diff --git a/include/osg/Texture b/include/osg/Texture
index 736548143..b380da6e5 100644
--- a/include/osg/Texture
+++ b/include/osg/Texture
@@ -599,6 +599,9 @@ class OSG_EXPORT Texture : public osg::StateAttribute
         /** Returns -1 if *this < *rhs, 0 if *this==*rhs, 1 if *this>*rhs. */
         int compareTexture(const Texture& rhs) const;
 
+        /** Returns -1 if *this < *rhs, 0 if *this==*rhs, 1 if *this>*rhs. */
+        int compareTextureObjects(const Texture& rhs) const;
+
         typedef buffered_value<unsigned int> TexParameterDirtyList;
         mutable TexParameterDirtyList _texParametersDirtyList;
 
diff --git a/src/osg/Texture.cpp b/src/osg/Texture.cpp
index 69acd8aaa..63a36113b 100644
--- a/src/osg/Texture.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/Texture.cpp
@@ -417,6 +417,17 @@ int Texture::compareTexture(const Texture& rhs) const
     return 0;
 }
 
+int Texture::compareTextureObjects(const Texture& rhs) const
+{
+    if (_textureObjectBuffer.size()<rhs._textureObjectBuffer.size()) return -1; 
+    if (rhs._textureObjectBuffer.size()<_textureObjectBuffer.size()) return 1;
+    for(unsigned int i=0; i<_textureObjectBuffer.size(); ++i)
+    {
+        if (_textureObjectBuffer[i] < rhs._textureObjectBuffer[i]) return -1;
+        else if (rhs._textureObjectBuffer[i] < _textureObjectBuffer[i]) return 1;
+    }
+    return 0;
+}
 
 void Texture::setWrap(WrapParameter which, WrapMode wrap)
 {
diff --git a/src/osg/Texture1D.cpp b/src/osg/Texture1D.cpp
index c9f224bc5..20a11064a 100644
--- a/src/osg/Texture1D.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/Texture1D.cpp
@@ -64,6 +64,17 @@ int Texture1D::compare(const StateAttribute& sa) const
         }
     }
 
+    if (!_image && !rhs._image)
+    {
+        // no image attached to either Texture2D
+        // but could these textures already be downloaded?
+        // check the _textureObjectBuffer to see if they have been
+        // downloaded
+
+        int result = compareTextureObjects(rhs);
+        if (result!=0) return result;
+    }
+
     int result = compareTexture(rhs);
     if (result!=0) return result;
 
diff --git a/src/osg/Texture2D.cpp b/src/osg/Texture2D.cpp
index aed2eed24..61e85b934 100644
--- a/src/osg/Texture2D.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/Texture2D.cpp
@@ -76,6 +76,17 @@ int Texture2D::compare(const StateAttribute& sa) const
         }
     }
 
+    if (!_image && !rhs._image)
+    {
+        // no image attached to either Texture2D
+        // but could these textures already be downloaded?
+        // check the _textureObjectBuffer to see if they have been
+        // downloaded
+
+        int result = compareTextureObjects(rhs);
+        if (result!=0) return result;
+    }
+
     int result = compareTexture(rhs);
     if (result!=0) return result;
 
diff --git a/src/osg/Texture3D.cpp b/src/osg/Texture3D.cpp
index c5a2f71b6..68693122f 100644
--- a/src/osg/Texture3D.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/Texture3D.cpp
@@ -71,6 +71,17 @@ int Texture3D::compare(const StateAttribute& sa) const
         }
     }
 
+    if (!_image && !rhs._image)
+    {
+        // no image attached to either Texture2D
+        // but could these textures already be downloaded?
+        // check the _textureObjectBuffer to see if they have been
+        // downloaded
+
+        int result = compareTextureObjects(rhs);
+        if (result!=0) return result;
+    }
+
     int result = compareTexture(rhs);
     if (result!=0) return result;
 
diff --git a/src/osg/TextureCubeMap.cpp b/src/osg/TextureCubeMap.cpp
index 84ba421fb..9fd49bb1d 100644
--- a/src/osg/TextureCubeMap.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/TextureCubeMap.cpp
@@ -76,8 +76,12 @@ int TextureCubeMap::compare(const StateAttribute& sa) const
     // used by the COMPARE_StateAttribute_Paramter macro's below.
     COMPARE_StateAttribute_Types(TextureCubeMap,sa)
 
+    bool noImages = true;
     for (int n=0; n<6; n++)
     {
+        if (noImages && _images[n].valid()) noImages = false;
+        if (noImages && rhs._images[n].valid()) noImages = false;
+    
         if (_images[n]!=rhs._images[n]) // smart pointer comparison.
         {
             if (_images[n].valid())
@@ -99,6 +103,17 @@ int TextureCubeMap::compare(const StateAttribute& sa) const
         }
     }
 
+    if (noImages)
+    {
+        // no image attached to either Texture2D
+        // but could these textures already be downloaded?
+        // check the _textureObjectBuffer to see if they have been
+        // downloaded
+
+        int result = compareTextureObjects(rhs);
+        if (result!=0) return result;
+    }
+
     int result = compareTexture(rhs);
     if (result!=0) return result;
 
diff --git a/src/osg/TextureRectangle.cpp b/src/osg/TextureRectangle.cpp
index fd85f266c..b934f5216 100644
--- a/src/osg/TextureRectangle.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/TextureRectangle.cpp
@@ -99,6 +99,17 @@ int TextureRectangle::compare(const StateAttribute& sa) const
         }
     }
 
+    if (!_image && !rhs._image)
+    {
+        // no image attached to either Texture2D
+        // but could these textures already be downloaded?
+        // check the _textureObjectBuffer to see if they have been
+        // downloaded
+
+        int result = compareTextureObjects(rhs);
+        if (result!=0) return result;
+    }
+
     int result = compareTexture(rhs);
     if (result!=0) return result;