diff --git a/include/common/bspfile.hh b/include/common/bspfile.hh
index df4f3d92..421a7c4f 100644
--- a/include/common/bspfile.hh
+++ b/include/common/bspfile.hh
@@ -176,7 +176,8 @@ struct surfflags_t
     // light doesn't bounce off this face
     bool no_bounce;
 
-    // opt out of minlight on this face
+    // opt out of minlight on this face (including opting out of local minlight, so
+    // not the same as just setting minlight to 0).
     bool no_minlight;
 
     // don't expand this face for larger clip hulls
@@ -210,8 +211,8 @@ struct surfflags_t
     // _phong_group key, equivalent q2 map format's use of the "value" field
     int phong_group;
 
-    // minlight value for this face
-    vec_t minlight;
+    // minlight value for this face. empty = inherit from worldspawn.
+    std::optional<vec_t> minlight;
 
     // red minlight colors for this face
     qvec3b minlight_color;
diff --git a/light/ltface.cc b/light/ltface.cc
index 676a87be..b93016a8 100644
--- a/light/ltface.cc
+++ b/light/ltface.cc
@@ -615,8 +615,10 @@ static std::unique_ptr<lightsurf_t> Lightsurf_Init(const modelinfo_t *modelinfo,
     // minlight
     if (modelinfo->minlight.is_changed()) {
         lightsurf->minlight = modelinfo->minlight.value();
+    } else if (extended_flags.minlight) {
+        lightsurf->minlight = *extended_flags.minlight;
     } else {
-        lightsurf->minlight = extended_flags.minlight;
+        lightsurf->minlight = light_options.minlight.value();
     }
 
     // minlightMottle
diff --git a/qbsp/map.cc b/qbsp/map.cc
index a9e9ea3e..37f38460 100644
--- a/qbsp/map.cc
+++ b/qbsp/map.cc
@@ -740,11 +740,10 @@ static surfflags_t SurfFlagsForEntity(
     flags.phong_group = entity.epairs.get_int("_phong_group");
 
     // handle "_minlight"
-    const vec_t minlight = entity.epairs.get_float("_minlight");
-    if (minlight > 0) {
-        // CHECK: allow > 510 now that we're float? or is it not worth it since it will
-        // be beyond max?
-        flags.minlight = clamp(minlight, 0.0, 510.0);
+    if (entity.epairs.has("_minlight")) {
+        const vec_t minlight = entity.epairs.get_float("_minlight");
+        // handle -1 as an alias for 0 (same with other negative values).
+        flags.minlight = max(0., minlight);
     }
 
