diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/occlusionquery.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/occlusionquery.cpp
index cc3464c64..29cfe33fe 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/occlusionquery.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/occlusionquery.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ using namespace Ogre;
 OcclusionQuery::OcclusionQuery(OEngine::Render::OgreRenderer* renderer, SceneNode* sunNode) :
     mSunTotalAreaQuery(0), mSunVisibleAreaQuery(0), mSingleObjectQuery(0), mActiveQuery(0),
     mDoQuery(0), mSunVisibility(0), mQuerySingleObjectStarted(false), mTestResult(false), 
-    mQuerySingleObjectRequested(false), mWasVisible(false), mObjectWasVisible(false), mDoQuery2(false)
+    mQuerySingleObjectRequested(false), mWasVisible(false), mObjectWasVisible(false), mDoQuery2(false),
+    mBBNode(0)
 {
     mRendering = renderer;
     mSunNode = sunNode;
@@ -52,7 +53,8 @@ OcclusionQuery::OcclusionQuery(OEngine::Render::OgreRenderer* renderer, SceneNod
     matQueryVisible->setCullingMode(CULL_NONE);
     matQueryVisible->setManualCullingMode(MANUAL_CULL_NONE);
 
-    mBBNode = mSunNode->getParentSceneNode()->createChildSceneNode();
+    if (sunNode)
+        mBBNode = mSunNode->getParentSceneNode()->createChildSceneNode();
 
     mObjectNode = mRendering->getScene()->getRootSceneNode()->createChildSceneNode();
     mBBNodeReal = mRendering->getScene()->getRootSceneNode()->createChildSceneNode();
@@ -182,10 +184,13 @@ void OcclusionQuery::update(float duration)
     if (dist==0) dist = 10000000;
     dist -= 1000; // bias
     dist /= 1000.f;
-    mBBNode->setPosition(mSunNode->getPosition() * dist);
-    mBBNode->setScale(dist, dist, dist);
-    mBBNodeReal->setPosition(mBBNode->_getDerivedPosition());
-    mBBNodeReal->setScale(mBBNode->getScale());
+    if (mBBNode)
+    {
+        mBBNode->setPosition(mSunNode->getPosition() * dist);
+        mBBNode->setScale(dist, dist, dist);
+        mBBNodeReal->setPosition(mBBNode->_getDerivedPosition());
+        mBBNodeReal->setScale(mBBNode->getScale());
+    }
 
     // Stop occlusion queries until we get their information
     // (may not happen on the same frame they are requested in)
@@ -245,6 +250,13 @@ bool OcclusionQuery::occlusionTestPending()
     return (mQuerySingleObjectRequested || mQuerySingleObjectStarted);
 }
 
+void OcclusionQuery::setSunNode(Ogre::SceneNode* node)
+{
+    mSunNode = node;
+    if (!mBBNode)
+        mBBNode = node->getParentSceneNode()->createChildSceneNode();
+}
+
 bool OcclusionQuery::getTestResult()
 {
     assert( !occlusionTestPending()
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/occlusionquery.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/occlusionquery.hpp
index ebdc51311..b655c8e46 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/occlusionquery.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/occlusionquery.hpp
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ namespace MWRender
 
         float getSunVisibility() const {return mSunVisibility;};
 
+        void setSunNode(Ogre::SceneNode* node);
+
     private:
         Ogre::HardwareOcclusionQuery* mSunTotalAreaQuery;
         Ogre::HardwareOcclusionQuery* mSunVisibleAreaQuery;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderingmanager.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderingmanager.cpp
index 3d715b3d3..bbddd325a 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderingmanager.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderingmanager.cpp
@@ -201,6 +201,8 @@ void RenderingManager::skyEnable ()
 {
     if(mSkyManager)
     mSkyManager->enable();
+
+    mOcclusionQuery->setSunNode(mSkyManager->getSunNode());
 }
 
 void RenderingManager::skyDisable ()
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/sky.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/sky.cpp
index 265008e34..23b44d1f3 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/sky.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/sky.cpp
@@ -325,14 +325,17 @@ SkyManager::SkyManager (SceneNode* pMwRoot, Camera* pCamera, MWWorld::Environmen
     , mSunEnabled(true)
     , mMasserEnabled(true)
     , mSecundaEnabled(true)
+    , mCreated(false)
 {
-
     mViewport = pCamera->getViewport();
     mSceneMgr = pMwRoot->getCreator();
     mRootNode = pCamera->getParentSceneNode()->createChildSceneNode();
     mRootNode->pitch(Degree(-90)); // convert MW to ogre coordinates
     mRootNode->setInheritOrientation(false);
+}
 
