diff --git a/src/gl/scene/gl_scene.cpp b/src/gl/scene/gl_scene.cpp
index 060eaf6a3..9268d6066 100644
--- a/src/gl/scene/gl_scene.cpp
+++ b/src/gl/scene/gl_scene.cpp
@@ -1010,7 +1010,6 @@ struct FGLInterface : public FRenderer
 	void RenderTextureView (FCanvasTexture *self, AActor *viewpoint, double fov) override;
 	void PreprocessLevel() override;
 	void CleanLevelData() override;
-	bool RequireGLNodes() override;
 
 	int GetMaxViewPitch(bool down) override;
 	void SetClearColor(int color) override;
@@ -1178,11 +1177,6 @@ void FGLInterface::CleanLevelData()
 	gl_CleanLevelData();
 }
 
-bool FGLInterface::RequireGLNodes() 
-{ 
-	return true; 
-}
-
 uint32_t FGLInterface::GetCaps()
 {
 	// describe our basic feature set
diff --git a/src/p_setup.cpp b/src/p_setup.cpp
index 648502542..030ae1cbb 100644
--- a/src/p_setup.cpp
+++ b/src/p_setup.cpp
@@ -3639,7 +3639,7 @@ void P_SetupLevel (const char *lumpname, int position)
 
 	// This is motivated as follows:
 
-	bool RequireGLNodes = Renderer->RequireGLNodes() || am_textured;
+	bool RequireGLNodes = true;	// Even the software renderer needs GL nodes now.
 
 	for (i = 0; i < (int)countof(times); ++i)
 	{
diff --git a/src/r_renderer.h b/src/r_renderer.h
index 54952bc29..efaa8e9cd 100644
--- a/src/r_renderer.h
+++ b/src/r_renderer.h
@@ -52,7 +52,6 @@ struct FRenderer
 	virtual void RenderTextureView (FCanvasTexture *tex, AActor *viewpoint, double fov) = 0;
 	virtual void PreprocessLevel() {}
 	virtual void CleanLevelData() {}
-	virtual bool RequireGLNodes() { return false; }
 
 	virtual uint32_t GetCaps() { return 0; }
 };
diff --git a/src/swrenderer/r_swrenderer.cpp b/src/swrenderer/r_swrenderer.cpp
index ae28995dd..e2c2cefa7 100644
--- a/src/swrenderer/r_swrenderer.cpp
+++ b/src/swrenderer/r_swrenderer.cpp
@@ -255,11 +255,6 @@ int FSoftwareRenderer::GetMaxViewPitch(bool down)
 	return (r_polyrenderer) ? int(maxviewpitch) : (down ? MAX_DN_ANGLE : ((cl_oldfreelooklimit) ? MAX_UP_ANGLE : MAX_DN_ANGLE));
 }
 
-bool FSoftwareRenderer::RequireGLNodes()
-{
-	return true;
-}
-
 void FSoftwareRenderer::OnModeSet ()
 {
 	mScene.ScreenResized();
diff --git a/src/swrenderer/r_swrenderer.h b/src/swrenderer/r_swrenderer.h
index 19f75758f..3fad93d21 100644
--- a/src/swrenderer/r_swrenderer.h
+++ b/src/swrenderer/r_swrenderer.h
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ struct FSoftwareRenderer : public FRenderer
 	void DrawRemainingPlayerSprites() override;
 
 	int GetMaxViewPitch(bool down) override;
-	bool RequireGLNodes() override;
 
 	void OnModeSet() override;
 	void SetClearColor(int color) override;