diff --git a/stepmania/src/LightsManager.cpp b/stepmania/src/LightsManager.cpp
index ca4db493ed..2a5d9f6009 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/LightsManager.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/LightsManager.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 
 #include "arch/arch.h"
 
+const CString DEFAULT_LIGHTS_DRIVER = "Null";
+static Preference<CString> g_sLightsDriver( "LightsDriver", "" ); // "" == DEFAULT_LIGHTS_DRIVER
 Preference<float>	g_fLightsFalloffSeconds( "LightsFalloffSeconds", 0.1f );
 Preference<float>	g_fLightsAheadSeconds( "LightsAheadSeconds", 0.05f );
 
@@ -78,7 +80,7 @@ static void GetUsedGameInputs( vector<GameInput> &vGameInputsOut )
 
 LightsManager*	LIGHTSMAN = NULL;	// global and accessable from anywhere in our program
 
-LightsManager::LightsManager(CString sDriver)
+LightsManager::LightsManager()
 {
 	ZERO( m_fSecsLeftInCabinetLightBlink );
 	ZERO( m_fSecsLeftInGameButtonBlink );
@@ -86,6 +88,9 @@ LightsManager::LightsManager(CString sDriver)
 	ZERO( m_fSecsLeftInActorLightBlink );
 
 	m_LightsMode = LIGHTSMODE_JOINING;
+	CString sDriver = g_sLightsDriver.Get();
+	if( sDriver.empty() )
+		sDriver = DEFAULT_LIGHTS_DRIVER;
 	MakeLightsDrivers( sDriver, m_vpDrivers );
 	m_fTestAutoCycleCurrentIndex = 0;
 	m_clTestManualCycleCurrent = LIGHT_INVALID;
diff --git a/stepmania/src/LightsManager.h b/stepmania/src/LightsManager.h
index 0482289475..7282328663 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/LightsManager.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/LightsManager.h
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class LightsDriver;
 class LightsManager
 {
 public:
-	LightsManager(CString sDriver);
+	LightsManager();
 	~LightsManager();
 	
 	void Update( float fDeltaTime );
diff --git a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp
index a8c99f661a..b70c98de09 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@ const CString TYPE_TXT_FILE			= "Data/Type.txt";
 
 PrefsManager*	PREFSMAN = NULL;	// global and accessable from anywhere in our program
 
-const CString DEFAULT_LIGHTS_DRIVER = "Null";
-
 static const CString TimingWindowNames[] = {
 	"W1",
 	"W2",
@@ -301,7 +299,6 @@ PrefsManager::PrefsManager() :
 	m_iSoundDevice					( "SoundDevice",				"" ),
 	m_iSoundPreferredSampleRate		( "SoundPreferredSampleRate",	44100 ),
 	m_sInputDrivers					( "InputDrivers",				"" ),
-	m_sLightsDriver					( "LightsDriver",				"" ),
 	m_sMovieDrivers					( "MovieDrivers",				"" ),
 	m_sLightsStepsDifficulty		( "LightsStepsDifficulty",		"medium" ),
 	m_bBlinkGameplayButtonLightsOnNote	( "BlinkGameplayButtonLightsOnNote",false ),
@@ -533,14 +530,6 @@ CString PrefsManager::GetMovieDrivers()
 		return m_sMovieDrivers; 
 }
 
-CString PrefsManager::GetLightsDriver()	
-{ 
-	if ( m_sLightsDriver.Get().empty() )
-		return (CString)DEFAULT_LIGHTS_DRIVER;
-	else
-		return m_sLightsDriver;
-}
-
 bool PrefsManager::MessageIsIgnored( const CString &ID )
 {
 	vector<CString> list;
diff --git a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h
index 5006b428bc..787aa54787 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h
@@ -226,7 +226,6 @@ public:
 	Preference<int>		m_iSoundPreferredSampleRate;
 private:
 	Preference<CString>	m_sInputDrivers;	// "" == default
-	Preference<CString>	m_sLightsDriver;	// "" == default
 public:
 	Preference<CString>	m_sMovieDrivers;	// "" == default
 	Preference<CString>	m_sLightsStepsDifficulty;
@@ -260,7 +259,6 @@ public:
 	float GetSoundVolume();
 	CString GetInputDrivers();
 	CString GetMovieDrivers();
-	CString GetLightsDriver();
 
 
 	void ReadPrefsFromIni( const IniFile &ini, const CString &sSection );
diff --git a/stepmania/src/StepMania.cpp b/stepmania/src/StepMania.cpp
index 609ef0d541..b552a595c1 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/StepMania.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/StepMania.cpp
@@ -1030,7 +1030,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 	SOUNDMAN->SetMixVolume( PREFSMAN->GetSoundVolume() );
 	SOUND		= new GameSoundManager;
 	BOOKKEEPER	= new Bookkeeper;
-	LIGHTSMAN	= new LightsManager( PREFSMAN->GetLightsDriver() );
+	LIGHTSMAN	= new LightsManager;
 	INPUTFILTER	= new InputFilter;
 	INPUTMAPPER	= new InputMapper;
 	INPUTQUEUE	= new InputQueue;