diff --git a/common/main/lighting.h b/common/main/lighting.h
index a67ea4329..c5c7fab0f 100644
--- a/common/main/lighting.h
+++ b/common/main/lighting.h
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ struct object;
 
 #define MIN_LIGHT_DIST  (F1_0*4)
 
-extern fix Beam_brightness;
 extern g3s_lrgb Dynamic_light[MAX_VERTICES];
 extern object *old_viewer;
 
diff --git a/similar/main/gamecntl.cpp b/similar/main/gamecntl.cpp
index 975551348..1c5c073f8 100644
--- a/similar/main/gamecntl.cpp
+++ b/similar/main/gamecntl.cpp
@@ -1287,8 +1287,6 @@ static int HandleTestKey(int key)
 			break;
 		case KEY_DEBUGGED + KEY_L:
 			if (++Lighting_on >= 2) Lighting_on = 0; break;
-		case KEY_DEBUGGED + KEY_SHIFTED + KEY_L:
-			Beam_brightness=0x38000-Beam_brightness; break;
 		case KEY_PAD5: slew_stop(); break;
 
 #ifndef NDEBUG
diff --git a/similar/main/lighting.cpp b/similar/main/lighting.cpp
index 18c48e62f..d6ebfd7da 100644
--- a/similar/main/lighting.cpp
+++ b/similar/main/lighting.cpp
@@ -559,8 +559,6 @@ void toggle_headlight_active()
 
 #define HEADLIGHT_BOOST_SCALE 8		//how much to scale light when have headlight boost
 
-fix	Beam_brightness = (F1_0/2);	//global saying how bright the light beam is
-
 #define MAX_DIST_LOG	6							//log(MAX_DIST-expressed-as-integer)
 #define MAX_DIST		(f1_0<<MAX_DIST_LOG)	//no light beyond this dist