diff --git a/stepmania/src/LightsManager.cpp b/stepmania/src/LightsManager.cpp
index 72049f70de..fbe318ed9a 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/LightsManager.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/LightsManager.cpp
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ LightsManager::~LightsManager()
 
 void LightsManager::Update( float fDeltaTime )
 {
+	if( !IsEnabled() )
+		return;
+
 	// update lights falloff
 	{
 		FOREACH_CabinetLight( cl )
diff --git a/stepmania/src/LightsManager.h b/stepmania/src/LightsManager.h
index 425515f275..6547f80101 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/LightsManager.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/LightsManager.h
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ public:
 	~LightsManager();
 	
 	void Update( float fDeltaTime );
+	bool IsEnabled() const { return m_pDriver != NULL; }
 
 	void BlinkCabinetLight( CabinetLight cl );
 	void BlinkGameButton( GameInput gi );
diff --git a/stepmania/src/arch/Lights/LightsDriver.cpp b/stepmania/src/arch/Lights/LightsDriver.cpp
index 557c7127a2..1848820ddf 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/arch/Lights/LightsDriver.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/arch/Lights/LightsDriver.cpp
@@ -19,12 +19,9 @@ LightsDriver *MakeLightsDriver(CString driver)
 	if( !driver.CompareNoCase("WeedTech") ) ret = new LightsDriver_LinuxWeedTech;
 	if( !driver.CompareNoCase("LinuxParallel") ) ret = new LightsDriver_LinuxParallel;
 #endif
-	if( !driver.CompareNoCase("Null") || ret == NULL )
-	{
-		if( driver.CompareNoCase("Null") )
-			LOG->Warn( "Unknown lights driver name: %s", driver.c_str() );
-		ret = new LightsDriver_Null;
-	}
+
+	if( ret == NULL && driver.CompareNoCase("Null") )
+		LOG->Warn( "Unknown lights driver name: %s", driver.c_str() );
 	
 	return ret;
 }