diff --git a/include/renderer.h b/include/renderer.h
index dc0f7c1..c96493f 100644
--- a/include/renderer.h
+++ b/include/renderer.h
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ class Renderer {
   void PreRender(bool window_is_resized, glm::mat4 camera_transform);
 
   // staticList can be nullptr to render nothing
-  void Render(const RenderList* static_list, const RenderList* dynamic_list);
+  void Render(const RenderList& static_list, const RenderList& dynamic_list);
 
   // getters
 
@@ -96,4 +96,4 @@ class Renderer {
 
 }  // namespace engine
 
-#endif
\ No newline at end of file
+#endif
diff --git a/src/application.cpp b/src/application.cpp
index b82ae75..d9213d4 100644
--- a/src/application.cpp
+++ b/src/application.cpp
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ void Application::GameLoop() {
       auto mesh_render_system = scene->GetSystem<MeshRenderSystem>();
       const RenderList* static_list = mesh_render_system->GetStaticRenderList();
       const RenderList* dynamic_list = mesh_render_system->GetDynamicRenderList();
-      renderer_->Render(static_list, dynamic_list);
+      renderer_->Render(*static_list, *dynamic_list);
     }
 
     /* poll events */
diff --git a/src/renderer.cpp b/src/renderer.cpp
index f3a9c02..008a9f0 100644
--- a/src/renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/renderer.cpp
@@ -90,20 +90,17 @@ void Renderer::PreRender(bool window_is_resized, glm::mat4 camera_transform) {
                               &frame_uniform.uniform_buffer_data);
 }
 
-void Renderer::Render(const RenderList* static_list,
-                      const RenderList* dynamic_list) {
-  assert(static_list != nullptr);
-  assert(dynamic_list != nullptr);
-
+void Renderer::Render(const RenderList& static_list,
+                      const RenderList& dynamic_list) {
   last_bound_pipeline_ = nullptr;
 
   gfx::DrawBuffer* draw_buffer = device_->BeginRender();
 
-  if (!static_list->empty()) {
-    DrawRenderList(draw_buffer, *static_list);
+  if (!static_list.empty()) {
+    DrawRenderList(draw_buffer, static_list);
   }
-  if (!dynamic_list->empty()) {
-    DrawRenderList(draw_buffer, *dynamic_list);
+  if (!dynamic_list.empty()) {
+    DrawRenderList(draw_buffer, dynamic_list);
   }
 
   device_->FinishRender(draw_buffer);
@@ -138,4 +135,4 @@ void Renderer::DrawRenderList(gfx::DrawBuffer* draw_buffer,
   }
 }
 
-}  // namespace engine
\ No newline at end of file
+}  // namespace engine
diff --git a/src/systems/mesh_render_system.cpp b/src/systems/mesh_render_system.cpp
index bb56408..d984471 100644
--- a/src/systems/mesh_render_system.cpp
+++ b/src/systems/mesh_render_system.cpp
@@ -27,9 +27,11 @@ void MeshRenderSystem::OnComponentInsert(uint32_t entity) {
 void MeshRenderSystem::OnUpdate(float ts) {
   // do stuff
   (void)ts;
+  // update the static render list only if it needs updating
   if (list_needs_rebuild_) {
     RebuildStaticRenderList();
   }
+  // update the dynamic render list always
   BuildRenderList(dynamic_render_list_, false);
 }