diff --git a/examples/osgposter/PosterPrinter.cpp b/examples/osgposter/PosterPrinter.cpp
index 74d2f5d5f..ba5928fb8 100644
--- a/examples/osgposter/PosterPrinter.cpp
+++ b/examples/osgposter/PosterPrinter.cpp
@@ -59,14 +59,14 @@ public:
                 if ( pagedLOD->getDatabasePath().empty() )
                 {
                     nv->getDatabaseRequestHandler()->requestNodeFile(
-                        pagedLOD->getFileName(numChildren), pagedLOD,
+                        pagedLOD->getFileName(numChildren), nv->getNodePath(),
                         1.0, nv->getFrameStamp(),
                         pagedLOD->getDatabaseRequest(numChildren), pagedLOD->getDatabaseOptions() );
                 }
                 else
                 {
                     nv->getDatabaseRequestHandler()->requestNodeFile(
-                        pagedLOD->getDatabasePath()+pagedLOD->getFileName(numChildren), pagedLOD,
+                        pagedLOD->getDatabasePath()+pagedLOD->getFileName(numChildren), nv->getNodePath(),
                         1.0, nv->getFrameStamp(),
                         pagedLOD->getDatabaseRequest(numChildren), pagedLOD->getDatabaseOptions() );
                 }
diff --git a/include/osg/Node b/include/osg/Node
index 0ceef34f3..04ddb13a6 100644
--- a/include/osg/Node
+++ b/include/osg/Node
@@ -23,8 +23,15 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 
+
+// forward declare osgTerrrain::Terrain to enable declaration of asTerrain() method.
+namespace osgTerrain {
+class Terrain;
+}
+
 namespace osg {
 
+// forcing declare classes to enable declaration of as*() methods.
 class NodeVisitor;
 class Group;
 class Transform;
@@ -114,6 +121,15 @@ class OSG_EXPORT Node : public Object
           * Equivalent to dynamic_cast<const Geode*>(this).*/
         virtual const Geode* asGeode() const { return 0; }
 
+        /** Convert 'this' into a Transform pointer if Node is a Terrain, otherwise return 0.
+          * Equivalent to dynamic_cast<Terrrain*>(this).*/
+        virtual osgTerrain::Terrain* asTerrain() { return 0; }
+
+        /** convert 'const this' into a const Terrain pointer if Node is a Terrain, otherwise return 0.
+          * Equivalent to dynamic_cast<const Terrain*>(this).*/
+        virtual const osgTerrain::Terrain* asTerrain() const { return 0; }
+
+
         /** Visitor Pattern : calls the apply method of a NodeVisitor with this node's type.*/
         virtual void accept(NodeVisitor& nv);
         /** Traverse upwards : calls parents' accept method with NodeVisitor.*/
diff --git a/include/osg/NodeVisitor b/include/osg/NodeVisitor
index 9b502c377..fe85bbe7e 100644
--- a/include/osg/NodeVisitor
+++ b/include/osg/NodeVisitor
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ class OSG_EXPORT NodeVisitor : public virtual Referenced
             DatabaseRequestHandler():
                 Referenced(true) {}
 
-            virtual void requestNodeFile(const std::string& fileName,osg::Group* group, float priority, const FrameStamp* framestamp, osg::ref_ptr<osg::Referenced>& databaseRequest, const osg::Referenced* options=0) = 0;
+             virtual void requestNodeFile(const std::string& fileName, osg::NodePath& nodePath, float priority, const FrameStamp* framestamp, osg::ref_ptr<osg::Referenced>& databaseRequest, const osg::Referenced* options=0) = 0;
 
         protected:
             virtual ~DatabaseRequestHandler() {}
diff --git a/include/osgDB/DatabasePager b/include/osgDB/DatabasePager
index 02a9e4519..8f309bde8 100644
--- a/include/osgDB/DatabasePager
+++ b/include/osgDB/DatabasePager
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ class OSGDB_EXPORT DatabasePager : public osg::NodeVisitor::DatabaseRequestHandl
         
 
         /** Add a request to load a node file to end the the database request list.*/
-        virtual void requestNodeFile(const std::string& fileName,osg::Group* group,
+        virtual void requestNodeFile(const std::string& fileName, osg::NodePath& nodePath,
                                      float priority, const osg::FrameStamp* framestamp,
                                      osg::ref_ptr<osg::Referenced>& databaseRequest,
                                      const osg::Referenced* options);
@@ -316,9 +316,12 @@ class OSGDB_EXPORT DatabasePager : public osg::NodeVisitor::DatabaseRequestHandl
             double                      _timestampLastRequest;
             float                       _priorityLastRequest;
             unsigned int                _numOfRequests;
-            osg::ObserverNodePath       _observerNodePath;
-            osg::ref_ptr<osg::Node>     _loadedModel;
-            osg::ref_ptr<Options>       _loadOptions;
+            
+            osg::observer_ptr<osg::Node>        _terrain;
+            osg::observer_ptr<osg::Group>       _group;
+
+            osg::ref_ptr<osg::Node>             _loadedModel;
+            osg::ref_ptr<Options>               _loadOptions;
 
