diff --git a/ref/common/ref_common.h b/ref/common/ref_common.h
index 639d5057..f6b93f5c 100644
--- a/ref/common/ref_common.h
+++ b/ref/common/ref_common.h
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ extern ref_client_t  *gp_cl;
 extern ref_host_t    *gp_host;
 extern const ref_interface_t gReffuncs;
 
+DECLARE_ENGINE_SHARED_CVAR_LIST()
+
 #define Assert( x ) if( !( x )) gEngfuncs.Host_Error( "assert failed at %s:%i\n", __FILE__, __LINE__ )
 
 #define ENGINE_GET_PARM_ (*gEngfuncs.EngineGetParm)
@@ -61,4 +63,9 @@ void Matrix4x4_CreateOrtho( matrix4x4 m, float xLeft, float xRight, float yBotto
 void Matrix4x4_CreateModelview( matrix4x4 out );
 void Matrix4x4_ToArrayFloatGL( const matrix4x4 in, float out[16] );
 
+//
+// ref_light.c
+//
+void CL_RunLightStyles_( lightstyle_t *ls, int *lightstylevalue );
+
 #endif // REF_COMMON_H
diff --git a/ref/common/ref_context.c b/ref/common/ref_context.c
index 2ee72052..ed767665 100644
--- a/ref/common/ref_context.c
+++ b/ref/common/ref_context.c
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ GNU General Public License for more details.
 */
 
 #include "ref_common.h"
+#include "com_strings.h"
+
+DEFINE_ENGINE_SHARED_CVAR_LIST()
 
 ref_api_t      gEngfuncs;
 ref_globals_t *gpGlobals;
@@ -65,5 +68,7 @@ int EXPORT GetRefAPI( int version, ref_interface_t *funcs, ref_api_t *engfuncs,
 	gp_cl = (ref_client_t *)ENGINE_GET_PARM( PARM_GET_CLIENT_PTR );
 	gp_host = (ref_host_t *)ENGINE_GET_PARM( PARM_GET_HOST_PTR );
 
+	RETRIEVE_ENGINE_SHARED_CVAR_LIST();
+
 	return REF_API_VERSION;
 }
diff --git a/ref/common/wscript b/ref/common/wscript
index fec2b45b..49930baf 100644
--- a/ref/common/wscript
+++ b/ref/common/wscript
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ def build(bld):
 		target = 'ref_common',
 		includes = '.',
 		export_includes = '.',
+		defines = 'REF_DLL=1',
 		use = 'engine_includes public werror',
 		subsystem = bld.env.MSVC_SUBSYSTEM
 	)
diff --git a/ref/gl/gl_local.h b/ref/gl/gl_local.h
index d9df6c7b..a8c06dc1 100644
--- a/ref/gl/gl_local.h
+++ b/ref/gl/gl_local.h
@@ -787,7 +787,6 @@ extern convar_t r_dlight_virtual_radius;
 //
 // engine shared convars
 //
-DECLARE_ENGINE_SHARED_CVAR_LIST()
 
 //
 // engine callbacks
diff --git a/ref/gl/gl_opengl.c b/ref/gl/gl_opengl.c
index 99d1a5c0..d067955e 100644
--- a/ref/gl/gl_opengl.c
+++ b/ref/gl/gl_opengl.c
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ CVAR_DEFINE_AUTO( r_ripple_spawntime, "0.1", FCVAR_GLCONFIG, "how fast new rippl
 CVAR_DEFINE_AUTO( r_large_lightmaps, "0", FCVAR_GLCONFIG|FCVAR_LATCH, "enable larger lightmap atlas textures (might break custom renderer mods)" );
 CVAR_DEFINE_AUTO( r_dlight_virtual_radius, "3", FCVAR_GLCONFIG, "increase dlight radius virtually by this amount, should help against ugly cut off dlights on highly scaled textures" );
 
-DEFINE_ENGINE_SHARED_CVAR_LIST()
 
 poolhandle_t r_temppool;
 
