diff --git a/panda/src/pgraph/light.I b/panda/src/pgraph/light.I
index 6dd0428836..d173740607 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraph/light.I
+++ b/panda/src/pgraph/light.I
@@ -71,8 +71,8 @@ INLINE void Light::
 set_color(const LColor &color) {
   CDWriter cdata(_cycler);
   cdata->_color = color;
+  cdata->_viz_geom_stale = true;
   _has_color_temperature = false;
-  mark_viz_stale();
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/panda/src/pgraph/light.cxx b/panda/src/pgraph/light.cxx
index 8631cb5b0b..d70a83c195 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraph/light.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pgraph/light.cxx
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ set_color_temperature(PN_stdfloat temperature) {
 
   CDWriter cdata(_cycler);
   cdata->_color = color;
-  mark_viz_stale();
+  cdata->_viz_geom_stale = true;
 }
 
 /**