diff --git a/components/sceneutil/shadow.cpp b/components/sceneutil/shadow.cpp
index 08581ee5a4..902627023f 100644
--- a/components/sceneutil/shadow.cpp
+++ b/components/sceneutil/shadow.cpp
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ namespace SceneUtil
     void ShadowManager::disableShadowsForStateSet(osg::ref_ptr<osg::StateSet> stateset)
     {
         int numberOfShadowMapsPerLight = Settings::Manager::getInt("number of shadow maps", "Shadows");
+        numberOfShadowMapsPerLight = std::max(1, std::min(numberOfShadowMapsPerLight, 8));
+
         int baseShadowTextureUnit = 8 - numberOfShadowMapsPerLight;
         
         osg::ref_ptr<osg::Image> fakeShadowMapImage = new osg::Image();