diff --git a/components/sceneutil/shadow.cpp b/components/sceneutil/shadow.cpp
index a4079d1a00..21a0de89a3 100644
--- a/components/sceneutil/shadow.cpp
+++ b/components/sceneutil/shadow.cpp
@@ -321,6 +321,12 @@ namespace SceneUtil
     
     void MWShadow::cull(osgUtil::CullVisitor& cv)
     {
+        if (!enableShadows)
+        {
+            _shadowedScene->osg::Group::traverse(cv);
+            return;
+        }
+        
         OSG_INFO << std::endl << std::endl << "ViewDependentShadowMap::cull(osg::CullVisitor&" << &cv << ")" << std::endl;
 
         if (!_shadowCastingStateSet)
diff --git a/components/sceneutil/shadow.hpp b/components/sceneutil/shadow.hpp
index aa8085f0df..3c665bac79 100644
--- a/components/sceneutil/shadow.hpp
+++ b/components/sceneutil/shadow.hpp
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ namespace SceneUtil
     {
     public:
         static const int numberOfShadowMapsPerLight = 3;
-        static const int enableShadows = true;
+        static const bool enableShadows = true;
         static const bool debugHud = true;
 
         MWShadow();