diff --git a/common/litfile.cc b/common/litfile.cc
index 2bfc6f53..313c93f4 100644
--- a/common/litfile.cc
+++ b/common/litfile.cc
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ qvec3f HDR_UnpackE5BRG9(uint32_t packed)
     return qvec3f(red_int, green_int, blue_int) * multiplier;
 }
 
-std::vector<uint8_t> LoadLitFile(const fs::path &path)
+std::variant<lit1_t, lit_hdr> LoadLitFile(const fs::path &path)
 {
     std::ifstream stream(path, std::ios_base::in | std::ios_base::binary);
     stream >> endianness<std::endian::little>;
@@ -139,16 +139,23 @@ std::vector<uint8_t> LoadLitFile(const fs::path &path)
 
     int version;
     stream >= version;
-    if (version != 1) {
-        throw std::runtime_error("invalid lit version");
+    if (version == LIT_VERSION) {
+        std::vector<uint8_t> litdata;
+        while (stream.good()) {
+            uint8_t b;
+            stream >= b;
+            litdata.push_back(b);
+        }
+        return {lit1_t{.rgbdata = std::move(litdata)}};
+    } else if (version == LIT_VERSION_E5BGR9) {
+        std::vector<uint32_t> litdata;
+        while (stream.good()) {
+            uint32_t sample;
+            stream >= sample;
+            litdata.push_back(sample);
+        }
+        return {lit_hdr{.samples = std::move(litdata)}};
     }
 
-    std::vector<uint8_t> litdata;
-    while (stream.good()) {
-        uint8_t b;
-        stream >= b;
-        litdata.push_back(b);
-    }
-
-    return litdata;
+    throw std::runtime_error("invalid lit version");
 }
diff --git a/include/common/litfile.hh b/include/common/litfile.hh
index 172b227b..24a9e91d 100644
--- a/include/common/litfile.hh
+++ b/include/common/litfile.hh
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <array>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <vector>
+#include <variant>
 
 constexpr int32_t LIT_VERSION = 1;
 constexpr int32_t LIT_VERSION_E5BGR9 = (0x00010000 | LIT_VERSION);
@@ -55,4 +56,14 @@ struct litheader_t
 uint32_t HDR_PackE5BRG9(qvec3f rgb);
 qvec3f HDR_UnpackE5BRG9(uint32_t packed);
 
-std::vector<uint8_t> LoadLitFile(const fs::path &path);
+struct lit1_t {
+    // 3 bytes (r,g,b) per sample
+    std::vector<uint8_t> rgbdata;
+};
+
+struct lit_hdr {
+    // 1 packed e5bgr9 uint32_t per sample
+    std::vector<uint32_t> samples;
+};
+
+std::variant<lit1_t, lit_hdr> LoadLitFile(const fs::path &path);
diff --git a/lightpreview/mainwindow.cpp b/lightpreview/mainwindow.cpp
index 6a0b93a4..6c7b3a11 100644
--- a/lightpreview/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/lightpreview/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -933,7 +933,12 @@ int MainWindow::compileMap(const QString &file, bool is_reload)
     lit_path.replace_extension(".lit");
 
     try {
-        m_litdata = LoadLitFile(lit_path);
+        auto lit_variant = LoadLitFile(lit_path);
+
+        if (auto* lit1_ptr = std::get_if<lit1_t>(&lit_variant)) {
+            m_litdata = std::move(lit1_ptr->rgbdata);
+        }
+        // FIXME: handle hdr variant
     } catch (const std::runtime_error &error) {
         logging::print("error loading lit: {}", error.what());
         m_litdata = {};
diff --git a/tests/test_ltface.cc b/tests/test_ltface.cc
index 6422c646..48177938 100644
--- a/tests/test_ltface.cc
+++ b/tests/test_ltface.cc
@@ -118,9 +118,17 @@ testresults_lit_t QbspVisLight_Q1(
     auto lit_path = fs::path(test_quake_maps_dir) / name.filename();
     lit_path.replace_extension(".lit");
 
-    std::vector<uint8_t> litdata = LoadLitFile(lit_path);
+    auto lit_variant = LoadLitFile(lit_path);
+    std::vector<uint8_t> lit_bytes;
 
-    return testresults_lit_t{.bsp = res.bsp, .bspx = res.bspx, .lit = litdata};
+    if (auto* lit1_ptr = std::get_if<lit1_t>(&lit_variant)) {
+        lit_bytes = std::move(lit1_ptr->rgbdata);
+    }
+    // FIXME: handle hdr variant
+
+    return testresults_lit_t{.bsp = std::move(res.bsp),
+                             .bspx = std::move(res.bspx),
+                             .lit = std::move(lit_bytes)};
 }
 
 testresults_t QbspVisLight_Q2(