diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/water.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/water.cpp
index f6b7a0d86..d58a47248 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/water.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/water.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 
 #include <components/resource/resourcesystem.hpp>
 #include <components/resource/imagemanager.hpp>
+#include <components/resource/scenemanager.hpp>
 
 #include <components/sceneutil/waterutil.hpp>
 
@@ -507,6 +508,14 @@ void Water::createSimpleWaterStateSet(osg::Node* node, float alpha)
     node->setUpdateCallback(controller);
 
     stateset->setTextureAttributeAndModes(0, textures[0], osg::StateAttribute::ON);
+
+    // use a shader to render the simple water, ensuring that fog is applied per pixel as required.
+    // this could be removed if a more detailed water mesh, using some sort of paging solution, is implemented.
+    Resource::SceneManager* sceneManager = mResourceSystem->getSceneManager();
+    bool oldValue = sceneManager->getForceShaders();
+    sceneManager->setForceShaders(true);
+    sceneManager->recreateShaders(node);
+    sceneManager->setForceShaders(oldValue);
 }
 
 void Water::createShaderWaterStateSet(osg::Node* node, Reflection* reflection, Refraction* refraction)