diff --git a/chunk.py b/chunk.py
index 1076edb..3644345 100644
--- a/chunk.py
+++ b/chunk.py
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ def render_to_image(chunkcoords, img, imgcoords, quadtreeobj, cave=False, queue=
 
     If the chunk doesn't exist, return False.
     Else, returns True."""
-    a = ChunkRenderer(chunkcoords, quadtreeobj.world, quadtreeobj, queue)
+    a = ChunkRenderer(chunkcoords, quadtreeobj.world, quadtreeobj.rendermode, queue)
     try:
         a.chunk_render(img, imgcoords[0], imgcoords[1], cave)
         return True
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ class NoSuchChunk(Exception):
     pass
 
 class ChunkRenderer(object):
-    def __init__(self, chunkcoords, worldobj, quadtreeobj, queue):
+    def __init__(self, chunkcoords, worldobj, rendermode, queue):
         """Make a new chunk renderer for the given chunk coordinates.
         chunkcoors should be a tuple: (chunkX, chunkY)
         
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ class ChunkRenderer(object):
         self.chunkY = chunkcoords[1]
 
         self.world = worldobj
-        self.quadtree = quadtreeobj
+        self.rendermode = rendermode
 
         if self.world.useBiomeData:
             # make sure we've at least *tried* to load the color arrays in this process...
diff --git a/quadtree.py b/quadtree.py
index 7583b84..5e2ad13 100644
--- a/quadtree.py
+++ b/quadtree.py
@@ -84,9 +84,6 @@ class QuadtreeGen(object):
         self.imgformat = imgformat
         self.optimizeimg = optimizeimg
         
-        self.lighting = rendermode in ("lighting", "night", "spawn")
-        self.night = rendermode in ("night", "spawn")
-        self.spawn = rendermode in ("spawn",)
         self.rendermode = rendermode
 
         # Make the destination dir
diff --git a/src/rendermodes.c b/src/rendermodes.c
index 2141d99..0642d9d 100644
--- a/src/rendermodes.c
+++ b/src/rendermodes.c
@@ -16,16 +16,19 @@
  */
 
 #include "overviewer.h"
+#include <string.h>
 
 /* decides which render mode to use */
 RenderModeInterface *get_render_mode(RenderState *state) {
     /* default: normal */
     RenderModeInterface *iface = &rendermode_normal;
-    PyObject *quadtree = PyObject_GetAttrString(state->self, "quadtree");
-    PyObject *lighting = PyObject_GetAttrString(quadtree, "lighting");
+    PyObject *rendermode_py = PyObject_GetAttrString(state->self, "rendermode");
+    const char *rendermode = PyString_AsString(rendermode_py);
     
-    if (PyObject_IsTrue(lighting))
+    if (strcmp(rendermode, "lighting") == 0) {
         iface = &rendermode_lighting;
+    }
     
+    Py_DECREF(rendermode_py);
     return iface;
 }