diff --git a/src/osg/Matrix_implementation.cpp b/src/osg/Matrix_implementation.cpp
index 3cc9facf1..4534e0da8 100644
--- a/src/osg/Matrix_implementation.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/Matrix_implementation.cpp
@@ -138,9 +138,16 @@ Quat Matrix_implementation::getRotate() const
     QY = 0.5 * sqrt( osg::maximum( 0.0, 1.0 - _mat[0][0] + _mat[1][1] - _mat[2][2] ) );
     QZ = 0.5 * sqrt( osg::maximum( 0.0, 1.0 - _mat[0][0] - _mat[1][1] + _mat[2][2] ) );
 
+#if 0
+    // Robert Osfield, June 7th 2007, arggg this new implementation produces many many errors, so have to revert to sign(..) orignal below.
     QX = QX * osg::signOrZero(  _mat[1][2] - _mat[2][1]) ;
     QY = QY * osg::signOrZero(  _mat[2][0] - _mat[0][2]) ;
     QZ = QZ * osg::signOrZero(  _mat[0][1] - _mat[1][0]) ;
+#else
+    QX = QX * osg::sign(  _mat[1][2] - _mat[2][1]) ;
+    QY = QY * osg::sign(  _mat[2][0] - _mat[0][2]) ;
+    QZ = QZ * osg::sign(  _mat[0][1] - _mat[1][0]) ;
+#endif
 
     return q;
 }
@@ -149,8 +156,10 @@ Quat Matrix_implementation::getRotate() const
 
     #if 1
     // David Spillings implementation Mk 1
-    void Matrix_implementation::get( Quat& q ) const
+    Quat Matrix_implementation::getRotate() const
     {
+        Quat q;
+    
         value_type s;
         value_type tq[4];
         int    i, j;
@@ -201,12 +210,16 @@ Quat Matrix_implementation::getRotate() const
         QX *= s;
         QY *= s;
         QZ *= s;
+        
+        return q;
 
     }
     #else
     // Original implementation
-    void Matrix_implementation::get( Quat& q ) const
+    Quat Matrix_implementation::getRotate() const
     {
+        Quat q;
+
         // Source: Gamasutra, Rotating Objects Using Quaternions
         //
         //http://www.gamasutra.com/features/programming/19980703/quaternions_01.htm
@@ -256,6 +269,8 @@ Quat Matrix_implementation::getRotate() const
             QZ = tq[2];
             QW = tq[3];
         }
+        
+        return q;
     }
     #endif
 #endif