diff --git a/include/osgUtil/GLObjectsVisitor b/include/osgUtil/GLObjectsVisitor
index c52d6cce6..353bc3023 100644
--- a/include/osgUtil/GLObjectsVisitor
+++ b/include/osgUtil/GLObjectsVisitor
@@ -91,6 +91,12 @@ class OSGUTIL_EXPORT GLObjectsVisitor : public osg::NodeVisitor
             return _renderInfo;
         }
 
+        /** Set whether and how often OpenGL errors should be checked for, defaults to osg::State::ONCE_PER_ATTRIBUTE. */
+        void setCheckForGLErrors(osg::State::CheckForGLErrors check) { _checkGLErrors = check; }
+
+        /** Get whether and how often OpenGL errors should be checked for.*/
+        osg::State::CheckForGLErrors getCheckForGLErrors() const { return _checkGLErrors; }
+
         /** Simply traverse using standard NodeVisitor traverse method.*/
         virtual void apply(osg::Node& node);
 
@@ -105,11 +111,13 @@ class OSGUTIL_EXPORT GLObjectsVisitor : public osg::NodeVisitor
         typedef std::set<osg::Drawable*> DrawableAppliedSet;
         typedef std::set<osg::StateSet*> StatesSetAppliedSet;
 
-        Mode                        _mode;
-        osg::RenderInfo             _renderInfo;
-        DrawableAppliedSet          _drawablesAppliedSet;
-        StatesSetAppliedSet         _stateSetAppliedSet;
-        osg::ref_ptr<osg::Program>  _lastCompiledProgram;
+        Mode                            _mode;
+        osg::RenderInfo                 _renderInfo;
+        osg::State::CheckForGLErrors    _checkGLErrors;
+
+        DrawableAppliedSet              _drawablesAppliedSet;
+        StatesSetAppliedSet             _stateSetAppliedSet;
+        osg::ref_ptr<osg::Program>      _lastCompiledProgram;
 
 };
 
diff --git a/src/osgUtil/GLObjectsVisitor.cpp b/src/osgUtil/GLObjectsVisitor.cpp
index 25aa8c896..32acc58fa 100644
--- a/src/osgUtil/GLObjectsVisitor.cpp
+++ b/src/osgUtil/GLObjectsVisitor.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ GLObjectsVisitor::GLObjectsVisitor(Mode mode)
     setTraversalMode(osg::NodeVisitor::TRAVERSE_ALL_CHILDREN);
 
     _mode = mode;
-
+    _checkGLErrors = osg::State::ONCE_PER_ATTRIBUTE;
 }
 
 void GLObjectsVisitor::apply(osg::Node& node)
@@ -57,8 +57,15 @@ void GLObjectsVisitor::apply(osg::Drawable& drawable)
 {
     if (_drawablesAppliedSet.count(&drawable)!=0) return;
 
+    if (_checkGLErrors==osg::State::ONCE_PER_ATTRIBUTE) _renderInfo.getState()->checkGLErrors("start of Drawable::apply(osg::Drawable& drawable)");
+
     _drawablesAppliedSet.insert(&drawable);
 
+    if (drawable.getStateSet())
+    {
+        apply(*(drawable.getStateSet()));
+    }
+
     if (_mode&SWITCH_OFF_DISPLAY_LISTS)
     {
         drawable.setUseDisplayList(false);
@@ -82,30 +89,34 @@ void GLObjectsVisitor::apply(osg::Drawable& drawable)
     if (_mode&COMPILE_DISPLAY_LISTS && _renderInfo.getState() &&
         (drawable.getUseDisplayList() || drawable.getUseVertexBufferObjects()))
     {
+
         drawable.compileGLObjects(_renderInfo);
+
+        if (_checkGLErrors==osg::State::ONCE_PER_ATTRIBUTE) _renderInfo.getState()->checkGLErrors("after drawable.compileGLObjects() call in Drawable::apply(osg::Drawable& drawable)  ");
     }
 
+
     if (_mode&RELEASE_DISPLAY_LISTS)
     {
         drawable.releaseGLObjects(_renderInfo.getState());
     }
-
-    if (drawable.getStateSet())
-    {
-        apply(*(drawable.getStateSet()));
-    }
 }
 
 void GLObjectsVisitor::apply(osg::StateSet& stateset)
 {
     if (_stateSetAppliedSet.count(&stateset)!=0) return;
 
+    if (_checkGLErrors==osg::State::ONCE_PER_ATTRIBUTE) _renderInfo.getState()->checkGLErrors("start of GLObjectsVisitor::apply(osg::StateSet& stateset)");
+
     _stateSetAppliedSet.insert(&stateset);
 
     if (_mode & COMPILE_STATE_ATTRIBUTES && _renderInfo.getState())
     {
+
         stateset.compileGLObjects(*_renderInfo.getState());
 
+        if (_checkGLErrors==osg::State::ONCE_PER_ATTRIBUTE) _renderInfo.getState()->checkGLErrors("after stateset.compileGLObjects in GLObjectsVisitor::apply(osg::StateSet& stateset)");
+
         osg::Program* program = dynamic_cast<osg::Program*>(stateset.getAttribute(osg::StateAttribute::PROGRAM));
         if (program) {
             if( program->isFixedFunction() )
@@ -129,6 +140,8 @@ void GLObjectsVisitor::apply(osg::StateSet& stateset)
                     ++itr)
                 {
                     pcp->apply(*(itr->second.first));
+
+                    if (_checkGLErrors==osg::State::ONCE_PER_ATTRIBUTE) _renderInfo.getState()->checkGLErrors(std::string("after pcp->apply(Unfiorm&) in GLObjectsVisitor::apply(osg::StateSet& stateset), unifrom name: ")+(itr->second.first)->getName());
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -151,6 +164,8 @@ void GLObjectsVisitor::apply(osg::StateSet& stateset)
     {
         stateset.checkValidityOfAssociatedModes(*_renderInfo.getState());
     }
+
+    if (_checkGLErrors==osg::State::ONCE_PER_ATTRIBUTE) _renderInfo.getState()->checkGLErrors("after GLObjectsVisitor::apply(osg::StateSet& stateset)");
 }
 
 void GLObjectsVisitor::compile(osg::Node& node)
@@ -166,6 +181,8 @@ void GLObjectsVisitor::compile(osg::Node& node)
             extensions->glUseProgram(0);
             _renderInfo.getState()->setLastAppliedProgramObject(0);
         }
+
+        if (_checkGLErrors!=osg::State::NEVER_CHECK_GL_ERRORS) _renderInfo.getState()->checkGLErrors("after GLObjectsVisitor::compile(osg::Node& node)");
     }
 }