diff --git a/include/osgDB/ReadFile b/include/osgDB/ReadFile
index 42600b11c..8cb895691 100644
--- a/include/osgDB/ReadFile
+++ b/include/osgDB/ReadFile
@@ -19,18 +19,42 @@
 #include <osg/ArgumentParser>
 
 #include <osgDB/Export>
+#include <osgDB/Registry>
 
 #include <string>
 
 namespace osgDB {
 
+
+/** Read an osg::Object from file. 
+  * Return valid osg::Object on success,
+  * return NULL on failure.
+  * Use the useObjectCache flag to override the osgDB::Regisytr::getUseObjectCacheHint().
+  * The osgDB::Registry is used to load the appropriate ReaderWriter plugin
+  * for the filename extension, and this plugin then handles the request
+  * to read the specified file.*/
+extern OSGDB_EXPORT osg::Object* readObjectFile(const std::string& filename,bool useObjectCache);
+
 /** Read an osg::Object from file. 
   * Return valid osg::Object on success,
   * return NULL on failure.
   * The osgDB::Registry is used to load the appropriate ReaderWriter plugin
   * for the filename extension, and this plugin then handles the request
   * to read the specified file.*/
-extern OSGDB_EXPORT osg::Object* readObjectFile(const std::string& filename,bool useObjectCache=false);
+inline osg::Object* readObjectFile(const std::string& filename)
+{
+    return readObjectFile(filename,Registry::instance()->getUseObjectCacheHint());
+}
+
+
+/** Read an osg::Image from file. 
+  * Return valid osg::Image on success,
+  * return NULL on failure.
+  * Use the useObjectCache flag to override the osgDB::Regisytr::getUseObjectCacheHint().
+  * The osgDB::Registry is used to load the appropriate ReaderWriter plugin
+  * for the filename extension, and this plugin then handles the request
+  * to read the specified file.*/
+extern OSGDB_EXPORT osg::Image*  readImageFile(const std::string& filename,bool useObjectCache);
 
 /** Read an osg::Image from file. 
   * Return valid osg::Image on success,
@@ -38,7 +62,19 @@ extern OSGDB_EXPORT osg::Object* readObjectFile(const std::string& filename,bool
   * The osgDB::Registry is used to load the appropriate ReaderWriter plugin
   * for the filename extension, and this plugin then handles the request
   * to read the specified file.*/
-extern OSGDB_EXPORT osg::Image*  readImageFile(const std::string& filename,bool useObjectCache=false);
+inline osg::Image*  readImageFile(const std::string& filename)
+{
+    return readImageFile(filename,Registry::instance()->getUseObjectCacheHint());
+}
+
+/** Read an osg::Node from file. 
+  * Return valid osg::Node on success,
+  * return NULL on failure.
+  * Use the useObjectCache flag to override the osgDB::Regisytr::getUseObjectCacheHint().
+  * The osgDB::Registry is used to load the appropriate ReaderWriter plugin
+  * for the filename extension, and this plugin then handles the request
+  * to read the specified file.*/
+extern OSGDB_EXPORT osg::Node*  readNodeFile(const std::string& filename,bool useObjectCache);
 
 /** Read an osg::Node from file. 
   * Return valid osg::Node on success,
@@ -46,15 +82,36 @@ extern OSGDB_EXPORT osg::Image*  readImageFile(const std::string& filename,bool
   * The osgDB::Registry is used to load the appropriate ReaderWriter plugin
   * for the filename extension, and this plugin then handles the request
   * to read the specified file.*/
-extern OSGDB_EXPORT osg::Node*  readNodeFile(const std::string& filename,bool useObjectCache=false);
+inline osg::Node*  readNodeFile(const std::string& filename)
+{
+    return readNodeFile(filename,Registry::instance()->getUseObjectCacheHint());
+}
+
+
+/** Read an osg::Node subgraph from files, creating a osg::Group to contain the nodes if more
+  * than one subgraph has been loaded.
+  * Use the useObjectCache flag to override the osgDB::Regisytr::getUseObjectCacheHint().*/
+extern OSGDB_EXPORT osg::Node* readNodeFiles(std::vector<std::string>& commandLine,bool useObjectCache);
 
 /** Read an osg::Node subgraph from files, creating a osg::Group to contain the nodes if more
   * than one subgraph has been loaded.*/
-extern OSGDB_EXPORT osg::Node* readNodeFiles(std::vector<std::string>& commandLine,bool useObjectCache=false);
+inline osg::Node* readNodeFiles(std::vector<std::string>& commandLine)
+{
+    return readNodeFiles(commandLine,Registry::instance()->getUseObjectCacheHint());
+}
+
+
+/** Read an osg::Node subgraph from files, creating a osg::Group to contain the nodes if more
+  * than one subgraph has been loaded.
+  * Use the useObjectCache flag to override the osgDB::Regisytr::getUseObjectCacheHint().*/
+extern OSGDB_EXPORT osg::Node* readNodeFiles(osg::ArgumentParser& parser,bool useObjectCache);
 
 /** Read an osg::Node subgraph from files, creating a osg::Group to contain the nodes if more
   * than one subgraph has been loaded.*/
-extern OSGDB_EXPORT osg::Node* readNodeFiles(osg::ArgumentParser& parser,bool useObjectCache=false);
+inline osg::Node* readNodeFiles(osg::ArgumentParser& parser)
+{
+    return readNodeFiles(parser,Registry::instance()->getUseObjectCacheHint());
+}
 
 }
 
diff --git a/include/osgDB/Registry b/include/osgDB/Registry
index 294f0e1d7..ca9a83594 100644
--- a/include/osgDB/Registry
+++ b/include/osgDB/Registry
@@ -191,7 +191,14 @@ class OSGDB_EXPORT Registry : public osg::Referenced
         /** Remove all objects in the cache regardless of having external references or expiry times.*/ 
         void clearObjectCache();
 
+        /** Add a filename,object,timestamp tripple to the Registry::ObjectCache.*/
         void addEntryToObjectCache(const std::string& filename, osg::Object* object, double timestamp = 0.0);
+        
+        /** Set whether the Registry::ObjectCache should be used by default.*/
+        void setUseObjectCacheHint(bool useObjectCache) { _useObjectCacheHint = useObjectCache; }
+
+        /** Get whether the Registry::ObjectCache should be used by default.*/
+        bool getUseObjectCacheHint() const { return _useObjectCacheHint; }
 
         /** get the attached library with specified name.*/
         DynamicLibrary*              getLibrary(const std::string& fileName);
@@ -247,7 +254,8 @@ class OSGDB_EXPORT Registry : public osg::Referenced
         
         FilePathList       _dataFilePath;
         FilePathList       _libraryFilePath;
-        
+
+        bool                _useObjectCacheHint;        
         ObjectCache         _objectCache;
 
 };
diff --git a/src/osgDB/Registry.cpp b/src/osgDB/Registry.cpp
index 7f29db32f..129dcff72 100644
--- a/src/osgDB/Registry.cpp
+++ b/src/osgDB/Registry.cpp
@@ -93,6 +93,8 @@ Registry::Registry()
 
     _createNodeFromImage = true;
     _openingLibrary = false;
+    
+    _useObjectCacheHint = false;
 
     initFilePathLists();
 
@@ -143,6 +145,7 @@ Registry::Registry()
     addFileExtensionAlias("pbm", "pnm");
     addFileExtensionAlias("pgm", "pnm");
     addFileExtensionAlias("ppm", "pnm");
+    
 }