diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/freetype/FreeTypeFont3D.cpp b/src/osgPlugins/freetype/FreeTypeFont3D.cpp
index 98db67e0a..1b4ac9683 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/freetype/FreeTypeFont3D.cpp
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/freetype/FreeTypeFont3D.cpp
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 #include <freetype/ftoutln.h>
 #include <freetype/ftbbox.h>
 
-
+#include <osg/io_utils>
 
 namespace
 {
@@ -67,7 +67,19 @@ struct Char3DInfo
         return _geometry.get();
     }
 
-    void moveTo(osg::Vec2 pos)
+    void addVertex(const osg::Vec3& pos)
+    {
+        if (!_verts->empty() && _verts->back()==pos)
+        {
+            // OSG_NOTICE<<"addVertex("<<pos<<") duplicate, ignoring"<<std::endl;
+            return;
+        }
+
+        _verts->push_back( pos );
+        setMinMax(pos);
+    }
+
+    void moveTo(const osg::Vec2& pos)
     {
         if (_verts->size())
         {
@@ -75,16 +87,14 @@ struct Char3DInfo
             _geometry->addPrimitiveSet( new osg::DrawArrays( osg::PrimitiveSet::POLYGON, _idx, len ) );
         }
         _idx = _verts->size();
-        _verts->push_back( osg::Vec3(pos.x(),pos.y(),0) );
+        addVertex( osg::Vec3(pos.x(),pos.y(),0) );
 
-        setMinMax(pos);
     }
-    void lineTo(osg::Vec2 pos)
+    void lineTo(const osg::Vec2& pos)
     {
-        _verts->push_back( osg::Vec3(pos.x(),pos.y(),0) );
-        setMinMax(pos);
+        addVertex( osg::Vec3(pos.x(),pos.y(),0) );
     }
-    void conicTo(osg::Vec2 control, osg::Vec2 pos)
+    void conicTo(const osg::Vec2& control, const osg::Vec2& pos)
     {
         osg::Vec3 p0 = _verts->back();
         osg::Vec3 p1 = osg::Vec3(control.x(),control.y(),0);
@@ -97,15 +107,13 @@ struct Char3DInfo
             double w = 1;
             double bs = 1.0/( (1-u)*(1-u)+2*(1-u)*u*w +u*u );
             osg::Vec3 p = (p0*((1-u)*(1-u)) + p1*(2*(1-u)*u*w) + p2*(u*u))*bs;
-            _verts->push_back( p );
+            addVertex( p );
 
             u += dt;
         }
-
-        setMinMax(pos);
     }
 
-    void cubicTo(osg::Vec2 control1, osg::Vec2 control2, osg::Vec2 pos)
+    void cubicTo(const osg::Vec2& control1, const osg::Vec2& control2, const osg::Vec2& pos)
     {
         osg::Vec3 p0 = _verts->back();
         osg::Vec3 p1 = osg::Vec3(control1.x(),control1.y(),0);
@@ -124,15 +132,13 @@ struct Char3DInfo
         for (int i=0; i<=_numSteps; ++i)
         {
             osg::Vec3 p = osg::Vec3( ax*u*u*u + bx*u*u  + cx*u + p0.x(),ay*u*u*u + by*u*u  + cy*u + p0.y(),0 );
-            _verts->push_back( p );
+            addVertex( p );
 
             u += dt;
         }
-
-        setMinMax(pos);
     }
 
-    void setMinMax(osg::Vec2 pos)
+    void setMinMax(const osg::Vec3& pos)
     {
         _maxY = std::max(_maxY, (double) pos.y());
         _minY = std::min(_minY, (double) pos.y());