diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/WorldRenderer.cs b/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/WorldRenderer.cs
index 48e4a26280..c18dc86186 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/WorldRenderer.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/WorldRenderer.cs
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Graphics
 		readonly HashSet<Actor> onScreenActors = new HashSet<Actor>();
 		readonly HardwarePalette palette = new HardwarePalette();
 		readonly Dictionary<string, PaletteReference> palettes = new Dictionary<string, PaletteReference>();
-		readonly TerrainRenderer terrainRenderer;
+		readonly IRenderTerrain terrainRenderer;
 		readonly Lazy<DebugVisualizations> debugVis;
 		readonly Func<string, PaletteReference> createPaletteReference;
 		readonly bool enableDepthBuffer;
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Graphics
 			palette.Initialize();
 
 			Theater = new Theater(world.Map.Rules.TileSet);
-			terrainRenderer = new TerrainRenderer(world, this);
+			terrainRenderer = world.WorldActor.TraitOrDefault<IRenderTerrain>();
 
 			debugVis = Exts.Lazy(() => world.WorldActor.TraitOrDefault<DebugVisualizations>());
 		}
@@ -181,7 +181,9 @@ namespace OpenRA.Graphics
 			if (enableDepthBuffer)
 				Game.Renderer.Context.EnableDepthBuffer();
 
-			terrainRenderer.Draw(this, Viewport);
+			if (terrainRenderer != null)
+				terrainRenderer.RenderTerrain(this, Viewport);
+
 			Game.Renderer.Flush();
 
 			for (var i = 0; i < renderables.Count; i++)
@@ -330,7 +332,6 @@ namespace OpenRA.Graphics
 
 			palette.Dispose();
 			Theater.Dispose();
-			terrainRenderer.Dispose();
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/OpenRA.Game.csproj b/OpenRA.Game/OpenRA.Game.csproj
index 8e0d1a052c..6dd324d128 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/OpenRA.Game.csproj
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/OpenRA.Game.csproj
@@ -134,7 +134,6 @@
     <Compile Include="Graphics\SpriteFont.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Graphics\SpriteLoader.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Graphics\SpriteRenderer.cs" />
-    <Compile Include="Graphics\TerrainRenderer.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Graphics\Util.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Graphics\Viewport.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Graphics\WorldRenderer.cs" />
diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/Traits/TraitsInterfaces.cs b/OpenRA.Game/Traits/TraitsInterfaces.cs
index 573fb6b607..435c44aa43 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/Traits/TraitsInterfaces.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/Traits/TraitsInterfaces.cs
@@ -374,12 +374,16 @@ namespace OpenRA.Traits
 
 	[RequireExplicitImplementation]
 	public interface INotifyBecomingIdle { void OnBecomingIdle(Actor self); }
+
 	[RequireExplicitImplementation]
 	public interface INotifyIdle { void TickIdle(Actor self); }
 
 	public interface IRenderAboveWorld { void RenderAboveWorld(Actor self, WorldRenderer wr); }
 	public interface IRenderShroud { void RenderShroud(Shroud shroud, WorldRenderer wr); }
 
+	[RequireExplicitImplementation]
+	public interface IRenderTerrain { void RenderTerrain(WorldRenderer wr, Viewport viewport); }
+
 	public interface IRenderAboveShroud
 	{
 		IEnumerable<IRenderable> RenderAboveShroud(Actor self, WorldRenderer wr);
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/OpenRA.Mods.Common.csproj b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/OpenRA.Mods.Common.csproj
index 0191de0ac9..5baa053d9d 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/OpenRA.Mods.Common.csproj
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/OpenRA.Mods.Common.csproj
@@ -563,6 +563,7 @@
     <Compile Include="Traits\World\PaletteFromGimpOrJascFile.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Traits\World\PaletteFromPng.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Traits\World\PaletteFromRGBA.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Traits\World\TerrainRenderer.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Traits\World\ValidateOrder.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Pathfinder\CellInfoLayerPool.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Pathfinder\Constants.cs" />
diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/TerrainRenderer.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/TerrainRenderer.cs
similarity index 74%
rename from OpenRA.Game/Graphics/TerrainRenderer.cs
rename to OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/TerrainRenderer.cs
index 9a7836fbdb..b11284165b 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/TerrainRenderer.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/TerrainRenderer.cs
@@ -11,19 +11,32 @@
 
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.IO;
+using System.Linq;
+using OpenRA.Graphics;
 using OpenRA.Traits;
 