     // handle "_maxlight"
diff --git a/qbsp/writebsp.cc b/qbsp/writebsp.cc
index 305d1c79..dbd1d763 100644
--- a/qbsp/writebsp.cc
+++ b/qbsp/writebsp.cc
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ static void WriteExtendedTexinfoFlags(void)
             t["phong_group"] = tx.flags.phong_group;
         }
         if (tx.flags.minlight) {
-            t["minlight"] = tx.flags.minlight;
+            t["minlight"] = *tx.flags.minlight;
         }
         if (tx.flags.maxlight) {
             t["maxlight"] = tx.flags.maxlight;
diff --git a/testmaps/q2_light_group.map b/testmaps/q2_light_group.map
index d4baa8ee..2e4bf699 100644
--- a/testmaps/q2_light_group.map
+++ b/testmaps/q2_light_group.map
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@
 {
 "classname" "func_wall"
 "_object_channel_mask" "2"
+"_minlight" "0"
 // brush 0
 {
 ( 656 1280 944 ) ( 656 1281 944 ) ( 656 1280 945 ) e1u1/twall2_1 -32 0 0 1 1
@@ -177,6 +178,7 @@
 {
 "classname" "func_wall"
 "_object_channel_mask" "4"
+"_minlight" "0"
 // brush 0
 {
 ( 880 1248 944 ) ( 880 1249 944 ) ( 880 1248 945 ) e1u1/twall2_1 0 0 0 1 1
@@ -208,6 +210,7 @@
 "classname" "func_wall"
 "_object_channel_mask" "8"
 "_shadow" "1"
+"_minlight" "0"
 // brush 0
 {
 ( 1264 1248 944 ) ( 1264 1249 944 ) ( 1264 1248 945 ) e1u1/twall2_1 0 0 0 1 1
@@ -230,6 +233,7 @@
 {
 "classname" "func_group"
 "_object_channel_mask" "8"
+"_minlight" "0"
 // brush 0
 {
 ( 1456 1248 944 ) ( 1456 1249 944 ) ( 1456 1248 945 ) e1u1/twall2_1 0 0 0 1 1
diff --git a/testmaps/q2_minlight_inherited.map b/testmaps/q2_minlight_inherited.map
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9e228f92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testmaps/q2_minlight_inherited.map
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+// Game: Quake 2
+// Format: Quake2
+// entity 0
+{
+"classname" "worldspawn"
+"_tb_textures" "textures/e1u1"
+"_bounce" "0"
+"_minlight" "0.5"
+"_minlight_mottle" "0"
+// brush 0
+{
+( -480 -176 -16 ) ( -480 -175 -16 ) ( -480 -176 -15 ) e1u1/twall2_1 -16 112 0 1 1
+( -256 -176 -16 ) ( -256 -176 -15 ) ( -255 -176 -16 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 112 0 1 1
+( -256 -176 -16 ) ( -255 -176 -16 ) ( -256 -175 -16 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( -16 208 0 ) ( -16 209 0 ) ( -15 208 0 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( -16 224 0 ) ( -15 224 0 ) ( -16 224 1 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 112 0 1 1
+( 480 208 0 ) ( 480 208 1 ) ( 480 209 0 ) e1u1/twall2_1 -16 112 0 1 1
+}
+// brush 1
+{
+( -480 -176 304 ) ( -480 -175 304 ) ( -480 -176 305 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( -256 -192 304 ) ( -256 -192 305 ) ( -255 -192 304 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( -256 -176 304 ) ( -255 -176 304 ) ( -256 -175 304 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( -16 208 320 ) ( -16 209 320 ) ( -15 208 320 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( -16 224 320 ) ( -15 224 320 ) ( -16 224 321 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( 480 208 320 ) ( 480 208 321 ) ( 480 209 320 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+}
+// brush 2
+{
+( -480 -192 -16 ) ( -480 -191 -16 ) ( -480 -192 -15 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( -256 -192 -16 ) ( -256 -192 -15 ) ( -255 -192 -16 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( -256 -192 -16 ) ( -255 -192 -16 ) ( -256 -191 -16 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( -16 192 304 ) ( -16 193 304 ) ( -15 192 304 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( -16 -176 0 ) ( -15 -176 0 ) ( -16 -176 1 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( 496 192 0 ) ( 496 192 1 ) ( 496 193 0 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+}
+// brush 3
+{
