diff --git a/Engine/source/T3D/fx/lightning.cpp b/Engine/source/T3D/fx/lightning.cpp
index c7981df47..ed941a82b 100644
--- a/Engine/source/T3D/fx/lightning.cpp
+++ b/Engine/source/T3D/fx/lightning.cpp
@@ -243,6 +243,7 @@ LightningData::LightningData()
    dMemset( strikeTextureNames, 0, sizeof( strikeTextureNames ) );
    dMemset( strikeTextures, 0, sizeof( strikeTextures ) );
    dMemset( thunderSounds, 0, sizeof( thunderSounds ) );
+   mNumStrikeTextures = 0;
 }
 
 LightningData::~LightningData()
@@ -297,10 +298,14 @@ bool LightningData::preload(bool server, String &errorStr)
       if( !sfxResolve( &strikeSound, sfxErrorStr ) )
          Con::errorf(ConsoleLogEntry::General, "LightningData::preload: Invalid packet: %s", sfxErrorStr.c_str());
 
+      mNumStrikeTextures = 0;
       for (U32 i = 0; i < MaxTextures; i++) 
       {
          if (strikeTextureNames[i][0])
+         {
             strikeTextures[i] = GFXTexHandle(strikeTextureNames[i], &GFXDefaultStaticDiffuseProfile, avar("%s() - strikeTextures[%d] (line %d)", __FUNCTION__, i, __LINE__));
+            mNumStrikeTextures++;
+         }
       }
    }
 
@@ -317,6 +322,9 @@ void LightningData::packData(BitStream* stream)
    U32 i;
    for (i = 0; i < MaxThunders; i++)
       sfxWrite( stream, thunderSounds[ i ] );
+
+   stream->writeInt(mNumStrikeTextures, 4);
+
    for (i = 0; i < MaxTextures; i++) {
       stream->writeString(strikeTextureNames[i]);
    }
@@ -331,6 +339,9 @@ void LightningData::unpackData(BitStream* stream)
    U32 i;
    for (i = 0; i < MaxThunders; i++)
       sfxRead( stream, &thunderSounds[ i ] );
+
+   mNumStrikeTextures = stream->readInt(4);
+
    for (i = 0; i < MaxTextures; i++) {
       strikeTextureNames[i] = stream->readSTString();
    }
@@ -479,7 +490,7 @@ void Lightning::renderObject(ObjectRenderInst *ri, SceneRenderState *state, Base
       desc.setCullMode(GFXCullNone);
       desc.zWriteEnable = false;
 
-      if (mDataBlock->strikeTextures[0].isValid())
+      if (mDataBlock->mNumStrikeTextures != 0)
       {
          desc.samplersDefined = true;
          desc.samplers[0].magFilter = GFXTextureFilterLinear;
@@ -498,8 +509,14 @@ void Lightning::renderObject(ObjectRenderInst *ri, SceneRenderState *state, Base
    Strike* walk = mStrikeListHead;
    while (walk != NULL)
    {
-      if (mDataBlock->strikeTextures[0].isValid())
+      if (mDataBlock->mNumStrikeTextures > 1)
+      {
+         GFX->setTexture(0, mDataBlock->strikeTextures[sgLightningRand.randI(0, mDataBlock->mNumStrikeTextures - 1)]);
+      }
+      else if (mDataBlock->mNumStrikeTextures > 0)
+      {
          GFX->setTexture(0, mDataBlock->strikeTextures[0]);
+      }
 
       for( U32 i=0; i<3; i++ )
       {
diff --git a/Engine/source/T3D/fx/lightning.h b/Engine/source/T3D/fx/lightning.h
index 20620fca5..71ff493d1 100644
--- a/Engine/source/T3D/fx/lightning.h
+++ b/Engine/source/T3D/fx/lightning.h
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ class LightningData : public GameBaseData
 
    GFXTexHandle  strikeTextures[MaxTextures];
    U32           numThunders;
+   U32           mNumStrikeTextures;
 
   protected:
    bool onAdd();
diff --git a/Templates/Full/game/art/datablocks/environment.cs b/Templates/Full/game/art/datablocks/environment.cs
index c9d2b0a51..ab9af14d3 100644
--- a/Templates/Full/game/art/datablocks/environment.cs
+++ b/Templates/Full/game/art/datablocks/environment.cs
@@ -83,6 +83,8 @@ datablock LightningData(DefaultStorm)
    thunderSounds[1] = ThunderCrash2Sound;
    thunderSounds[2] = ThunderCrash3Sound;
    thunderSounds[3] = ThunderCrash4Sound;
+
+   strikeTextures[0] = "art/environment/lightning";
 };
 
 datablock ReflectorDesc( DefaultCubeDesc )
diff --git a/Templates/Full/game/art/environment/lightning.png b/Templates/Full/game/art/environment/lightning.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fc19efad9
Binary files /dev/null and b/Templates/Full/game/art/environment/lightning.png differ