diff --git a/code/game/turfs/space/space.dm b/code/game/turfs/space/space.dm
index 57152d3679d..1fa2f5c6ff1 100644
--- a/code/game/turfs/space/space.dm
+++ b/code/game/turfs/space/space.dm
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
 	return INITIALIZE_HINT_NORMAL
 
 // Handles starlight logic unique to space turfs.
-/turf/space/update_starlight()
+/turf/space/update_starlight(has_simulated_neighbor = FALSE)
 	. = ..() // We also run the parent proc here, since space may also require starlight from needs_starlight!
 
 	// Our parent proc already handled starlight for us, we don't have to do our own checks
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@
 		return
 
 	// Otherwise, if a space turf borders a simulated turf, it should be producing starlight.
-	if(locate(/turf/simulated) in RANGE_TURFS(1, src))
+	// Some callers already know this and can skip building another range list.
+	if(has_simulated_neighbor || locate(/turf/simulated) in RANGE_TURFS(1, src))
 		set_light(SSatlas.current_sector.starlight_range, SSatlas.current_sector.starlight_power, l_color = SSskybox.background_color)
 
 // We don't want this doing anything on space, otherwise update_starlight() would run set_light on space turfs twice.
diff --git a/code/modules/mapping/map_template.dm b/code/modules/mapping/map_template.dm
index 66c4b022782..5b02055bbe8 100644
--- a/code/modules/mapping/map_template.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mapping/map_template.dm
@@ -244,6 +244,7 @@
 	for (var/obj/structure/machinery/machine as anything in machines)
 		machine.power_change()
 
+	var/list/space_turfs_to_update
 	for (var/turf/T as anything in turfs)
 		T.post_change(FALSE)
 		if(template_flags & TEMPLATE_FLAG_NO_RUINS)
@@ -252,6 +253,11 @@
 		if(istype(T,/turf/simulated))
 			var/turf/simulated/sim = T
 			sim.update_air_properties()
+			if(GLOB.config.starlight)
+				for(var/direction in GLOB.alldirs)
+					var/turf/neighbor = get_step(sim, direction)
+					if(istype(neighbor, /turf/space))
+						LAZYSET(space_turfs_to_update, neighbor, TRUE)
 
 		if(SSlighting.initialized) //don't generate lighting overlays before SSlighting in case these templates are loaded before
 			var/area/A = T.loc
@@ -259,6 +265,10 @@
 				continue
 			T.static_lighting_build_overlay()
 
+	// New z-level space initializes before its template is placed, so refresh each affected space turf once.
+	for(var/turf/space/space_turf as anything in space_turfs_to_update)
+		space_turf.update_starlight(TRUE)
+
 /datum/map_template/proc/load(turf/T, centered = FALSE)
 	last_load_error = null
 	if(centered)
diff --git a/html/changelogs/geeves-starlight_fix.yml b/html/changelogs/geeves-starlight_fix.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bcd50cb0319
--- /dev/null
+++ b/html/changelogs/geeves-starlight_fix.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+author: Geeves
+
+delete-after: True
+
+changes:
+  - bugfix: "Fix starlight not working on overmap and overship maps."