diff --git a/include/ishaders.h b/include/ishaders.h
index fc837f28d2..19233cc32a 100644
--- a/include/ishaders.h
+++ b/include/ishaders.h
@@ -236,6 +236,9 @@ class Material
 	/// Surface Type (wood, stone, surfType15, ...)
 	virtual SurfaceType getSurfaceType() const = 0;
 
+    // Set the surface type of this material
+    virtual void setSurfaceType(SurfaceType type) = 0;
+
 	/// Get the deform type of this material
 	virtual DeformType getDeformType() const = 0;
 
diff --git a/libs/materials/ParseLib.h b/libs/materials/ParseLib.h
index c373266f2c..5678b7b0bf 100644
--- a/libs/materials/ParseLib.h
+++ b/libs/materials/ParseLib.h
@@ -39,6 +39,19 @@ inline std::string getStringForSurfaceType(Material::SurfaceType type)
     return std::string();
 }
 
+inline Material::SurfaceType getSurfaceTypeForString(const std::string& surfaceTypeString)
+{
+    for (const auto& pair : SurfaceTypeMapping)
+    {
+        if (surfaceTypeString == pair.first)
+        {
+            return pair.second;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return Material::SURFTYPE_DEFAULT;
+}
+
 constexpr std::pair<const char*, Material::SortRequest> PredefinedSortValues[]
 {
     { "subview", Material::SORT_SUBVIEW },
diff --git a/radiant/ui/materials/MaterialEditor.cpp b/radiant/ui/materials/MaterialEditor.cpp
index 1d01075823..d44236e30d 100644
--- a/radiant/ui/materials/MaterialEditor.cpp
+++ b/radiant/ui/materials/MaterialEditor.cpp
@@ -155,6 +155,8 @@ void MaterialEditor::setupMaterialProperties()
         typeDropdown->AppendString(pair.first);
     }
 
+    typeDropdown->Bind(wxEVT_CHOICE, &MaterialEditor::_onMaterialTypeChoice, this);
+
     auto* sortDropdown = getControl<wxComboBox>("MaterialSortValue");
 
     sortDropdown->AppendString(""); // empty string for undefined
@@ -1084,4 +1086,12 @@ void MaterialEditor::updateStageControls()
     }
 }
 
+void MaterialEditor::_onMaterialTypeChoice(wxCommandEvent& ev)
+{
+    if (!_material) return;
+    
+    auto selectedString = getControl<wxChoice>("MaterialType")->GetStringSelection();
+    _material->setSurfaceType(shaders::getSurfaceTypeForString(selectedString.ToStdString()));
+}
+
 }
diff --git a/radiant/ui/materials/MaterialEditor.h b/radiant/ui/materials/MaterialEditor.h
index 2d1e4d3489..5e5ff59bfc 100644
--- a/radiant/ui/materials/MaterialEditor.h
+++ b/radiant/ui/materials/MaterialEditor.h
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ class MaterialEditor :
 
     void _onTreeViewSelectionChanged(wxDataViewEvent& ev);
     void _onStageListSelectionChanged(wxDataViewEvent& ev);
+    void _onMaterialTypeChoice(wxCommandEvent& ev);
 
     // Shortcut
     template<typename ObjectClass>
diff --git a/radiantcore/shaders/CShader.cpp b/radiantcore/shaders/CShader.cpp
index ae0ab9d9c2..055be800ff 100644
--- a/radiantcore/shaders/CShader.cpp
+++ b/radiantcore/shaders/CShader.cpp
@@ -185,6 +185,12 @@ Material::SurfaceType CShader::getSurfaceType() const
 	return _template->getSurfaceType();
 }
 
+void CShader::setSurfaceType(SurfaceType type)
+{
+    ensureTemplateCopy();
+    _template->setSurfaceType(type);
+}
+
 Material::DeformType CShader::getDeformType() const
 {
 	return _template->getDeformType();
diff --git a/radiantcore/shaders/CShader.h b/radiantcore/shaders/CShader.h
index 4eb8c7b21b..ffa1039fc8 100644
--- a/radiantcore/shaders/CShader.h
+++ b/radiantcore/shaders/CShader.h
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ class CShader final :
 	ClampType getClampType() const override;
 	int getSurfaceFlags() const override;
 	SurfaceType getSurfaceType() const override;
+    void setSurfaceType(SurfaceType type) override;
 	DeformType getDeformType() const override;
 	IShaderExpressionPtr getDeformExpression(std::size_t index) override;
     std::string getDeformDeclName() override;
diff --git a/radiantcore/shaders/ShaderTemplate.h b/radiantcore/shaders/ShaderTemplate.h
index cd88867e53..72cb5bebc6 100644
--- a/radiantcore/shaders/ShaderTemplate.h
+++ b/radiantcore/shaders/ShaderTemplate.h
@@ -207,6 +207,12 @@ class ShaderTemplate final
 		return _surfaceType;
 	}
 
+    void setSurfaceType(Material::SurfaceType type)
+    {
+        if (!_parsed) parseDefinition();
+        _surfaceType = type;
+    }
+
 	Material::DeformType getDeformType()
 	{
 		if (!_parsed) parseDefinition();