diff --git a/include/osg/Object b/include/osg/Object
index 6a739b8f0..32bcc8b8f 100644
--- a/include/osg/Object
+++ b/include/osg/Object
@@ -112,6 +112,14 @@ class OSG_EXPORT Object : public Referenced
           * Equivalent to dynamic_cast<const NodeVisitor*>(this).*/
         virtual const NodeVisitor* asNodeVisitor() const { return 0; }
 
+        /** Convert 'this' into a StateSet pointer if Object is a StateSet, otherwise return 0.
+          * Equivalent to dynamic_cast<StateSet*>(this).*/
+        virtual StateSet* asStateSet() { return 0; }
+
+        /** convert 'const this' into a const StateSet pointer if Object is a StateSet, otherwise return 0.
+          * Equivalent to dynamic_cast<const StateSet*>(this).*/
+        virtual const StateSet* asStateSet() const { return 0; }
+
         /** Convert 'this' into a StateAttribute pointer if Object is a StateAttribute, otherwise return 0.
           * Equivalent to dynamic_cast<StateAttribute*>(this).*/
         virtual StateAttribute* asStateAttribute() { return 0; }
@@ -152,7 +160,7 @@ class OSG_EXPORT Object : public Referenced
           * Equivalent to dynamic_cast<const CallbackObject*>(this).*/
         virtual const CallbackObject* asCallbackObject() const { return 0; }
 
-        
+
         /** Set whether to use a mutex to ensure ref() and unref() are thread safe.*/
         virtual void setThreadSafeRefUnref(bool threadSafe);
 
diff --git a/include/osg/StateSet b/include/osg/StateSet
index 65468328b..3265d528f 100644
--- a/include/osg/StateSet
+++ b/include/osg/StateSet
@@ -63,6 +63,14 @@ class OSG_EXPORT StateSet : public Object
         bool operator == (const StateSet& rhs) const { return compare(rhs)==0; }
         bool operator != (const StateSet& rhs) const { return compare(rhs)!=0; }
 
+        /** Convert 'this' into a StateSet pointer if Object is a StateSet, otherwise return 0.
+          * Equivalent to dynamic_cast<StateSet*>(this).*/
+        virtual StateSet* asStateSet() { return this; }
+
+        /** convert 'const this' into a const StateSet pointer if Object is a StateSet, otherwise return 0.
+          * Equivalent to dynamic_cast<const StateSet*>(this).*/
+        virtual const StateSet* asStateSet() const { return this; }
+
 
         /** A vector of osg::Object pointers which is used to store the parent(s) of this Stateset, the parents could be osg::Node or osg::Drawable.*/
         typedef std::vector<Node*> ParentList;
diff --git a/src/osg/StateSet.cpp b/src/osg/StateSet.cpp
index 181259298..6650fd777 100644
--- a/src/osg/StateSet.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/StateSet.cpp
@@ -92,8 +92,8 @@ bool osg::isTextureMode(StateAttribute::GLMode mode)
 //
 bool StateSet::Callback::run(osg::Object* object, osg::Object* data)
 {
-    osg::StateSet* ss = dynamic_cast<osg::StateSet*>(object);
-    osg::NodeVisitor* nv = dynamic_cast<osg::NodeVisitor*>(data);
+    osg::StateSet* ss = object->asStateSet();
+    osg::NodeVisitor* nv = data->asNodeVisitor();
     if (ss && nv)
     {
         operator()(ss, nv);
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ int StateSet::compare(const StateSet& rhs,bool compareAttributeContents) const
     if (_defineList.size()<rhs._defineList.size()) return -1;
     if (_defineList.size()>rhs._defineList.size()) return 1;
 
-    
+
     // check render bin details
 
     if ( _binMode < rhs._binMode ) return -1;
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@ int StateSet::compare(const StateSet& rhs,bool compareAttributeContents) const
     }
     else if (rhs_define_itr == rhs._defineList.end()) return 1;
 
-    
+
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/osg/Transform.cpp b/src/osg/Transform.cpp
index 26321ff2e..a3c8c8c4a 100644
--- a/src/osg/Transform.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/Transform.cpp
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class TransformVisitor : public NodeVisitor
                     ritr != nodePath.rend();
                     ++ritr, --i)
                 {
-                    const osg::Camera* camera = dynamic_cast<const osg::Camera*>(*ritr);
+                    const osg::Camera* camera = (*ritr)->asCamera();
                     if (camera &&
                         (camera->getReferenceFrame()!=osg::Transform::RELATIVE_RF || camera->getParents().empty()))
                     {