diff --git a/code/modules/mapping/modular_map_loader/README.md b/code/modules/mapping/modular_map_loader/README.md
index dd77c65e9b4..7ce7509d040 100644
--- a/code/modules/mapping/modular_map_loader/README.md
+++ b/code/modules/mapping/modular_map_loader/README.md
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ This root object handled picking and loading in map modules. It has two variable
 * `var/key` - A string, used to pull a list of `.dmm` files from the configuration file.
 * `load_map()` - Called asynchronously in the root's `Initialize()`. This proc creates a new instance of `/datum/map_template/map_module`, ingests the configuration file `config_file` points to, and picks a `.dmm` file path which maps to the root's `key`, by picking a random filename from among those which `key` maps to, and appending it to a folder path. This file path is passed into the map templace instance's `load()`, and the template takes over.
 
+INITIALIZE_IMMEDIATE is used to ensure the ruins are loaded at the right time to avoid runtime errors related to lighting.
+
 ### /datum/map_template/map_module
 
 This map templace subtype is responsible for loading in the module, it has two variables and two relevant procs.
diff --git a/code/modules/mapping/modular_map_loader/modular_map_loader.dm b/code/modules/mapping/modular_map_loader/modular_map_loader.dm
index 29399be8aa0..d753c4a439e 100644
--- a/code/modules/mapping/modular_map_loader/modular_map_loader.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mapping/modular_map_loader/modular_map_loader.dm
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 	/// Key used to look up the appropriate map paths in the associated .toml file
 	var/key = null
 
+INITIALIZE_IMMEDIATE(/obj/modular_map_root)
+
 /obj/modular_map_root/Initialize(mapload)
 	. = ..()
 	INVOKE_ASYNC(src, .proc/load_map)