diff --git a/include/osg/PolygonOffset b/include/osg/PolygonOffset
index 6801b691c..5ffdfe9dc 100644
--- a/include/osg/PolygonOffset
+++ b/include/osg/PolygonOffset
@@ -65,6 +65,19 @@ class OSG_EXPORT PolygonOffset : public StateAttribute
 
         virtual void apply(State& state) const;
 
+
+        static void setFactorMultiplier(float multiplier);
+        static float getFactorMultiplier();
+
+        static void setUnitMultiplier(float multiplier);
+        static float getUnitMultiplier();
+        
+        static bool areUnitAndMultipliersSet();
+        
+        /** Checks with the OpenGL driver to try and pick multiplier approrpriate for the hardware.
+            note, requires a valid graphics context to be current. */
+        static void setFactorAndUnitMultipliersUsingBestGuessForDriver();
+
     protected :
 
         virtual ~PolygonOffset();
diff --git a/src/osg/PolygonOffset.cpp b/src/osg/PolygonOffset.cpp
index 61d7414f0..cd5c17d32 100644
--- a/src/osg/PolygonOffset.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/PolygonOffset.cpp
@@ -12,9 +12,49 @@
 */
 #include <osg/GL>
 #include <osg/PolygonOffset>
+#include <osg/Notify>
 
 using namespace osg;
 
+static float s_FactorMultipler = 1.0f;
+static float s_UnitMultipler = 1.0f;
+static bool s_MultiplerSet = false;
+
+void PolygonOffset::setFactorMultiplier(float multiplier)
+{
+    s_MultiplerSet = true;
+    s_FactorMultipler = multiplier;
+}
+
+float PolygonOffset::getFactorMultiplier()
+{
+    return s_FactorMultipler;
+}
+
+void PolygonOffset::setUnitMultiplier(float multiplier)
+{
+    s_MultiplerSet = true;
+    s_UnitMultipler = multiplier;
+}
+
+float PolygonOffset::getUnitMultiplier()
+{
+    return s_UnitMultipler;
+}
+
+bool PolygonOffset::areUnitAndMultipliersSet()
+{
+    return s_MultiplerSet;
+}
+
+
+void PolygonOffset::setFactorAndUnitMultipliersUsingBestGuessForDriver()
+{
+    s_MultiplerSet = true;
+    // osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"PolygonOffset::setFactorAndUnitMultipliersUsingBestGuessForDriver()"<<std::endl;
+}
+
+
 PolygonOffset::PolygonOffset():
     _factor(0.0f),
     _units(0.0f)
@@ -33,5 +73,8 @@ PolygonOffset::~PolygonOffset()
 
 void PolygonOffset::apply(State&) const
 {
-    glPolygonOffset(_factor,_units);
+    if (!s_MultiplerSet) setFactorAndUnitMultipliersUsingBestGuessForDriver();
+
+    glPolygonOffset(_factor * s_FactorMultipler, 
+                    _units * s_UnitMultipler);
 }
diff --git a/src/osgText/Text.cpp b/src/osgText/Text.cpp
index 28104d222..17a018389 100644
--- a/src/osgText/Text.cpp
+++ b/src/osgText/Text.cpp
@@ -12,13 +12,15 @@
 */
 
 
-#include <vector>
 #include <osgText/Text>
 
 #include <osg/Math>
 #include <osg/GL>
 #include <osg/Notify>
+#include <osg/PolygonOffset>
+
 #include <osgUtil/CullVisitor>
+
 #include <osgDB/ReadFile>
 
 #include "DefaultFont.h"
@@ -1446,6 +1448,11 @@ void Text::drawImplementation(osg::State& state) const
 
         if(_backdropType != NONE)
         {
+            if (!osg::PolygonOffset::areUnitAndMultipliersSet())
+            {
+                osg::PolygonOffset::setFactorAndUnitMultipliersUsingBestGuessForDriver();
+            }
+
             // Do I really need to do this for glPolygonOffset?
             glPushAttrib(GL_POLYGON_OFFSET_FILL);
             glEnable(GL_POLYGON_OFFSET_FILL);
@@ -1486,12 +1493,13 @@ void Text::drawImplementation(osg::State& state) const
                     if (!transformedBackdropCoords.empty()) 
                     {
                         state.setVertexPointer( 3, GL_FLOAT, 0, &(transformedBackdropCoords.front()));
-                        glPolygonOffset(1.0f, 2.0f * (max_backdrop_index-backdrop_index) );
+                        glPolygonOffset(2.0f * osg::PolygonOffset::getFactorMultiplier(),
+                                        2.0f * osg::PolygonOffset::getUnitMultiplier() * (max_backdrop_index-backdrop_index) );
                         glDrawArrays(GL_QUADS,0,transformedBackdropCoords.size());
                     }
                 }
 
-                glPolygonOffset(0,0);
+                glPolygonOffset(0.0f,0.0f);
 
             } // end of backdrop text