diff --git a/src/gamelogic.cpp b/src/gamelogic.cpp
index 9585fb2..d95a98d 100644
--- a/src/gamelogic.cpp
+++ b/src/gamelogic.cpp
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ void updateFrame(GLFWwindow* window) {
 }
 
 
-void renderNode(SceneNode* node) {
+void renderNode(SceneNode* node, Gloom::Shader* parent_shader = default_shader) {
     struct Light { // lights as stored in the shader
         // coordinates in MV space
         vec3 position;
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ void renderNode(SceneNode* node) {
     // activate the correct shader
     Gloom::Shader* node_shader = (node->shader != nullptr)
         ? node->shader
-        : default_shader;
+        : parent_shader;
     if (s != node_shader) {
         s = node_shader;
         s->activate();
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ void renderNode(SceneNode* node) {
     }
 
     for(SceneNode* child : node->children) {
-        renderNode(child);
+        renderNode(child, node_shader);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/sceneGraph.hpp b/src/sceneGraph.hpp
index eba8596..816e005 100644
--- a/src/sceneGraph.hpp
+++ b/src/sceneGraph.hpp
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ struct SceneNode {
 	vec3 rotation = vec3(0, 0, 0);
 	vec3 scale    = vec3(1, 1, 1);
 
-	// set this if the shape uses a custom shader other than the default one
+	// set this if the shape uses a custom shader other than the inherited one
 	Gloom::Shader* shader = nullptr;
 	
 	// A transformation matrix representing the transformation of the node's location relative to its parent. This matrix is updated every frame.