diff --git a/include/osgSim/MultiSwitch b/include/osgSim/MultiSwitch
index 6c3b108e1..f1a14c284 100644
--- a/include/osgSim/MultiSwitch
+++ b/include/osgSim/MultiSwitch
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class SG_EXPORT MultiSwitch : public osg::Group
         void setActiveSwitchSet(unsigned int switchSet) { _activeSwitchSet = switchSet; }
         
         /** Get which of the available switch set lists to use.*/
-        unsigned int getActiveSwitchSet(unsigned int switchSet) { return _activeSwitchSet; }
+        unsigned int getActiveSwitchSet() const { return _activeSwitchSet; }
 
         typedef std::vector<bool>       ValueList;
         typedef std::vector<ValueList>  SwitchSetList;
diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/osgSim/IO_MultiSwitch.cpp b/src/osgPlugins/osgSim/IO_MultiSwitch.cpp
index 7212716f4..7af34df99 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/osgSim/IO_MultiSwitch.cpp
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/osgSim/IO_MultiSwitch.cpp
@@ -52,6 +52,16 @@ bool MultiSwitch_readLocalData(Object& obj, Input& fr)
         }
     }
 
+    if (fr.matchSequence("ActiveSwitchSet %i"))
+    {
+        unsigned int switchSet;
+        fr[1].getUInt(switchSet);
+        fr+=2;
+        
+        sw.setActiveSwitchSet(switchSet);
+    }
+
+
     if (fr.matchSequence("ValueList %i {"))
     {
         int entry = fr[0].getNoNestedBrackets();
@@ -91,6 +101,8 @@ bool MultiSwitch_writeLocalData(const Object& obj, Output& fw)
 
     fw.indent()<<"NewChildDefaultValue "<<sw.getNewChildDefaultValue()<<std::endl;
 
+    fw.indent()<<"ActiveSwitchSet "<<sw.getActiveSwitchSet()<<std::endl;
+
     unsigned int pos = 0;
     const osgSim::MultiSwitch::SwitchSetList& switchset = sw.getSwitchSetList();
     for(osgSim::MultiSwitch::SwitchSetList::const_iterator sitr=switchset.begin();