diff --git a/include/osg/Sequence b/include/osg/Sequence
index b50a60f56..0447b5c2b 100644
--- a/include/osg/Sequence
+++ b/include/osg/Sequence
@@ -185,6 +185,9 @@ class OSG_EXPORT Sequence : public Group
         // stopping when it gets to zero.  init to 0
         int _nreps, _nrepsRemain;
 
+        // frame step (are we stepping forward or backward?)
+        int _step;
+
         // default frame time for newly created frames or children- default is 1.
         // set by setDefaultTime
         double _defaultTime ;
diff --git a/src/osg/Sequence.cpp b/src/osg/Sequence.cpp
index dd53c4863..5987064e1 100644
--- a/src/osg/Sequence.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/Sequence.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ Sequence::Sequence() :
     _speed(0),
     _nreps(-1),
     _nrepsRemain(0),
+    _step(0),
     _defaultTime(1.),
     _lastFrameTime(0.),
     _saveRealLastFrameTime(-1.),
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ Sequence::Sequence(const Sequence& seq, const CopyOp& copyop) :
     _speed(seq._speed),
     _nreps(seq._nreps),
     _nrepsRemain(seq._nrepsRemain),
+    _step(seq._step),
     _defaultTime(seq._defaultTime),
     _lastFrameTime(seq._lastFrameTime),
     _saveRealLastFrameTime(seq._saveRealLastFrameTime),
@@ -174,11 +176,19 @@ void Sequence::setDuration(float speed, int nreps)
 
 void Sequence::setMode(SequenceMode mode)
 {
+    int ubegin, uend;
+
     switch (mode) 
     {
     case START:
         // restarts sequence from beginning
         _value = -1;
+
+        // Figure out which direction to start stepping the sequence
+        ubegin = (_begin < 0 ?  (int)_frameTime.size()-1: _begin);
+        uend = (_end < 0 ? (int)_frameTime.size()-1: _end);
+        _step = (ubegin > uend ? -1 : 1);
+
         _start = _now;
         _mode = mode;
         if (_saveRealLastFrameTime>=0.)
@@ -221,11 +231,6 @@ void Sequence::traverse(NodeVisitor& nv)
         int _ubegin = (_begin < 0 ?  (int)_frameTime.size()-1: _begin);
         int _uend = (_end < 0 ? (int)_frameTime.size()-1: _end);
 
-        // are we stepping forward or backward?
-        int _step;
-        _step = (_ubegin < _uend ? 1 : -1);
-        _step = (_speed <0. ? -_step : _step);
-
         int _sbegin = osg::minimum(_ubegin,_uend);
         int _send = osg::maximum(_ubegin,_uend);
 
@@ -394,11 +399,6 @@ int Sequence::_getNextValue()
     int _ubegin = (_begin < 0 ?  (int)_frameTime.size()-1: _begin);
     int _uend = (_end < 0 ? (int)_frameTime.size()-1: _end);
     
-    // are we stepping forward or backward?
-    int _step;
-    _step = (_ubegin < _uend ? 1 : -1);
-    _step = (_speed <0. ? -_step : _step);
-    
     int _sbegin = osg::minimum(_ubegin,_uend);
     int _send = osg::maximum(_ubegin,_uend);