-namespace OpenRA.Graphics
+namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits
 {
-	sealed class TerrainRenderer : IDisposable
+	public class TerrainRendererInfo : ITraitInfo
+	{
+		public object Create(ActorInitializer init) { return new TerrainRenderer(init.World); }
+	}
+
+	public sealed class TerrainRenderer : IRenderTerrain, IWorldLoaded, INotifyActorDisposing
 	{
 		readonly Map map;
 		readonly Dictionary<string, TerrainSpriteLayer> spriteLayers = new Dictionary<string, TerrainSpriteLayer>();
-		readonly Theater theater;
+		Theater theater;
+		bool disposed;
 
-		public TerrainRenderer(World world, WorldRenderer wr)
+		public TerrainRenderer(World world)
 		{
 			map = world.Map;
+		}
+
+		void IWorldLoaded.WorldLoaded(World world, WorldRenderer wr)
+		{
 			theater = wr.Theater;
 
 			foreach (var template in map.Rules.TileSet.Templates)
@@ -52,7 +65,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Graphics
 				kv.Value.Update(cell, palette == kv.Key ? sprite : null);
 		}
 
-		public void Draw(WorldRenderer wr, Viewport viewport)
+		void IRenderTerrain.RenderTerrain(WorldRenderer wr, Viewport viewport)
 		{
 			foreach (var kv in spriteLayers.Values)
 				kv.Draw(wr.Viewport);
@@ -61,13 +74,18 @@ namespace OpenRA.Graphics
 				r.Render(wr);
 		}
 
-		public void Dispose()
+		void INotifyActorDisposing.Disposing(Actor self)
 		{
+			if (disposed)
+				return;
+
 			map.Tiles.CellEntryChanged -= UpdateCell;
 			map.Height.CellEntryChanged -= UpdateCell;
 
 			foreach (var kv in spriteLayers.Values)
 				kv.Dispose();
+
+			disposed = true;
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/mods/cnc/rules/world.yaml b/mods/cnc/rules/world.yaml
index ac83030d9a..cadccc5029 100644
--- a/mods/cnc/rules/world.yaml
+++ b/mods/cnc/rules/world.yaml
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 		VictoryMusic: win1
 		DefeatMusic: nod_map1
 	DebugVisualizations:
+	TerrainRenderer:
 	TerrainGeometryOverlay:
 	ShroudRenderer:
 		ShroudVariants: typea, typeb, typec, typed
diff --git a/mods/d2k/rules/world.yaml b/mods/d2k/rules/world.yaml
index 337fff567d..aa189e5c3f 100644
--- a/mods/d2k/rules/world.yaml
+++ b/mods/d2k/rules/world.yaml
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 		DefeatMusic: score
 	TerrainGeometryOverlay:
 	DebugVisualizations:
+	TerrainRenderer:
 	ShroudRenderer:
 		ShroudVariants: shrouda, shroudb, shroudc, shroudd
 		FogVariants: foga, fogb, fogc, fogd
diff --git a/mods/ra/rules/world.yaml b/mods/ra/rules/world.yaml
index 97268325b9..617c23ab65 100644
--- a/mods/ra/rules/world.yaml
+++ b/mods/ra/rules/world.yaml
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@
 	Locomotor@IMMOBILE:
 		Name: immobile
 		TerrainSpeeds:
+	TerrainRenderer:
 	ShroudRenderer:
 		FogVariants: shroud
 		Index: 255, 16, 32, 48, 64, 80, 96, 112, 128, 144, 160, 176, 192, 208, 224, 240, 20, 40, 56, 65, 97, 130, 148, 194, 24, 33, 66, 132, 28, 41, 67, 134, 1, 2, 4, 8, 3, 6, 12, 9, 7, 14, 13, 11, 5, 10, 15, 255
diff --git a/mods/ts/rules/world.yaml b/mods/ts/rules/world.yaml
index d1cdc9dfa4..26e70cb8ac 100644
--- a/mods/ts/rules/world.yaml
+++ b/mods/ts/rules/world.yaml
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 	MusicPlaylist:
 		VictoryMusic: score
 		DefeatMusic: maps
+	TerrainRenderer:
 	ShroudRenderer:
 		Index: 255, 16, 32, 48, 64, 80, 96, 112, 128, 144, 160, 176, 192, 208, 224, 240, 20, 40, 56, 65, 97, 130, 148, 194, 24, 33, 66, 132, 28, 41, 67, 134, 1, 2, 4, 8, 3, 6, 12, 9, 7, 14, 13, 11, 5, 10, 15, 255
 		UseExtendedIndex: true