diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderingmanager.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderingmanager.cpp
index c1462807fc..a35560848d 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderingmanager.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderingmanager.cpp
@@ -54,9 +54,10 @@ RenderingManager::RenderingManager (OEngine::Render::OgreRenderer& _rend, const
 
     // disable unsupported effects
     const RenderSystemCapabilities* caps = Root::getSingleton().getRenderSystem()->getCapabilities();
-    if (caps->getNumMultiRenderTargets() < 2)
+    if (caps->getNumMultiRenderTargets() < 2 || !Settings::Manager::getBool("shaders", "Objects"))
         Settings::Manager::setBool("shader", "Water", false);
-    if (!caps->isShaderProfileSupported("fp40") && !caps->isShaderProfileSupported("ps_4_0"))
+    if ( !(caps->isShaderProfileSupported("fp40") || caps->isShaderProfileSupported("ps_4_0"))
+        || !Settings::Manager::getBool("shaders", "Objects"))
         Settings::Manager::setBool("enabled", "Shadows", false);
 
     // note that the order is important here
diff --git a/files/settings-default.cfg b/files/settings-default.cfg
index 553a82e497..e4a0c020a5 100644
--- a/files/settings-default.cfg
+++ b/files/settings-default.cfg
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ num lights = 8
 
 [Water]
 # Enable this to get fancy-looking water with reflections and refractions
+# Only available if object shaders are on
 # All the settings below have no effect if this is false
 shader = true