diff --git a/include/osgUtil/CullVisitor b/include/osgUtil/CullVisitor
index 76f45c4ad..23fd52919 100644
--- a/include/osgUtil/CullVisitor
+++ b/include/osgUtil/CullVisitor
@@ -121,6 +121,10 @@ class OSGUTIL_EXPORT CullVisitor : public osg::NodeVisitor, public osg::CullStac
         void setComputeNearFarMode(ComputeNearFarMode cnfm) { _computeNearFar=cnfm; } 
         ComputeNearFarMode getComputeNearFarMode() const { return _computeNearFar;} 
         
+        void setNearFarRatio(float ratio) { _nearFarRatio = ratio; }
+        float getNearFarRatio() const { return _nearFarRatio; }
+        
+
         /** Push state set on the current state group.
           * If the state exists in a child state group of the current
           * state group then move the current state group to that child.
@@ -245,6 +249,7 @@ class OSGUTIL_EXPORT CullVisitor : public osg::NodeVisitor, public osg::CullStac
         RenderBin*                                                  _currentRenderBin;
 
         ComputeNearFarMode  _computeNearFar;
+        float               _nearFarRatio;
         float               _computed_znear;
         float               _computed_zfar;
         
diff --git a/src/osgUtil/CullVisitor.cpp b/src/osgUtil/CullVisitor.cpp
index 3913177d2..5f2e5a48a 100644
--- a/src/osgUtil/CullVisitor.cpp
+++ b/src/osgUtil/CullVisitor.cpp
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ CullVisitor::CullVisitor():
     _currentRenderGraph(NULL),
     _currentRenderBin(NULL),
     _computeNearFar(COMPUTE_NEAR_FAR_USING_BOUNDING_VOLUMES),
+    _nearFarRatio(0.0005f),
     _computed_znear(FLT_MAX),
     _computed_zfar(-FLT_MAX),
     _impostorActive(true),
@@ -179,7 +180,7 @@ void CullVisitor::popProjectionMatrix()
         double desired_znear = _computed_znear*0.98f;
         double desired_zfar = _computed_zfar*1.02f;
 
-        double min_near_plane = _computed_zfar*0.0005f;
+        double min_near_plane = _computed_zfar*_nearFarRatio;
         if (desired_znear<min_near_plane) desired_znear=min_near_plane;
         
         // assign the clamped values back to the computed values.