diff --git a/tools/quake3/q3map2/light.cpp b/tools/quake3/q3map2/light.cpp
index 04cf3e08..869c5bd5 100644
--- a/tools/quake3/q3map2/light.cpp
+++ b/tools/quake3/q3map2/light.cpp
@@ -1854,13 +1854,14 @@ void LightWorld( bool fastAllocate ){
 		ambientColor.set( 0 );
 		floodlighty = false;
 
+		/* delete any existing lights, freeing up memory for the next bounce */
+		lights.clear();
 		/* generate diffuse lights */
-		RadFreeLights();
 		RadCreateDiffuseLights();
 
 		/* setup light envelopes */
 		SetupEnvelopes( false, fastbounce );
-		if ( numLights == 0 ) {
+		if ( lights.empty() ) {
 			Sys_Printf( "No diffuse light to calculate, ending radiosity.\n" );
 			break;
 		}
diff --git a/tools/quake3/q3map2/light_bounce.cpp b/tools/quake3/q3map2/light_bounce.cpp
index 5c9f37a9..d0cbbeed 100644
--- a/tools/quake3/q3map2/light_bounce.cpp
+++ b/tools/quake3/q3map2/light_bounce.cpp
@@ -32,20 +32,8 @@
 #include "q3map2.h"
 
 
-
 /* functions */
 
-/*
-   RadFreeLights()
-   deletes any existing lights, freeing up memory for the next bounce
- */
-
-void RadFreeLights( void ){
-	lights.clear();
-	numLights = 0;
-}
-
-
 
 /*
    RadClipWindingEpsilon()
diff --git a/tools/quake3/q3map2/light_ydnar.cpp b/tools/quake3/q3map2/light_ydnar.cpp
index dccb8eae..9d6889c2 100644
--- a/tools/quake3/q3map2/light_ydnar.cpp
+++ b/tools/quake3/q3map2/light_ydnar.cpp
@@ -3339,7 +3339,6 @@ void SetupEnvelopes( bool forGrid, bool fastFlag ){
 	Sys_FPrintf( SYS_VRB, "--- SetupEnvelopes%s ---\n", fastFlag ? " (fast)" : "" );
 
 	/* count lights */
-	numLights = 0;
 	numCulledLights = 0;
 	for( decltype( lights )::iterator light = lights.begin(); light != lights.end(); )
 	{
@@ -3574,9 +3573,6 @@ void SetupEnvelopes( bool forGrid, bool fastFlag ){
 		/* square envelope */
 		light->envelope2 = ( light->envelope * light->envelope );
 
-		/* increment light count */
-		numLights++;
-
 		/* set next light */
 		++light;
 	}
@@ -3589,7 +3585,7 @@ void SetupEnvelopes( bool forGrid, bool fastFlag ){
 	}
 
 	/* emit some statistics */
-	Sys_Printf( "%9d total lights\n", numLights );
+	Sys_Printf( "%9zu total lights\n", lights.size() );
 	Sys_Printf( "%9d culled lights\n", numCulledLights );
 }
 
@@ -3605,16 +3601,11 @@ void CreateTraceLightsForBounds( const MinMax& minmax, const Vector3 *normal, in
 	float length;
 
 
-	/* potential pre-setup  */
-	if ( numLights == 0 ) {
-		SetupEnvelopes( false, fast );
-	}
-
 	/* debug code */
 	//% Sys_Printf( "CTWLFB: (%4.1f %4.1f %4.1f) (%4.1f %4.1f %4.1f)\n", minmax.mins[ 0 ], minmax.mins[ 1 ], minmax.mins[ 2 ], minmax.maxs[ 0 ], minmax.maxs[ 1 ], minmax.maxs[ 2 ] );
 
 	/* allocate the light list */
-	trace->lights = safe_malloc( sizeof( light_t* ) * ( numLights + 1 ) );
+	trace->lights = safe_malloc( sizeof( light_t* ) * ( lights.size() + 1 ) );
 	trace->numLights = 0;
 
 	/* calculate spherical bounds */
diff --git a/tools/quake3/q3map2/q3map2.h b/tools/quake3/q3map2/q3map2.h
index d1cf664d..ae3d18d8 100644
--- a/tools/quake3/q3map2/q3map2.h
+++ b/tools/quake3/q3map2/q3map2.h
@@ -1795,7 +1795,6 @@ bool                        RadSampleImage( byte * pixels, int width, int height
 void                        RadLightForTriangles( int num, int lightmapNum, rawLightmap_t *lm, shaderInfo_t *si, float scale, float subdivide, clipWork_t *cw );
 void                        RadLightForPatch( int num, int lightmapNum, rawLightmap_t *lm, shaderInfo_t *si, float scale, float subdivide, clipWork_t *cw );
 void                        RadCreateDiffuseLights( void );
-void                        RadFreeLights();
 
 
 /* light_ydnar.c */
@@ -2355,7 +2354,6 @@ Q_EXTERN float subdivideThreshold Q_ASSIGN( DEFAULT_SUBDIVIDE_THRESHOLD );
 Q_EXTERN int numOpaqueBrushes, maxOpaqueBrush;
 Q_EXTERN byte               *opaqueBrushes;
 
-Q_EXTERN int numLights;
 Q_EXTERN int numCulledLights;
 
 Q_EXTERN int gridBoundsCulled;