diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/flt/flt2osg.cpp b/src/osgPlugins/flt/flt2osg.cpp
index 39c701bd2..b045d378f 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/flt/flt2osg.cpp
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/flt/flt2osg.cpp
@@ -1854,13 +1854,30 @@ osg::Group* ConvertFromFLT::visitMatrix(osg::Group& osgParent, const osg::Group&
     return transform;
 }
 
-
 osg::Group* ConvertFromFLT::visitExternal(osg::Group& osgParent, ExternalRecord* rec)
 {
     // SExternalReference *pSExternal = (SExternalReference*)rec->getData();
 
-    osgDB::PushAndPopDataPath tmpfile(osgDB::getFilePath(rec->getFilename()));
-      
+	std::string filePath = osgDB::getFilePath(rec->getFilename());
+	std::string pushAndPopPath;
+	//If absolute path
+	if( (filePath.length()>0 && filePath.find_first_of("/\\")==0) ||
+		(filePath.length()>2 && filePath.substr(1,1)==":" && filePath.find_first_of("/\\")==2) )
+	{
+		pushAndPopPath = filePath;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		osgDB::FilePathList fpl = osgDB::getDataFilePathList();
+		pushAndPopPath = fpl.empty() ? "." : fpl.front();
+		if(pushAndPopPath.empty()) pushAndPopPath = ".";
+		pushAndPopPath += "/" + filePath;
+	}
+
+	osgDB::PushAndPopDataPath tmpfile(pushAndPopPath);
+	//osgDB::PushAndPopDataPath tmpfile(osgDB::getFilePath(rec->getFilename()));
+
+	
     FltFile* pFile = rec->getExternal();
     osg::Group* external = NULL;
     if (pFile)