diff --git a/light/entities.c b/light/entities.c
index abfc4c66..54231dce 100644
--- a/light/entities.c
+++ b/light/entities.c
@@ -1029,7 +1029,7 @@ WriteEntitiesToString(bsp2_t *bsp)
  * =======================================================================
  */
 
-static void CreateSurfaceLight(const vec3_t origin, const entity_t *surflight_template)
+static void CreateSurfaceLight(const vec3_t origin, const vec3_t normal, const entity_t *surflight_template)
 {
     entity_t *entity = DuplicateEntity(surflight_template);
 
@@ -1038,6 +1038,12 @@ static void CreateSurfaceLight(const vec3_t origin, const entity_t *surflight_te
     /* don't write to bsp */
     entity->generated = true;
 
+    /* set spotlight vector based on face normal */
+    if (atoi(ValueForKey(surflight_template, "_surface_spotlight"))) {
+	entity->spotlight = true;
+	VectorCopy(normal, entity->spotvec);
+    }
+	
     num_lights++;
 }
 
@@ -1070,7 +1076,7 @@ static void CreateSurfaceLightOnFaceSubdivision(const bsp2_dface_t *face, const
     
     VectorMA(midpoint, offset, normal, midpoint);
 
-    CreateSurfaceLight(midpoint, surflight_template);
+    CreateSurfaceLight(midpoint, normal, surflight_template);
 }
 
 static void BoundPoly (int numverts, float *verts, vec3_t mins, vec3_t maxs)
diff --git a/man/light.1 b/man/light.1
index 0aa2ad2f..39757ae5 100644
--- a/man/light.1
+++ b/man/light.1
@@ -264,6 +264,12 @@ Z-axis from 0 to 359 degrees and pitch specifies the angle from 90 (straight
 up) to -90 (straight down). Roll has no effect, so use any value (e.g. 0).
 Often easier than the "target" method.
 
+.IP "\fB""_surface_spotlight"" ""n""\fP"
+For a surface light template (i.e. a light with "_surface" set), setting this to
+"1" makes each instance into a spotlight, with the direction of light
+pointing along the surface normal. In other words, it automatically sets
+"mangle" on each of the generated lights.
+
 .IP "\fB""angle"" ""n""\fP"
 Specifies the angle in degrees for a spotlight cone. Default 40.