diff --git a/components/sceneutil/shadow.cpp b/components/sceneutil/shadow.cpp
index 35646b834..3244dc672 100644
--- a/components/sceneutil/shadow.cpp
+++ b/components/sceneutil/shadow.cpp
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ namespace SceneUtil
 
     void ShadowManager::disableShadowsForStateSet(osg::ref_ptr<osg::StateSet> stateset)
     {
+        if (!Settings::Manager::getBool("enable shadows", "Shadows"))
+            return;
+
         int numberOfShadowMapsPerLight = Settings::Manager::getInt("number of shadow maps", "Shadows");
         numberOfShadowMapsPerLight = std::max(1, std::min(numberOfShadowMapsPerLight, 8));