diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index ed72cb297..e0dddf8fd 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 SET(OPENSCENEGRAPH_MAJOR_VERSION 3)
 SET(OPENSCENEGRAPH_MINOR_VERSION 6)
 SET(OPENSCENEGRAPH_PATCH_VERSION 5)
-SET(OPENSCENEGRAPH_SOVERSION 160)
+SET(OPENSCENEGRAPH_SOVERSION 161)
 
 
 # set to 0 when not a release candidate, non zero means that any generated
diff --git a/include/osgText/Text b/include/osgText/Text
index e817f8d4d..5be160086 100644
--- a/include/osgText/Text
+++ b/include/osgText/Text
@@ -265,7 +265,6 @@ protected:
     virtual osg::StateSet* createStateSet();
 
     Font* getActiveFont();
-    const Font* getActiveFont() const;
 
     String::iterator computeLastCharacterOnLine(osg::Vec2& cursor, String::iterator first,String::iterator last);
 
diff --git a/include/osgText/TextBase b/include/osgText/TextBase
index aa7d8d64b..1611a785c 100644
--- a/include/osgText/TextBase
+++ b/include/osgText/TextBase
@@ -312,6 +312,7 @@ protected:
     // members which have public access.
     osg::Vec4                               _color;
     osg::ref_ptr<Font>                      _font;
+    osg::ref_ptr<Font>                      _fontFallback;
     osg::ref_ptr<Style>                     _style;
     FontResolution                          _fontSize;
     float                                   _characterHeight;
diff --git a/src/osgText/Text.cpp b/src/osgText/Text.cpp
index e7b9f42c8..2e26949bc 100644
--- a/src/osgText/Text.cpp
+++ b/src/osgText/Text.cpp
@@ -249,12 +249,11 @@ osg::StateSet* Text::createStateSet()
 
 Font* Text::getActiveFont()
 {
-    return _font.valid() ? _font.get() : Font::getDefaultFont().get();
-}
+    if (_font.valid()) return _font.get();
 
-const Font* Text::getActiveFont() const
-{
-    return _font.valid() ? _font.get() : Font::getDefaultFont().get();
+    if (!_fontFallback) _fontFallback = Font::getDefaultFont();
+
+    return _fontFallback.get();
 }
 
 String::iterator Text::computeLastCharacterOnLine(osg::Vec2& cursor, String::iterator first,String::iterator last)