diff --git a/src/osgViewer/ViewerEventHandlers.cpp b/src/osgViewer/ViewerEventHandlers.cpp
index 88054618a..9515e8393 100644
--- a/src/osgViewer/ViewerEventHandlers.cpp
+++ b/src/osgViewer/ViewerEventHandlers.cpp
@@ -407,8 +407,6 @@ RecordCameraPathHandler::RecordCameraPathHandler(const std::string& filename, fl
     _animStartTime(0),
     _lastFrameTime(osg::Timer::instance()->tick())
 {
-    _animPath = new osg::AnimationPath();
-
     const char* str = getenv("OSG_RECORD_CAMERA_PATH_FPS");
     if (str)
     {
@@ -446,7 +444,7 @@ bool RecordCameraPathHandler::handle(const osgGA::GUIEventAdapter &ea, osgGA::GU
         // If our internal _delta is finally large enough to warrant a ControlPoint
         // insertion, do so now. Be sure and reset the internal _delta, so we can start
         // calculating when the next insert should happen.
-        if (_currentlyRecording && _delta >= _interval)
+        if (_animPath.valid() && _currentlyRecording && _delta >= _interval)
         {
             const osg::Matrixd& m = view->getCamera()->getInverseViewMatrix();
             double animationPathTime = osg::Timer::instance()->delta_s(_animStartTime, time);            
@@ -479,7 +477,7 @@ bool RecordCameraPathHandler::handle(const osgGA::GUIEventAdapter &ea, osgGA::GU
                 {
                     _currentlyRecording = true;
                     _animStartTime = osg::Timer::instance()->tick();
-                    _animPath->clear();
+                    _animPath = new osg::AnimationPath();
                     
                     if (!_filename.empty())
                     {
@@ -530,31 +528,41 @@ bool RecordCameraPathHandler::handle(const osgGA::GUIEventAdapter &ea, osgGA::GU
                     _currentlyRecording = false;
                     _delta = 0.0f;
 
-                    // In the future this will need to be written continuously, rather
-                    // than all at once.
-                    osgDB::ofstream out(_filename.c_str());
-                    OSG_NOTICE<<"Writing camera file: "<<_filename<<std::endl;
-                    _animPath->write(out);
-                    out.close();
+                    if (_animPath.valid() && !_animPath->empty())
+                    {
+                        // In the future this will need to be written continuously, rather
+                        // than all at once.
+                        osgDB::ofstream out(_filename.c_str());
+                        OSG_NOTICE<<"Writing camera file: "<<_filename<<std::endl;
+                        _animPath->write(out);
+                        out.close();
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        OSG_NOTICE<<"No animation path to write out."<<std::endl;
+                    }
                 }
 
                 // The user has requested to BEGIN playback.
                 if (!_currentlyPlaying)
                 {
-                    _animPathManipulator = new osgGA::AnimationPathManipulator(_animPath.get());
-                    _animPathManipulator->home(ea,aa);
+                     if (_animPath.valid() && !_animPath->empty())
+                     {                    
+                        _animPathManipulator = new osgGA::AnimationPathManipulator(_animPath.get());
+                        _animPathManipulator->home(ea,aa);
 
 
-                    // If we successfully found our _filename file, set it and keep a copy
-                    // around of the original CameraManipulator to restore later.
-                    if (_animPathManipulator.valid() && _animPathManipulator->valid())
-                    {
-                        _oldManipulator = view->getCameraManipulator();
-                        view->setCameraManipulator(_animPathManipulator.get());
-                        _currentlyPlaying = true;
-                    }
+                        // If we successfully found our _filename file, set it and keep a copy
+                        // around of the original CameraManipulator to restore later.
+                        if (_animPathManipulator.valid() && _animPathManipulator->valid())
+                        {
+                            _oldManipulator = view->getCameraManipulator();
+                            view->setCameraManipulator(_animPathManipulator.get());
+                            _currentlyPlaying = true;
+                        }
+                     }
                 }
-
+                
                 // The user has requested to STOP playback.
                 else
                 {