@@ -1141,8 +1140,6 @@ GL_InitCommands
 */
 static void GL_InitCommands( void )
 {
-	RETRIEVE_ENGINE_SHARED_CVAR_LIST();
-
 	gEngfuncs.Cvar_RegisterVariable( &r_lighting_extended );
 	gEngfuncs.Cvar_RegisterVariable( &r_lighting_ambient );
 	gEngfuncs.Cvar_RegisterVariable( &r_novis );
diff --git a/ref/gl/gl_rlight.c b/ref/gl/gl_rlight.c
index e63adaac..ff275578 100644
--- a/ref/gl/gl_rlight.c
+++ b/ref/gl/gl_rlight.c
@@ -34,64 +34,7 @@ CL_RunLightStyles
 */
 void CL_RunLightStyles( lightstyle_t *ls )
 {
-	int i;
-	float frametime = (gp_cl->time - gp_cl->oldtime);
-
-	if( !WORLDMODEL )
-		return;
-
-	if( !WORLDMODEL->lightdata )
-	{
-		for( i = 0; i < MAX_LIGHTSTYLES; i++ )
-			tr.lightstylevalue[i] = 256 * 256;
-		return;
-	}
-
-	// light animations
-	// 'm' is normal light, 'a' is no light, 'z' is double bright
-	for( i = 0; i < MAX_LIGHTSTYLES; i++ )
-	{
-		int k, flight, clight;
-		float l, lerpfrac, backlerp;
-
-		if( !gp_cl->paused && frametime <= 0.1f )
-			ls[i].time += frametime; // evaluate local time
-
-		if( !ls[i].length )
-		{
-			tr.lightstylevalue[i] = 256;
-			continue;
-		}
-		else if( ls[i].length == 1 )
-		{
-			// single length style so don't bother interpolating
-			tr.lightstylevalue[i] = ( ls[i].map[0] ) * 22;
-			continue;
-		}
-
-		flight = (int)Q_floor( ls[i].time * 10 );
-
-		if( !ls[i].interp || !cl_lightstyle_lerping->value )
-		{
-			tr.lightstylevalue[i] = ls[i].map[flight%ls[i].length] * 22;
-			continue;
-		}
-
-		clight = (int)Q_ceil( ls[i].time * 10 );
-		lerpfrac = ( ls[i].time * 10 ) - flight;
-		backlerp = 1.0f - lerpfrac;
-
-		// interpolate animating light
-		// frame just gone
-		k = ls[i].map[flight % ls[i].length];
-		l = (float)( k * 22.0f ) * backlerp;
-
-		// upcoming frame
-		k = ls[i].map[clight % ls[i].length];
-		l += (float)( k * 22.0f ) * lerpfrac;
-
-		tr.lightstylevalue[i] = (int)l;
-	}
+	CL_RunLightStyles_( ls, tr.lightstylevalue );
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/ref/soft/r_light.c b/ref/soft/r_light.c
index 81acf1bc..be8b13a8 100644
--- a/ref/soft/r_light.c
+++ b/ref/soft/r_light.c
@@ -37,64 +37,7 @@ CL_RunLightStyles
 */
 void CL_RunLightStyles( lightstyle_t *ls )
 {
-	int   i;
-	float frametime = ( gp_cl->time - gp_cl->oldtime );
-
-	if( !WORLDMODEL )
-		return;
-
-	if( r_fullbright->value || !WORLDMODEL->lightdata )
-	{
-		for( i = 0; i < MAX_LIGHTSTYLES; i++ )
-			tr.lightstylevalue[i] = 256 * 256;
-		return;
-	}
-
-	// light animations
-	// 'm' is normal light, 'a' is no light, 'z' is double bright
-	for( i = 0; i < MAX_LIGHTSTYLES; i++ )
-	{
-		int   k, flight, clight;
-		float l, lerpfrac, backlerp;
-
-		if( !gp_cl->paused && frametime <= 0.1f )
-			ls[i].time += frametime; // evaluate local time
-
-		if( !ls[i].length )
-		{
-			tr.lightstylevalue[i] = 256;
-			continue;
-		}
-		else if( ls[i].length == 1 )
-		{
-			// single length style so don't bother interpolating
-			tr.lightstylevalue[i] = ( ls[i].map[0] ) * 22;
-			continue;
-		}
-
-		flight = (int)Q_floor( ls[i].time * 10 );
-
-		if( !ls[i].interp || !cl_lightstyle_lerping->value )
-		{
-			tr.lightstylevalue[i] = ls[i].map[flight % ls[i].length] * 22;
-			continue;
-		}
-
-		clight = (int)Q_ceil( ls[i].time * 10 );
-		lerpfrac = ( ls[i].time * 10 ) - flight;
-		backlerp = 1.0f - lerpfrac;
-
-		// interpolate animating light
-		// frame just gone
-		k = ls[i].map[flight % ls[i].length];
-		l = (float)( k * 22.0f ) * backlerp;
-
-		// upcoming frame
-		k = ls[i].map[clight % ls[i].length];
-		l += (float)( k * 22.0f ) * lerpfrac;
-
-		tr.lightstylevalue[i] = (int)l;
-	}
+	CL_RunLightStyles_( ls, tr.lightstylevalue );
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/ref/soft/r_local.h b/ref/soft/r_local.h
index 77269448..6317becf 100644
--- a/ref/soft/r_local.h
+++ b/ref/soft/r_local.h
@@ -528,7 +528,6 @@ void TriCullFace( TRICULLSTYLE mode );
 void TriBrightness( float brightness );
 
 
-DECLARE_ENGINE_SHARED_CVAR_LIST()
 
 //
 // helper funcs
diff --git a/ref/soft/r_main.c b/ref/soft/r_main.c
index 3e698f1e..7688acd4 100644
--- a/ref/soft/r_main.c
+++ b/ref/soft/r_main.c
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ CVAR_DEFINE_AUTO( sw_texfilt, "0", FCVAR_GLCONFIG, "texture dither" );
 static CVAR_DEFINE_AUTO( r_novis, "0", 0, "" );
 
 
-DEFINE_ENGINE_SHARED_CVAR_LIST()
 
 int r_viewcluster, r_oldviewcluster;
 
@@ -1407,9 +1406,6 @@ qboolean GAME_EXPORT R_Init( void )
 {
 	qboolean glblit = false;
 
-	RETRIEVE_ENGINE_SHARED_CVAR_LIST();
-
-
 	gEngfuncs.Cvar_RegisterVariable( &sw_clearcolor );
 	gEngfuncs.Cvar_RegisterVariable( &sw_drawflat );
 	gEngfuncs.Cvar_RegisterVariable( &sw_draworder );