diff --git a/engines/grim/resource.cpp b/engines/grim/resource.cpp
index 44836c548b0..45a00b0b68c 100644
--- a/engines/grim/resource.cpp
+++ b/engines/grim/resource.cpp
@@ -399,8 +399,11 @@ Material *ResourceLoader::loadMaterial(const Common::String &filename, CMap *c)
 	Common::SeekableReadStream *stream;
 
 	stream = openNewStreamFile(fname.c_str(), true);
-	if(!stream)
-		error("Could not find material %s", filename.c_str());
+	if(!stream) {
+		const Common::String replacement("fx/candle.sprb");
+		warning("Could not find material %s, using %s instead", filename.c_str(), replacement.c_str());
+		return loadMaterial(replacement, NULL);
+	}
 
 	Material *result = new Material(fname, stream, c);
 	delete stream;