diff --git a/examples/osgshadow/osgshadow.cpp b/examples/osgshadow/osgshadow.cpp
index dc664230f..be04abab6 100644
--- a/examples/osgshadow/osgshadow.cpp
+++ b/examples/osgshadow/osgshadow.cpp
@@ -376,6 +376,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 
     }
 
+    osg::DisplaySettings::instance()->setMinimumNumStencilBits(8);
 
     viewer.setSceneData(group.get());
 
diff --git a/examples/osgstereoimage/osgstereoimage.cpp b/examples/osgstereoimage/osgstereoimage.cpp
index 6f83d0067..ad3d352f8 100644
--- a/examples/osgstereoimage/osgstereoimage.cpp
+++ b/examples/osgstereoimage/osgstereoimage.cpp
@@ -475,8 +475,6 @@ int main( int argc, char **argv )
 
     //osgDB::writeNodeFile(*rootNode,"test.osg");
 
-    // set the scene to render
-    viewer.setSceneData(rootNode.get());
 
     viewer.getCamera()->setCullMask(0xffffffff);
     viewer.getCamera()->setCullMaskLeft(0x00000001);
@@ -485,6 +483,9 @@ int main( int argc, char **argv )
     // set up the use of stereo by default.
     osg::DisplaySettings::instance()->setStereo(true);
 
+    // set the scene to render
+    viewer.setSceneData(rootNode.get());
+
     // create the windows and run the threads.
     viewer.realize();
 
diff --git a/include/osgViewer/View b/include/osgViewer/View
index 12d352d71..6eaf0115f 100644
--- a/include/osgViewer/View
+++ b/include/osgViewer/View
@@ -50,6 +50,17 @@ class OSGVIEWER_EXPORT View : public osg::View, public osgGA::GUIActionAdapter
         EventHandlers& getEventHandlers() { return _eventHandlers; }
         const EventHandlers& getEventHandlers() const { return _eventHandlers; }
         
+        
+        /** Set the DsplaySettings object associated with this view.*/
+        void setDisplaySettings(osg::DisplaySettings* ds) { _displaySettings = ds; }
+        
+        /** Set the DsplaySettings object associated with this view.*/
+        osg::DisplaySettings* getDisplaySettings() { return _displaySettings.get(); }
+        
+        /** Set the DsplaySettings object associated with this view.*/
+        const osg::DisplaySettings* getDisplaySettings() const { return _displaySettings.get(); }
+
+        
         /** Convinience method for creating slave Cameras and associated GraphicsWindows across all screens.*/
         void setUpViewAcrossAllScreens();
 
@@ -87,6 +98,8 @@ class OSGVIEWER_EXPORT View : public osg::View, public osgGA::GUIActionAdapter
     
         typedef std::map<osg::ref_ptr<osg::Camera>, osg::ref_ptr<osgUtil::SceneView> > CameraSceneViewMap;
         CameraSceneViewMap _cameraSceneViewMap;
+        
+        osg::ref_ptr<osg::DisplaySettings>      _displaySettings;
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/src/osgViewer/View.cpp b/src/osgViewer/View.cpp
index 76ddead49..c24ac6ace 100644
--- a/src/osgViewer/View.cpp
+++ b/src/osgViewer/View.cpp
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ void View::setUpViewAcrossAllScreens()
         return;
     }
     
+    osg::DisplaySettings* ds = _displaySettings.valid() ? _displaySettings.get() : osg::DisplaySettings::instance();
+    
     double fovy, aspectRatio, zNear, zFar;        
     _camera->getProjectionMatrixAsPerspective(fovy, aspectRatio, zNear, zFar);
 
@@ -87,6 +89,8 @@ void View::setUpViewAcrossAllScreens()
             traits->y = 0;
             traits->width = width;
             traits->height = height;
+            traits->alpha = ds->getMinimumNumAlphaBits();
+            traits->stencil = ds->getMinimumNumStencilBits();
             traits->windowDecoration = false;
             traits->doubleBuffer = true;
             traits->sharedContext = 0;
@@ -134,6 +138,8 @@ void View::setUpViewAcrossAllScreens()
                 traits->y = 0;
                 traits->width = width;
                 traits->height = height;
+                traits->alpha = ds->getMinimumNumAlphaBits();
+                traits->stencil = ds->getMinimumNumStencilBits();
                 traits->windowDecoration = false;
                 traits->doubleBuffer = true;
                 traits->sharedContext = 0;
@@ -180,6 +186,8 @@ void View::setUpViewAcrossAllScreens()
                 traits->y = 0;
                 traits->width = width;
                 traits->height = height;
+                traits->alpha = ds->getMinimumNumAlphaBits();
+                traits->stencil = ds->getMinimumNumStencilBits();
                 traits->windowDecoration = false;
                 traits->doubleBuffer = true;
                 traits->sharedContext = 0;
@@ -225,6 +233,8 @@ void View::setUpViewOnSingleScreen(unsigned int screenNum)
         return;
     }
 
+    osg::DisplaySettings* ds = _displaySettings.valid() ? _displaySettings.get() : osg::DisplaySettings::instance();
+
     unsigned int width, height;
     wsi->getScreenResolution(osg::GraphicsContext::ScreenIdentifier(screenNum), width, height);
 
@@ -233,6 +243,8 @@ void View::setUpViewOnSingleScreen(unsigned int screenNum)
     traits->y = 0;
     traits->width = width;
     traits->height = height;
+    traits->alpha = ds->getMinimumNumAlphaBits();
+    traits->stencil = ds->getMinimumNumStencilBits();
     traits->windowDecoration = false;
     traits->doubleBuffer = true;
     traits->sharedContext = 0;
diff --git a/src/osgViewer/Viewer.cpp b/src/osgViewer/Viewer.cpp
index a69b16057..f952021f2 100644
--- a/src/osgViewer/Viewer.cpp
+++ b/src/osgViewer/Viewer.cpp
@@ -453,6 +453,7 @@ void Viewer::setUpRenderingSupport()
         _cameraSceneViewMap[_camera] = sceneView;
 
         sceneView->setDefaults();
+        sceneView->setDisplaySettings(_displaySettings.get());
         sceneView->setCamera(_camera.get());
         sceneView->setState(_camera->getGraphicsContext()->getState());
         sceneView->setSceneData(getSceneData());
@@ -471,6 +472,7 @@ void Viewer::setUpRenderingSupport()
 
             sceneView->setDefaults();
             sceneView->setCamera(slave._camera.get());
+            sceneView->setDisplaySettings(_displaySettings.get());
             sceneView->setState(slave._camera->getGraphicsContext()->getState());
             sceneView->setSceneData(getSceneData());
             sceneView->setFrameStamp(frameStamp);