diff --git a/include/osg/State b/include/osg/State
index b5731531c..352895522 100644
--- a/include/osg/State
+++ b/include/osg/State
@@ -75,10 +75,23 @@ class SG_EXPORT State : public Referenced
         void apply();
        
         /** mode has been set externally, update state to reflect this setting.*/
-        void have_applied(const StateAttribute::GLMode mode,const StateAttribute::GLModeValue value);
+        void have_applied_mode(const StateAttribute::GLMode mode,const StateAttribute::GLModeValue value);
         
+        /** mode has been set externally, therefore dirty the associated mode in osg::State
+          * so it is applied on next call to osg::State::apply(..)*/
+        void have_applied_mode(const StateAttribute::GLMode mode);
+
         /** attribute has been applied externally, update state to reflect this setting.*/
-        void have_applied(const StateAttribute* attribute);
+        void have_applied_attribute(const StateAttribute* attribute);
+
+        /** attribute has been applied externally, 
+          * and therefore this attribute type has been dirtied 
+          * and will need to be re-appplied on next osg::State.apply(..).
+          * note, if you have an osg::StateAttribute which you have applied externally
+          * then use the have_applied(attribute) method as this will the osg::State to
+          * track the current state more accuratly and enable lazy state updating such
+          * that only changed state will be applied.*/
+        void have_applied_attribute(const StateAttribute::Type type);
 
         
         /** Set the current OpenGL context uniqueID.
diff --git a/src/osg/State.cpp b/src/osg/State.cpp
index 649d6ec8a..388e129c1 100644
--- a/src/osg/State.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/State.cpp
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@ void State::apply()
 }
 
 /** mode has been set externally, update state to reflect this setting.*/
-void State::have_applied(const StateAttribute::GLMode mode,const StateAttribute::GLModeValue value)
+void State::have_applied_mode(const StateAttribute::GLMode mode,const StateAttribute::GLModeValue value)
 {
     ModeStack& ms = _modeMap[mode];
 
@@ -522,8 +522,21 @@ void State::have_applied(const StateAttribute::GLMode mode,const StateAttribute:
     ms.changed = true;    
 }
 
+/** mode has been set externally, update state to reflect this setting.*/
+void State::have_applied_mode(const StateAttribute::GLMode mode)
+{
+    ModeStack& ms = _modeMap[mode];
+
+    // don't know what last applied value is can't apply it.
+    // assume that it has changed by toggle the value of last_applied_value.
+    ms.last_applied_value = !ms.last_applied_value;
+
+    // will need to disable this mode on next apply so set it to changed.
+    ms.changed = true;    
+}
+
 /** attribute has been applied externally, update state to reflect this setting.*/
-void State::have_applied(const StateAttribute* attribute)
+void State::have_applied_attribute(const StateAttribute* attribute)
 {
     if (attribute)
     {
@@ -536,3 +549,17 @@ void State::have_applied(const StateAttribute* attribute)
     }
 }
 
+void State::have_applied_attribute(const StateAttribute::Type type)
+{
+    
+    AttributeMap::iterator itr = _attributeMap.find(type);
+    if (itr!=_attributeMap.end())
+    {
+        AttributeStack& as = itr->second;
+
+        as.last_applied_attribute = 0L;
+
+        // will need to update this attribute on next apply so set it to changed.
+        as.changed = true;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/osg/Texture.cpp b/src/osg/Texture.cpp
index dd7116865..b67ab90b5 100644
--- a/src/osg/Texture.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/Texture.cpp
@@ -565,7 +565,7 @@ void Texture::copyTexImage2D(State& state, int x, int y, int width, int height )
 //    cout<<"copyTexImage2D x="<<x<<"  y="<<y<<"  w="<<width<<"  h="<<height<< std::endl;
 
     // inform state that this texture is the current one bound.
-    state.have_applied(this);
+    state.have_applied_attribute(this);
 }
 
 void Texture::copyTexSubImage2D(State& state, int xoffset, int yoffset, int x, int y, int width, int height )
@@ -586,7 +586,7 @@ void Texture::copyTexSubImage2D(State& state, int xoffset, int yoffset, int x, i
         glBindTexture( _target, handle );
 
         // inform state that this texture is the current one bound.
-        state.have_applied(this);
+        state.have_applied_attribute(this);
 
     }
     else