diff --git a/panda/src/pgraphnodes/config_pgraphnodes.cxx b/panda/src/pgraphnodes/config_pgraphnodes.cxx
index 8da8717a97..f553043efb 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraphnodes/config_pgraphnodes.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pgraphnodes/config_pgraphnodes.cxx
@@ -97,7 +97,6 @@ init_libpgraphnodes() {
   CallbackNode::register_with_read_factory();
   DirectionalLight::register_with_read_factory();
   FadeLODNode::register_with_read_factory();
-  LightLensNode::register_with_read_factory();
   LightNode::register_with_read_factory();
   LODNode::register_with_read_factory();
   PointLight::register_with_read_factory();
diff --git a/panda/src/pgraphnodes/lightLensNode.I b/panda/src/pgraphnodes/lightLensNode.I
index a979d83da3..c21a63affa 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraphnodes/lightLensNode.I
+++ b/panda/src/pgraphnodes/lightLensNode.I
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ set_shadow_caster(bool caster, int buffer_xsize, int buffer_ysize, int buffer_so
   _shadow_caster = caster;
   _sb_xsize = buffer_xsize;
   _sb_ysize = buffer_ysize;
+
   if (buffer_sort != _sb_sort) {
     ShadowBuffers::iterator it;
     for(it = _sbuffers.begin(); it != _sbuffers.end(); ++it) {
@@ -70,3 +71,21 @@ set_shadow_caster(bool caster, int buffer_xsize, int buffer_ysize, int buffer_so
   set_active(caster);
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: LightLensNode::get_shadow_buffer
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Returns the buffer that has been constructed for
+//               a given GSG, or NULL if no such buffer has (yet)
+//               been constructed.  This should be used for
+//               debugging only, you will not need to call this
+//               normally.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE GraphicsOutputBase *LightLensNode::
+get_shadow_buffer(GraphicsStateGuardianBase *gsg) {
+  ShadowBuffers::iterator it = _sbuffers.find(gsg);
+  if (it == _sbuffers.end()) {
+    return NULL;
+  } else {
+    return (*it).second;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/panda/src/pgraphnodes/lightLensNode.cxx b/panda/src/pgraphnodes/lightLensNode.cxx
index 2036f63a29..bead7ecf01 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraphnodes/lightLensNode.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pgraphnodes/lightLensNode.cxx
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ LightLensNode(const string &name, Lens *lens) :
   _sb_xsize = 512;
   _sb_ysize = 512;
   _sb_sort = -10;
+  //set_initial_state(RenderState::make(ShaderAttrib::make_off(), 1000));
   // Backface culling helps eliminating artifacts.
   set_initial_state(RenderState::make(CullFaceAttrib::make_reverse(),
                     ColorWriteAttrib::make(ColorWriteAttrib::C_off)));
@@ -165,4 +166,3 @@ fillin(DatagramIterator &scan, BamReader *manager) {
   int sb_sort = scan.get_int32();
   set_shadow_caster(shadow_caster, sb_xsize, sb_ysize, sb_sort);
 }
-
diff --git a/panda/src/pgraphnodes/lightLensNode.h b/panda/src/pgraphnodes/lightLensNode.h
index b5e51e43f1..a2d1afab13 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraphnodes/lightLensNode.h
+++ b/panda/src/pgraphnodes/lightLensNode.h
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ PUBLISHED:
   INLINE void set_shadow_caster(bool caster);
   INLINE void set_shadow_caster(bool caster, int buffer_xsize, int buffer_ysize, int sort = -10);
 
+  INLINE GraphicsOutputBase *get_shadow_buffer(GraphicsStateGuardianBase *gsg);
+
 protected:
   LightLensNode(const LightLensNode &copy);
   void clear_shadow_buffers();