diff --git a/include/osgDB/PropertyInterface b/include/osgDB/PropertyInterface
index 3dc61a323..34ce1b6f2 100644
--- a/include/osgDB/PropertyInterface
+++ b/include/osgDB/PropertyInterface
@@ -126,6 +126,10 @@ public:
     bool areTypesCompatible(osgDB::BaseSerializer::Type lhs, osgDB::BaseSerializer::Type rhs) const;
 
 
+    /** create an object of specified type for provided compound class name  in the form libraryName::className. */
+    osg::Object* createObject(const std::string& compounClassdName) const;
+
+
     /// template method for getting property data, return true if property available and the type is compatible, otherwise returns false.
     template<typename T>
     bool getProperty(const osg::Object* object, const std::string& propertyName, T& value);
@@ -212,4 +216,4 @@ bool PropertyInterface::setProperty(osg::Object* object, const std::string& prop
 
 }
 
-#endif
\ No newline at end of file
+#endif
diff --git a/src/osgDB/PropertyInterface.cpp b/src/osgDB/PropertyInterface.cpp
index 1ddfb43f9..96fd0945c 100644
--- a/src/osgDB/PropertyInterface.cpp
+++ b/src/osgDB/PropertyInterface.cpp
@@ -282,6 +282,12 @@ osgDB::BaseSerializer* PropertyInterface::getSerializer(const osg::Object* objec
     return ow ? ow->getSerializer(propertyName, type) : 0;
 }
 
+osg::Object* PropertyInterface::createObject(const std::string& compoundClassName) const
+{
+    osgDB::ObjectWrapper* ow = osgDB::Registry::instance()->getObjectWrapperManager()->findWrapper(compoundClassName);
+    return (ow!=0) ? ow->createInstance() : 0;
+}
+
 bool PropertyInterface::copyPropertyDataFromObject(const osg::Object* object, const std::string& propertyName, void* valuePtr, unsigned int valueSize, osgDB::BaseSerializer::Type valueType)
 {
     _poi->flush();