diff --git a/doc/lua_api.txt b/doc/lua_api.txt
index b8ad99ce..7fa8870a 100644
--- a/doc/lua_api.txt
+++ b/doc/lua_api.txt
@@ -1815,18 +1815,19 @@ methods:
 - update_map():  Update map after writing chunk back to map.
   ^ To be used only by VoxelManip objects created by the mod itself; not a VoxelManip that was 
   ^ retrieved from minetest.get_mapgen_object
-- set_lighting(light):  Set the lighting within the VoxelManip
+- set_lighting(light, p1, p2):  Set the lighting within the VoxelManip to a uniform value
   ^ light is a table, {day=<0...15>, night=<0...15>}
   ^ To be used only by a VoxelManip object from minetest.get_mapgen_object
-
+  ^ (p1, p2) is the area in which lighting is set; defaults to the whole area if left out
 - get_light_data(): Gets the light data read into the VoxelManip object
   ^ Returns an array (indicies 1 to volume) of integers ranging from 0 to 255
   ^ Each value is the bitwise combination of day and night light values (0..15 each)
   ^ light = day + (night * 16)
 - set_light_data(light_data):  Sets the param1 (light) contents of each node in the VoxelManip
   ^ expects lighting data in the same format that get_light_data() returns
-- calc_lighting():  Calculate lighting within the VoxelManip
+- calc_lighting(p1, p2):  Calculate lighting within the VoxelManip
   ^ To be used only by a VoxelManip object from minetest.get_mapgen_object
+  ^ (p1, p2) is the area in which lighting is set; defaults to the whole area if left out
 - update_liquids():  Update liquid flow
 
 VoxelArea: A helper class for voxel areas
diff --git a/src/script/lua_api/l_vmanip.cpp b/src/script/lua_api/l_vmanip.cpp
index 5228b7c0..92c04db3 100644
--- a/src/script/lua_api/l_vmanip.cpp
+++ b/src/script/lua_api/l_vmanip.cpp
@@ -135,18 +135,23 @@ int LuaVoxelManip::l_calc_lighting(lua_State *L)
 	LuaVoxelManip *o = checkobject(L, 1);
 	if (!o->is_mapgen_vm)
 		return 0;
-		
+
 	INodeDefManager *ndef = getServer(L)->getNodeDefManager();
 	EmergeManager *emerge = getServer(L)->getEmergeManager();
 	ManualMapVoxelManipulator *vm = o->vm;
 
+	v3s16 p1 = lua_istable(L, 2) ? read_v3s16(L, 2) :
+		vm->m_area.MinEdge + v3s16(0, 1, 0) * MAP_BLOCKSIZE;
+	v3s16 p2 = lua_istable(L, 3) ? read_v3s16(L, 3) :
+		vm->m_area.MaxEdge - v3s16(0, 1, 0) * MAP_BLOCKSIZE;
+	sortBoxVerticies(p1, p2);
+
 	Mapgen mg;
 	mg.vm          = vm;
 	mg.ndef        = ndef;
 	mg.water_level = emerge->params->water_level;
 	
-	mg.calcLighting(vm->m_area.MinEdge + v3s16(0, 1, 0) * MAP_BLOCKSIZE,
-					vm->m_area.MaxEdge - v3s16(0, 1, 0) * MAP_BLOCKSIZE);
+	mg.calcLighting(p1, p2);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -164,16 +169,20 @@ int LuaVoxelManip::l_set_lighting(lua_State *L)
 
 	u8 light;
 	light  = (getintfield_default(L, 2, "day",   0) & 0x0F);
-	light |= (getintfield_default(L, 2, "night", 0) & 0x0F) << 8;
+	light |= (getintfield_default(L, 2, "night", 0) & 0x0F) << 4;
 	
 	ManualMapVoxelManipulator *vm = o->vm;
 	
+	v3s16 p1 = lua_istable(L, 3) ? read_v3s16(L, 3) :
+		vm->m_area.MinEdge + v3s16(0, 1, 0) * MAP_BLOCKSIZE;
+	v3s16 p2 = lua_istable(L, 4) ? read_v3s16(L, 4) :
+		vm->m_area.MaxEdge - v3s16(0, 1, 0) * MAP_BLOCKSIZE;
+	sortBoxVerticies(p1, p2);
+
 	Mapgen mg;
 	mg.vm = vm;
 	
-	mg.setLighting(vm->m_area.MinEdge + v3s16(0, 1, 0) * MAP_BLOCKSIZE,
-				   vm->m_area.MaxEdge - v3s16(0, 1, 0) * MAP_BLOCKSIZE,
-				   light);
+	mg.setLighting(p1, p2, light);
 
 	return 0;
 }