diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/DeferredBufferWrite.slh b/libraries/render-utils/src/DeferredBufferWrite.slh
index a7f4055bba..a3edfbdbbb 100755
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/DeferredBufferWrite.slh
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/DeferredBufferWrite.slh
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ float evalOpaqueFinalAlpha(float alpha, float mapAlpha) {
     return mix(alpha * glowIntensity, 1.0 - alpha * glowIntensity, step(mapAlpha, alphaThreshold));
 }
 
+const vec3 DEFAULT_SPECULAR = vec3(0.1);
+const float DEFAULT_SHININESS = 10;
+
 void packDeferredFragment(vec3 normal, float alpha, vec3 diffuse, vec3 specular, float shininess) {
     if (alpha != glowIntensity) {
         discard;
diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/DeferredLightingEffect.cpp b/libraries/render-utils/src/DeferredLightingEffect.cpp
index 7da314cdf2..9a45ea488e 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/DeferredLightingEffect.cpp
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/DeferredLightingEffect.cpp
@@ -142,6 +142,10 @@ void DeferredLightingEffect::bindSimpleProgram(gpu::Batch& batch, bool textured,
                                                bool emmisive, bool depthBias) {
     SimpleProgramKey config{textured, culled, emmisive, depthBias};
     batch.setPipeline(getPipeline(config));
+
+    gpu::ShaderPointer program = (config.isEmissive()) ? _emissiveShader : _simpleShader;
+    int glowIntensity = program->getUniforms().findLocation("glowIntensity");
+    batch._glUniform1f(glowIntensity, 1.0f);
     
     if (!config.isTextured()) {
         // If it is not textured, bind white texture and keep using textured pipeline
diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/simple.slf b/libraries/render-utils/src/simple.slf
index bbbb44cc51..84f1752c37 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/simple.slf
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/simple.slf
@@ -22,6 +22,5 @@ void main(void) {
         normalize(interpolatedNormal.xyz), 
         glowIntensity,
         gl_Color.rgb,
-        gl_FrontMaterial.specular.rgb,
-        gl_FrontMaterial.shininess);
+         DEFAULT_SPECULAR, DEFAULT_SHININESS);
 }
diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/simple_textured.slf b/libraries/render-utils/src/simple_textured.slf
index 7444d512e4..68d235050d 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/simple_textured.slf
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/simple_textured.slf
@@ -27,6 +27,5 @@ void main(void) {
          normalize(interpolatedNormal.xyz),
          glowIntensity * texel.a,
          gl_Color.rgb * texel.rgb,
-         gl_FrontMaterial.specular.rgb,
-         gl_FrontMaterial.shininess);
+         DEFAULT_SPECULAR, DEFAULT_SHININESS);
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/libraries/render-utils/src/simple_textured_emisive.slf b/libraries/render-utils/src/simple_textured_emisive.slf
index 643dcde190..d2c7d403c3 100644
--- a/libraries/render-utils/src/simple_textured_emisive.slf
+++ b/libraries/render-utils/src/simple_textured_emisive.slf
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ void main(void) {
          normalize(interpolatedNormal.xyz),
          glowIntensity * texel.a,
          gl_Color.rgb,
-         gl_FrontMaterial.specular.rgb,
-         gl_FrontMaterial.shininess,
+         DEFAULT_SPECULAR, DEFAULT_SHININESS,
          texel.rgb);
 }
\ No newline at end of file