diff --git a/docs/rh-log.txt b/docs/rh-log.txt
index dea52db43..fbfb4d264 100644
--- a/docs/rh-log.txt
+++ b/docs/rh-log.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+May 23, 2008 (Changes by Graf Zahl)
+- Fixed: side_t::GetLightLevel relied on the global 'linedef' variable for
+  automatic fake contrast.
+- Changed: Fake contrast now uses the WALLF_AUTOCONTRAST globally instead
+  of manipulating the sides' light values individually. This allows changing
+  the fake contrast at run time and also allows adding individual relative
+  lighting on top of it which is a planned UDMF feature.
+
 May 22, 2008
 - Fixed: ActorStencilColor() did not set the palette part of the actor's
   fill color, so it would always produce black for STYLE_Shaded.
diff --git a/src/g_level.cpp b/src/g_level.cpp
index db1b63d45..f1a95647c 100644
--- a/src/g_level.cpp
+++ b/src/g_level.cpp
@@ -2373,8 +2373,8 @@ void G_InitLevelLocals ()
 	}
 	level.airsupply = info->airsupply*TICRATE;
 	level.outsidefog = info->outsidefog;
-	level.WallVertLight = info->WallVertLight;
-	level.WallHorizLight = info->WallHorizLight;
+	level.WallVertLight = info->WallVertLight*2;
+	level.WallHorizLight = info->WallHorizLight*2;
 	if (info->gravity != 0.f)
 	{
 		level.gravity = info->gravity * 35/TICRATE;
diff --git a/src/p_setup.cpp b/src/p_setup.cpp
index fba52444e..c4b5e0d41 100644
--- a/src/p_setup.cpp
+++ b/src/p_setup.cpp
@@ -1601,7 +1601,6 @@ void P_FinishLoadingLineDef(line_t *ld, int alpha)
 	ld->backsector  = ld->sidenum[1]!=NO_SIDE ? sides[ld->sidenum[1]].sector : 0;
 	float dx = FIXED2FLOAT(ld->v2->x - ld->v1->x);
 	float dy = FIXED2FLOAT(ld->v2->y - ld->v1->y);
-	SBYTE light;
 	int linenum = ld-lines;
 
 	if (ld->frontsector == NULL)
@@ -1611,20 +1610,16 @@ void P_FinishLoadingLineDef(line_t *ld, int alpha)
 
 	// [RH] Set some new sidedef properties
 	int len = (int)(sqrtf (dx*dx + dy*dy) + 0.5f);
-	light = dy == 0 ? level.WallHorizLight :
-			dx == 0 ? level.WallVertLight : 0;
 
 	if (ld->sidenum[0] != NO_SIDE)
 	{
 		sides[ld->sidenum[0]].linenum = linenum;
 		sides[ld->sidenum[0]].TexelLength = len;
-		sides[ld->sidenum[0]].Light = light;
 	}
 	if (ld->sidenum[1] != NO_SIDE)
 	{
 		sides[ld->sidenum[1]].linenum = linenum;
 		sides[ld->sidenum[1]].TexelLength = len;
-		sides[ld->sidenum[1]].Light = light;
 	}
 
 	switch (ld->special)
@@ -2171,6 +2166,7 @@ void P_LoadSideDefs2 (MapData * map)
 		sd->SetTextureXOffset(LittleShort(msd->textureoffset)<<FRACBITS);
 		sd->SetTextureYOffset(LittleShort(msd->rowoffset)<<FRACBITS);
 		sd->linenum = NO_INDEX;
+		sd->Flags = WALLF_AUTOCONTRAST;
 
 		// killough 4/4/98: allow sidedef texture names to be overloaded
 		// killough 4/11/98: refined to allow colormaps to work as wall
diff --git a/src/p_spec.cpp b/src/p_spec.cpp
index 2f414c4f3..d724d4f31 100644
--- a/src/p_spec.cpp
+++ b/src/p_spec.cpp
@@ -791,12 +791,12 @@ void DWallLightTransfer::DoTransfer (BYTE lightlevel, int target, BYTE flags)
 
 		if (flags & WLF_SIDE1 && line->sidenum[0]!=NO_SIDE)
 		{
-			sides[line->sidenum[0]].Light = (BYTE)lightlevel;
+			sides[line->sidenum[0]].Light = lightlevel;
 		}
 
 		if (flags & WLF_SIDE2 && line->sidenum[1]!=NO_SIDE)
 		{
-			sides[line->sidenum[1]].Light = (BYTE)lightlevel;
+			sides[line->sidenum[1]].Light = lightlevel;
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/r_defs.h b/src/r_defs.h
index 01df40b65..d58c39632 100644
--- a/src/r_defs.h
+++ b/src/r_defs.h
@@ -489,7 +489,7 @@ struct side_t
 	WORD		linenum;
 	DWORD		LeftSide, RightSide;	// [RH] Group walls into loops
 	WORD		TexelLength;
-	SBYTE		Light;
+	SWORD		Light;
 	BYTE		Flags;
 
 	int GetLightLevel (bool foggy, int baselight) const;
diff --git a/src/r_segs.cpp b/src/r_segs.cpp
index 894efc9ea..b9a7d0060 100644
--- a/src/r_segs.cpp
+++ b/src/r_segs.cpp
@@ -1423,31 +1423,25 @@ void R_NewWall (bool needlights)
 
 int side_t::GetLightLevel (bool foggy, int baselight) const
 {
-	// [RH] Get wall light level
-	if (this->Flags & WALLF_ABSLIGHTING && (!(this->Flags & WALLF_AUTOCONTRAST) || foggy))
+	if (Flags & WALLF_ABSLIGHTING) 
 	{
-		return (BYTE)this->Light;
+		baselight = (BYTE)Light;
 	}
-	else
+
+
+	if (!foggy) // Don't do relative lighting in foggy sectors
 	{
-		if (!foggy) // Don't do relative lighting in foggy sectors
+		if (Flags & WALLF_AUTOCONTRAST)
 		{
-			int rellight;
-
-			if (this->Flags & WALLF_AUTOCONTRAST)
-			{
-				baselight = (BYTE)this->Light;
-				rellight = linedef->dx==0? level.WallVertLight : linedef->dy==0 ? level.WallHorizLight : 0;
-			}
-			else 
-			{
-				rellight = this->Light;
-			}
-
-			baselight += rellight * 2;
+			baselight += lines[linenum].dx==0? level.WallVertLight : 
+						 lines[linenum].dy==0? level.WallHorizLight : 0;
+		}
+		if (!(Flags & WALLF_ABSLIGHTING))
+		{
+			baselight += this->Light;
 		}
-		return baselight;
 	}
+	return clamp(baselight, 0, 255);
 }
 
 FArchive &operator<< (FArchive &arc, side_t::part &p)