, VIEW_SHADOW_DEPTH_TEXTURE );
 
 	MDLCACHE_CRITICAL_SECTION();
@@ -5041,6 +5045,7 @@ void CShadowDepthView::Draw()
 		pRenderContext->CopyRenderTargetToTextureEx( m_pDepthTexture, -1, NULL, NULL );
 	}
 
+	pRenderContext->PopRenderTargetAndViewport();
 	render->PopView( GetFrustum() );
 
 #if defined( _X360 )