+void SkyManager::create()
+{
     /// \todo preload all the textures and meshes that are used for sky rendering
 
     // Create overlay used for thunderstorm
@@ -562,6 +565,8 @@ SkyManager::SkyManager (SceneNode* pMwRoot, Camera* pCamera, MWWorld::Environmen
     mCloudMaterial->getTechnique(0)->getPass(0)->setSceneBlending(SBT_TRANSPARENT_ALPHA);
 
     mCloudMaterial->getTechnique(0)->getPass(0)->createTextureUnitState("");
+
+    mCreated = true;
 }
 
 SkyManager::~SkyManager()
@@ -574,11 +579,13 @@ SkyManager::~SkyManager()
 
 int SkyManager::getMasserPhase() const
 {
+    if (!mCreated) return 0;
     return mMasser->getPhaseInt();
 }
 
 int SkyManager::getSecundaPhase() const
 {
+    if (!mCreated) return 0;
     return mSecunda->getPhaseInt();
 }
 
@@ -631,6 +638,9 @@ void SkyManager::update(float duration)
 
 void SkyManager::enable()
 {
+    if (!mCreated)
+        create();
+
     mRootNode->setVisible(true);
     mEnabled = true;
 }
@@ -654,6 +664,7 @@ void SkyManager::setCloudsOpacity(float opacity)
 
 void SkyManager::setWeather(const MWWorld::WeatherResult& weather)
 {
+    if (!mCreated) return;
     if (mClouds != weather.mCloudTexture)
     {
         mCloudMaterial->getTechnique(0)->getPass(0)->getTextureUnitState(0)->setTextureName("textures\\"+weather.mCloudTexture);
@@ -750,17 +761,20 @@ void SkyManager::sunDisable()
 
 void SkyManager::setSunDirection(const Vector3& direction)
 {
+    if (!mCreated) return;
     mSun->setPosition(direction);
     mSunGlare->setPosition(direction);
 }
 
 void SkyManager::setMasserDirection(const Vector3& direction)
 {
+    if (!mCreated) return;
     mMasser->setPosition(direction);
 }
 
 void SkyManager::setSecundaDirection(const Vector3& direction)
 {
+    if (!mCreated) return;
     mSecunda->setPosition(direction);
 }
 
@@ -786,6 +800,7 @@ void SkyManager::secundaDisable()
 
 void SkyManager::setThunder(const float factor)
 {
+    if (!mCreated) return;
     if (factor > 0.f)
     {
         mThunderOverlay->show();
@@ -818,5 +833,6 @@ void SkyManager::setDate(int day, int month)
 
 Ogre::SceneNode* SkyManager::getSunNode()
 {
+    if (!mCreated) return 0;
     return mSun->getNode();
 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/sky.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/sky.hpp
index 508af7673..baf5933cb 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/sky.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/sky.hpp
@@ -112,6 +112,9 @@ namespace MWRender
 
         void update(float duration);
 
+        void create();
+        ///< no need to call this, automatically done on first enable()
+
         void enable();
 
         void disable();
@@ -164,8 +167,10 @@ namespace MWRender
 
         void setGlare(const float glare);
         Ogre::Vector3 getRealSunPos();
-        
+
     private:
+        bool mCreated;
+
         MWWorld::Environment* mEnvironment;
         float mHour;
         int mDay;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.cpp
index 6f03fa37f..a48cc7e72 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.cpp
@@ -146,10 +146,10 @@ namespace MWWorld
             mRendering->skySetDate (mGlobalVariables->getInt ("day"),
                 mGlobalVariables->getInt ("month"));
 
-            mRendering->getSkyManager()->enable();
+            mRendering->skyEnable();
         }
         else
-            mRendering->getSkyManager()->disable();
+            mRendering->skyDisable();
     }
 
     World::World (OEngine::Render::OgreRenderer& renderer,