diff --git a/src/common/rendering/vulkan/accelstructs/vk_lightmap.cpp b/src/common/rendering/vulkan/accelstructs/vk_lightmap.cpp
index 06ab624a67..2539f85723 100644
--- a/src/common/rendering/vulkan/accelstructs/vk_lightmap.cpp
+++ b/src/common/rendering/vulkan/accelstructs/vk_lightmap.cpp
@@ -46,18 +46,17 @@ VkLightmap::~VkLightmap()
 		lights.Buffer->Unmap();
 }
 
-void VkLightmap::Raytrace(LevelMesh* level, const TArray<LevelMeshSurface*>& surfaces)
+void VkLightmap::SetLevelMesh(LevelMesh* level)
 {
-	bool newLevel = (mesh != level);
 	mesh = level;
-	if (newLevel)
-	{
-		UpdateAccelStructDescriptors();
+	UpdateAccelStructDescriptors();
 
-		lightmapRaytrace.Reset();
-		lightmapRaytraceLast.Reset();
-	}
+	lightmapRaytrace.Reset();
+	lightmapRaytraceLast.Reset();
+}
 
+void VkLightmap::Raytrace(const TArray<LevelMeshSurface*>& surfaces)
+{
 	if (surfaces.Size())
 	{
 		lightmapRaytrace.active = true;
diff --git a/src/common/rendering/vulkan/accelstructs/vk_lightmap.h b/src/common/rendering/vulkan/accelstructs/vk_lightmap.h
index b8493172c7..b1002cd2c7 100644
--- a/src/common/rendering/vulkan/accelstructs/vk_lightmap.h
+++ b/src/common/rendering/vulkan/accelstructs/vk_lightmap.h
@@ -90,8 +90,8 @@ public:
 	VkLightmap(VulkanRenderDevice* fb);
 	~VkLightmap();
 
-	void Raytrace(LevelMesh* level, const TArray<LevelMeshSurface*>& surfaces);
-
+	void Raytrace(const TArray<LevelMeshSurface*>& surfaces);
+	void SetLevelMesh(LevelMesh* level);
 private:
 	void UpdateAccelStructDescriptors();
 
diff --git a/src/common/rendering/vulkan/vk_renderdevice.cpp b/src/common/rendering/vulkan/vk_renderdevice.cpp
index 9f2a0b3c18..64abf97c55 100644
--- a/src/common/rendering/vulkan/vk_renderdevice.cpp
+++ b/src/common/rendering/vulkan/vk_renderdevice.cpp
@@ -475,6 +475,7 @@ void VulkanRenderDevice::BeginFrame()
 		{
 			levelMesh->UpdateLightLists();
 			GetTextureManager()->CreateLightmap(levelMesh->LMTextureSize, levelMesh->LMTextureCount);
+			GetLightmap()->SetLevelMesh(levelMesh);
 
 #if 0 // full lightmap generation
 			TArray<LevelMeshSurface*> surfaces;
@@ -484,9 +485,7 @@ void VulkanRenderDevice::BeginFrame()
 				surfaces[i] = mesh->GetSurface(i);
 			}
 
-			GetLightmap()->Raytrace(mesh, surfaces);
-#else
-			GetLightmap()->Raytrace(levelMesh, {});
+			GetLightmap()->Raytrace(surfaces);
 #endif
 		}
 	}
@@ -564,12 +563,9 @@ void VulkanRenderDevice::SetLevelMesh(LevelMesh* mesh)
 
 void VulkanRenderDevice::UpdateLightmaps(const TArray<LevelMeshSurface*>& surfaces)
 {
-	if (surfaces.Size() > 0)
+	if (surfaces.Size() > 0 && levelMesh)
 	{
-		if (levelMesh)
-		{
-			GetLightmap()->Raytrace(levelMesh, surfaces);
-		}
+		GetLightmap()->Raytrace(surfaces);
 	}
 }