+( -480 128 -16 ) ( -480 129 -16 ) ( -480 128 -15 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( -128 224 -16 ) ( -128 224 -15 ) ( -127 224 -16 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( -128 128 -16 ) ( -127 128 -16 ) ( -128 129 -16 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( 112 512 304 ) ( 112 513 304 ) ( 113 512 304 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( 112 240 0 ) ( 113 240 0 ) ( 112 240 1 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( 480 128 -16 ) ( 480 128 -15 ) ( 480 129 -16 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+}
+// brush 4
+{
+( 480 -176 112 ) ( 480 -175 112 ) ( 480 -176 113 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( 160 -176 112 ) ( 160 -176 113 ) ( 161 -176 112 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( 160 -176 -16 ) ( 161 -176 -16 ) ( 160 -175 -16 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( 400 208 304 ) ( 400 209 304 ) ( 401 208 304 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( 400 224 128 ) ( 401 224 128 ) ( 400 224 129 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( 496 208 128 ) ( 496 208 129 ) ( 496 209 128 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+}
+// brush 5
+{
+( -496 -176 112 ) ( -496 -175 112 ) ( -496 -176 113 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( -816 -192 112 ) ( -816 -192 113 ) ( -815 -192 112 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( -816 -176 -16 ) ( -815 -176 -16 ) ( -816 -175 -16 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( -576 208 304 ) ( -576 209 304 ) ( -575 208 304 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( -576 224 128 ) ( -575 224 128 ) ( -576 224 129 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+( -480 208 128 ) ( -480 208 129 ) ( -480 209 128 ) e1u1/twall2_1 64 16 0 1 1
+}
+}
+// entity 1
+{
+"classname" "info_player_start"
+"origin" "272 -104 24"
+"angle" "90"
+}
+// entity 2
+{
+"classname" "func_group"
+// brush 0
+{
+( 288 0 0 ) ( 288 1 0 ) ( 288 0 1 ) e1u1/twall2_1 -16 16 0 1 1
+( 176 0 0 ) ( 176 0 1 ) ( 177 0 0 ) e1u1/twall2_1 0 16 0 1 1
+( 176 0 0 ) ( 177 0 0 ) ( 176 1 0 ) e1u1/twall2_1 0 -32 0 1 1
+( 416 144 16 ) ( 416 145 16 ) ( 417 144 16 ) e1u1/twall2_1 0 -32 0 1 1
+( 416 144 16 ) ( 417 144 16 ) ( 416 144 17 ) e1u1/twall2_1 0 16 0 1 1
+( 416 144 16 ) ( 416 144 17 ) ( 416 145 16 ) e1u1/twall2_1 -16 16 0 1 1
+}
+}
+// entity 3
+{
+"classname" "func_wall"
+// brush 0
+{
+( 144 0 0 ) ( 144 1 0 ) ( 144 0 1 ) e1u1/twall2_1 -16 16 0 1 1
+( 32 0 0 ) ( 32 0 1 ) ( 33 0 0 ) e1u1/twall2_1 16 16 0 1 1
+( 32 0 0 ) ( 33 0 0 ) ( 32 1 0 ) e1u1/twall2_1 16 -32 0 1 1
+( 272 144 16 ) ( 272 145 16 ) ( 273 144 16 ) e1u1/twall2_1 16 -32 0 1 1
+( 272 144 16 ) ( 273 144 16 ) ( 272 144 17 ) e1u1/twall2_1 16 16 0 1 1
+( 272 144 16 ) ( 272 144 17 ) ( 272 145 16 ) e1u1/twall2_1 -16 16 0 1 1
+}
+}
diff --git a/tests/test_ltface.cc b/tests/test_ltface.cc
index 699621a0..bcc38827 100644
--- a/tests/test_ltface.cc
+++ b/tests/test_ltface.cc
@@ -681,4 +681,18 @@ TEST_CASE("q2_light_low_luxel_res2" * doctest::may_fail())
     CheckFaceLuxelAtPoint(&bsp, &bsp.dmodels[0], {49, 49, 49}, {2964, 1046, -694}, {-1, 0, 0}, nullptr, &bspx);
     CheckFaceLuxelAtPoint(&bsp, &bsp.dmodels[0], {25, 25, 25}, {2964, 1046, -706}, {-1, 0, 0}, nullptr, &bspx);
     CheckFaceLuxelAtPoint(&bsp, &bsp.dmodels[0], {1, 1, 1}, {2964, 1046, -716}, {-1, 0, 0}, nullptr, &bspx);
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("q2_minlight_inherited")
+{
+    auto [bsp, bspx] = QbspVisLight_Q2("q2_minlight_inherited.map", {});
+
+    {
+        INFO("check that func_group inherits worldspawn minlight");
+        CheckFaceLuxelAtPoint(&bsp, &bsp.dmodels[0], {64, 64, 64}, {360, 72, 16}, {0, 0, 1}, nullptr, &bspx);
+    }
+    {
+        INFO("check that func_wall inherits worldspawn minlight");
+        CheckFaceLuxelAtPoint(&bsp, &bsp.dmodels[1], {64, 64, 64}, {208, 72, 16}, {0, 0, 1}, nullptr, &bspx);
+    }
+}