diff --git a/_std/defines/lag.dm b/_std/defines/lag.dm
index 78e2c189d6239..c2d1b4ae4f09f 100644
--- a/_std/defines/lag.dm
+++ b/_std/defines/lag.dm
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@
 #define LAGCHECK(x) // this is wrong and bad, but it'd be way too much effort to remove lagchecks from everything :/
 #endif
 
+#ifdef LIVE_SERVER
+#define LAGCHECK_IF_LIVE(x) LAGCHECK(x)
+#else
+#define LAGCHECK_IF_LIVE(x) sleep(-1)
+#endif
+
 //for light queue - when should we queue? and when should we pause processing our dowork loop?
 #define LIGHTING_MAX_TICKUSAGE 140
 
@@ -26,6 +32,7 @@
 #define LAG_MED 90
 #define LAG_HIGH 90
 #define LAG_REALTIME 90
+#define LAG_INIT 95
 
 /// Waits until a given condition is true, tg-style async
 #define UNTIL(X) while(!(X)) sleep(1)
diff --git a/code/_lighting/RobustLight2.dm b/code/_lighting/RobustLight2.dm
index 1369e76cad598..dc04dbe3527eb 100644
--- a/code/_lighting/RobustLight2.dm
+++ b/code/_lighting/RobustLight2.dm
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ proc/RL_Start()
 		if (light.enabled)
 			light.apply()
 	for (var/turf/T in world)
-		sleep(-1)
+		LAGCHECK_IF_LIVE(LAG_INIT)
 		RL_UPDATE_LIGHT(T)
 
 proc/RL_Suspend()
diff --git a/code/datums/controllers/process/items.dm b/code/datums/controllers/process/items.dm
index 594a33791079d..b008b9a09e191 100644
--- a/code/datums/controllers/process/items.dm
+++ b/code/datums/controllers/process/items.dm
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 					lasttime = world.timeofday
 					game_start_countdown.update_status("Initializing items\n([itemcount], [round(itemcount / totalcount * 100)]%)")
 
-			LAGCHECK(LAG_HIGH)
+			LAGCHECK_IF_LIVE(LAG_INIT)
 
 		logTheThing(LOG_DEBUG, src, "Main /obj initialize loop completed")
 
diff --git a/code/modules/camera/coverage/datum/controller/camera_coverage.dm b/code/modules/camera/coverage/datum/controller/camera_coverage.dm
index b6456e58ef78f..4dc8b03400aa5 100644
--- a/code/modules/camera/coverage/datum/controller/camera_coverage.dm
+++ b/code/modules/camera/coverage/datum/controller/camera_coverage.dm
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ var/global/datum/controller/camera_coverage/camera_coverage_controller
 			lastpct = thispct
 			game_start_countdown?.update_status("Updating cameras...\n[thispct]%")
 
-		sleep(-1)
+		LAGCHECK_IF_LIVE(LAG_INIT)
 
 	game_start_countdown?.update_status("Updating cameras...\nCoverage...")
 	src.update_all_emitters()
diff --git a/code/modules/worldgen/GenerateMining.dm b/code/modules/worldgen/GenerateMining.dm
index 0d0e2aebd30a1..4c6b0b1573139 100644
--- a/code/modules/worldgen/GenerateMining.dm
+++ b/code/modules/worldgen/GenerateMining.dm
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ TYPEINFO(/turf/variableTurf/clear)
 			for(var/x in 1 to width)
 				for(var/y in 1 to height)
 					mapnew[x][y] = CAGetSolid(map, x, y, i)
-					sleep(-1)
+					LAGCHECK_IF_LIVE(LAG_INIT)
 			map = mapnew
 
 		for(var/x in 1 to width)
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ TYPEINFO(/turf/variableTurf/clear)
 					generated.Add(N)
 				if(T.loc.type == /area/space || istype(T.loc, /area/allowGenerate))
 					new/area/allowGenerate/trench(T)
-				sleep(-1)
+				LAGCHECK_IF_LIVE(LAG_INIT)
 
 		var/list/used = list()
 		for(var/s in 0 to 19)
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ TYPEINFO(/turf/variableTurf/clear)
 
 			while(!istype(X, /turf/space) || ISDISTEDGE(X, AST_MAPSEEDBORDER) || (X.loc.type != /area/space && !istype(X.loc , /area/allowGenerate) && !isgenplanet(X)))
 				X = pick(miningZ)
-				sleep(-1)
+				LAGCHECK(LAG_REALTIME)
 
 			var/list/solidTiles = list()
 			var/list/edgeTiles = list(X)
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ TYPEINFO(/turf/variableTurf/clear)
 				if(decideSolid(west, X, sizeMod))
 					solidTiles.Add(west)
 					edgeTiles.Add(west)
-				sleep(-1)
+				LAGCHECK_IF_LIVE(LAG_INIT)
 
 			var/list/placed = list()
 			for(var/turf/T in solidTiles)
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ TYPEINFO(/turf/variableTurf/clear)
 					var/turf/simulated/wall/auto/asteroid/AST = T.ReplaceWith(/turf/simulated/wall/auto/asteroid, FALSE, TRUE, FALSE, TRUE)
 					placed.Add(AST)
 					AST.quality = quality
-				sleep(-1)
+				LAGCHECK_IF_LIVE(LAG_INIT)
 
 			if(prob(15))
 				Turfspawn_Asteroid_SeedOre(placed, rand(2,6), rand(0,40))
diff --git a/code/modules/worldgen/worldgen_parent.dm b/code/modules/worldgen/worldgen_parent.dm
index 9c5fa7b25ec19..e63ef1783db8d 100644
--- a/code/modules/worldgen/worldgen_parent.dm
+++ b/code/modules/worldgen/worldgen_parent.dm
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@
 /proc/initialize_worldgen()
 	for(var/turf/U as anything in worldgenCandidates)
 		U.generate_worldgen()
-		sleep(-1)
+		LAGCHECK_IF_LIVE(LAG_INIT)