diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/DeferredLightingEffect.cpp b/libraries/render-utils/src/DeferredLightingEffect.cpp
index b6a91888a1..2187cb70b1 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/DeferredLightingEffect.cpp
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/DeferredLightingEffect.cpp
@@ -511,12 +511,19 @@ void RenderDeferredSetup::run(const render::RenderContextPointer& renderContext,
 
         auto keyLight = lightAndShadow.first;
 
+        model::LightPointer keyAmbientLight;
+        if (lightStage && lightStage->_currentFrame._ambientLights.size()) {
+            keyAmbientLight = lightStage->getLight(lightStage->_currentFrame._ambientLights.front());
+        }
+        bool hasAmbientMap = (keyAmbientLight != nullptr);
+
         // Setup the global directional pass pipeline
         {
             if (deferredLightingEffect->_shadowMapEnabled) {
+
                 // If the keylight has an ambient Map then use the Skybox version of the pass
                 // otherwise use the ambient sphere version
-                if (keyLight->getAmbientMap()) {
+                if (hasAmbientMap) {
                     program = deferredLightingEffect->_directionalSkyboxLightShadow;
                     locations = deferredLightingEffect->_directionalSkyboxLightShadowLocations;
                 } else {
@@ -526,7 +533,7 @@ void RenderDeferredSetup::run(const render::RenderContextPointer& renderContext,
             } else {
                 // If the keylight has an ambient Map then use the Skybox version of the pass
                 // otherwise use the ambient sphere version
-                if (keyLight->getAmbientMap()) {
+                if (hasAmbientMap) {
                     program = deferredLightingEffect->_directionalSkyboxLight;
                     locations = deferredLightingEffect->_directionalSkyboxLightLocations;
                 } else {