diff --git a/include/osgViewer/api/Win32/GraphicsWindowWin32 b/include/osgViewer/api/Win32/GraphicsWindowWin32
index 1a95464a5..6fd9603fc 100644
--- a/include/osgViewer/api/Win32/GraphicsWindowWin32
+++ b/include/osgViewer/api/Win32/GraphicsWindowWin32
@@ -97,10 +97,11 @@ class OSGVIEWER_EXPORT GraphicsWindowWin32 : public osgViewer::GraphicsWindow
         /** WindowData is used to pass in the Win32 window handle attached the GraphicsContext::Traits structure.*/
         struct WindowData : public osg::Referenced
         {
-            WindowData(HWND window):
-                _hwnd(window) {}
+            WindowData(HWND window, bool installEventHandler = true):
+                _hwnd(window), _installEventHandler(installEventHandler) {}
                 
             HWND    _hwnd;
+            bool   _installEventHandler;
         };
 
         /** Get native window.*/        
diff --git a/src/osgViewer/GraphicsWindowWin32.cpp b/src/osgViewer/GraphicsWindowWin32.cpp
index 525b69036..bb5b2e926 100644
--- a/src/osgViewer/GraphicsWindowWin32.cpp
+++ b/src/osgViewer/GraphicsWindowWin32.cpp
@@ -1242,14 +1242,19 @@ bool GraphicsWindowWin32::setWindow( HWND handle )
         return false;
     }
 
-    if (!registerWindowProcedure())
+    WindowData *windowData = _traits.get() ? dynamic_cast<WindowData*>(_traits->inheritedWindowData.get()) : 0;
+
+    if (!windowData || windowData->_installEventHandler)
     {
-        ::wglDeleteContext(_hglrc);
-        _hglrc = 0;
-        ::ReleaseDC(_hwnd, _hdc);
-        _hdc  = 0;
-        _hwnd = 0;
-        return false;
+        if (!registerWindowProcedure())
+        {
+            ::wglDeleteContext(_hglrc);
+            _hglrc = 0;
+            ::ReleaseDC(_hwnd, _hdc);
+            _hdc  = 0;
+            _hwnd = 0;
+            return false;
+        }
     }
 
     Win32WindowingSystem::getInterface()->registerWindow(_hwnd, this);