diff --git a/include/osgViewer/GraphicsWindowX11 b/include/osgViewer/GraphicsWindowX11
index 3a4092641..43bb84e2a 100644
--- a/include/osgViewer/GraphicsWindowX11
+++ b/include/osgViewer/GraphicsWindowX11
@@ -55,8 +55,18 @@ class GraphicsWindowX11 : public osgViewer::GraphicsWindow
             if (valid())
             {
                 setState( new osg::State );
-                getState()->setContextID( osg::GraphicsContext::createNewContextID() );
                 getState()->setGraphicsContext(this);
+
+                if (_traits.valid() && _traits->sharedContext)
+                {
+                    getState()->setContextID( _traits->sharedContext->getState()->getContextID() );
+                    incrementContextIDUsageCount( getState()->getContextID() );   
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    getState()->setContextID( osg::GraphicsContext::createNewContextID() );
+                }
+
             }
         }
     
@@ -106,6 +116,7 @@ class GraphicsWindowX11 : public osgViewer::GraphicsWindow
         Display* getEventDisplay() { return _eventDisplay; }
         Window& getParent() { return _parent; }
         Window& getWindow() { return _window; }
+        GLXContext getGLXContext() { return _glxContext; }
 
         Cursor& getDefaultCursor() { return _defaultCursor; }
         Cursor& getNullCursor() { return _nullCursor; }
diff --git a/src/osgViewer/GraphicsWindowX11.cpp b/src/osgViewer/GraphicsWindowX11.cpp
index ca66cba0b..74ad30128 100644
--- a/src/osgViewer/GraphicsWindowX11.cpp
+++ b/src/osgViewer/GraphicsWindowX11.cpp
@@ -425,6 +425,9 @@ void GraphicsWindowX11::init()
     // need to pick up from traits
     GLXContext sharedGLContext = 0;
     
+    GraphicsWindowX11* sharedContextX11 = dynamic_cast<GraphicsWindowX11*>(_traits->sharedContext);
+    if (sharedContextX11) sharedGLContext = sharedContextX11->getGLXContext();
+    
     _glxContext = glXCreateContext( _display, _visualInfo, sharedGLContext, True );
     
     if (!_glxContext)
@@ -576,7 +579,6 @@ bool GraphicsWindowX11::makeCurrentImplementation()
     return glXMakeCurrent( _display, _window, _glxContext )==True;
 }
 
-
 bool GraphicsWindowX11::releaseContextImplementation()
 {
     if (!_realized)