diff --git a/include/osg/Image b/include/osg/Image
index 909e01c46..dac63c91a 100644
--- a/include/osg/Image
+++ b/include/osg/Image
@@ -141,8 +141,10 @@ class OSG_EXPORT Image : public Object
         void setPixelFormat(GLenum pixelFormat);
         inline GLenum getPixelFormat() const { return _pixelFormat; }
         
+        void setDataType(GLenum dataType);
         inline GLenum getDataType() const { return _dataType; }        
         
+        void setPacking(unsigned int packing) { _packing = packing; }
         inline unsigned int getPacking() const { return _packing; }
         
         /** Return the number of bits required for each pixel. */
diff --git a/src/osg/Image.cpp b/src/osg/Image.cpp
index bc432281c..44410b9bc 100644
--- a/src/osg/Image.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/Image.cpp
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ void Image::setPixelFormat(GLenum pixelFormat)
 {
     if (_pixelFormat==pixelFormat) return; // do nothing if the same.
 
-    if (computeNumComponents(_pixelFormat)==computeNumComponents(pixelFormat))
+    if (_pixelFormat==0 || computeNumComponents(_pixelFormat)==computeNumComponents(pixelFormat))
     {
        // if the two formats have the same number of componets then
        // we can do a straight swap.
@@ -346,6 +346,22 @@ void Image::setPixelFormat(GLenum pixelFormat)
     }
 }
 
+void Image::setDataType(GLenum dataType)
+{
+    if (_dataType==dataType) return; // do nothing if the same.
+
+    if (_dataType==0)
+    {
+        // setting the datatype for the first time
+        _dataType = dataType;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        notify(WARN)<<"Image::setDataType(..) - warning, attempt to reset the data type not permitted."<<std::endl;
+    }
+}
+
+
 void Image::allocateImage(int s,int t,int r,
                         GLenum format,GLenum type,
                         int packing)