             osg::observer_ptr<osgUtil::IncrementalCompileOperation::CompileSet> _compileSet;
 
diff --git a/include/osgDB/InputStream b/include/osgDB/InputStream
index df7cfc327..3037f2620 100644
--- a/include/osgDB/InputStream
+++ b/include/osgDB/InputStream
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include <osg/PrimitiveSet>
 #include <osgDB/ReaderWriter>
 #include <osgDB/StreamOperator>
+#include <osgDB/Options>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <sstream>
 
diff --git a/include/osgDB/Options b/include/osgDB/Options
index fc6d91a01..c68c976d4 100644
--- a/include/osgDB/Options
+++ b/include/osgDB/Options
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #define OSGDB_OPTIONS 1
 
 #include <osgDB/Callbacks>
+#include <osg/ObserverNodePath>
 
 #include <deque>
 #include <list>
@@ -227,7 +228,6 @@ class OSGDB_EXPORT Options : public osg::Object
         /** Get the callback to use inform the DatabasePager whether a file is located on local or remote file system.*/
         FileLocationCallback* getFileLocationCallback() const { return _fileLocationCallback.get(); }
 
-
         /** Set the FileCache that is used to manage local storage of files downloaded from the internet.*/
         void setFileCache(FileCache* fileCache) { _fileCache = fileCache; }
 
@@ -235,6 +235,13 @@ class OSGDB_EXPORT Options : public osg::Object
         FileCache* getFileCache() const { return _fileCache.get(); }
 
 
+        /** Set the terrain observer_ptr, use to decorate any osgTerrain subgraphs.*/
+        void setTerrain(osg::observer_ptr<osg::Node>& terrain) { _terrain = terrain; }
+
+        /** Get the terrain observer_ptr, use to decorate any osgTerrain subgraphs.*/
+        const osg::observer_ptr<osg::Node>& getTerrain() const { return _terrain; }
+
+
     protected:
 
         virtual ~Options() {}
@@ -257,6 +264,8 @@ class OSGDB_EXPORT Options : public osg::Object
         osg::ref_ptr<FileLocationCallback>  _fileLocationCallback;
 
         osg::ref_ptr<FileCache>             _fileCache;
+
+        osg::observer_ptr<osg::Node>        _terrain;
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/include/osgTerrain/Terrain b/include/osgTerrain/Terrain
index fea4f240b..062bcf829 100644
--- a/include/osgTerrain/Terrain
+++ b/include/osgTerrain/Terrain
@@ -34,7 +34,11 @@ class OSGTERRAIN_EXPORT Terrain : public osg::CoordinateSystemNode
         META_Node(osgTerrain, Terrain);
 
         virtual void traverse(osg::NodeVisitor& nv);
-        
+
+        virtual osgTerrain::Terrain* asTerrain() { return this; }
+        virtual const osgTerrain::Terrain* asTerrain() const { return this; }
+
+
         /** Set the sample ratio hint that TerrainTile should use when building geometry.
           * Defaults to 1.0, which means use all original sample points.*/
         void setSampleRatio(float ratio);
diff --git a/src/osg/PagedLOD.cpp b/src/osg/PagedLOD.cpp
index 9a1cf4774..0c7f4ada1 100644
--- a/src/osg/PagedLOD.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/PagedLOD.cpp
@@ -218,12 +218,12 @@ void PagedLOD::traverse(NodeVisitor& nv)
 
                     if (_databasePath.empty())
                     {
-                        nv.getDatabaseRequestHandler()->requestNodeFile(_perRangeDataList[numChildren]._filename,this,priority,nv.getFrameStamp(), _perRangeDataList[numChildren]._databaseRequest, _databaseOptions.get());
+                        nv.getDatabaseRequestHandler()->requestNodeFile(_perRangeDataList[numChildren]._filename,nv.getNodePath(),priority,nv.getFrameStamp(), _perRangeDataList[numChildren]._databaseRequest, _databaseOptions.get());
                     }
                     else
                     {
                         // prepend the databasePath to the child's filename.
-                        nv.getDatabaseRequestHandler()->requestNodeFile(_databasePath+_perRangeDataList[numChildren]._filename,this,priority,nv.getFrameStamp(), _perRangeDataList[numChildren]._databaseRequest, _databaseOptions.get());
+                        nv.getDatabaseRequestHandler()->requestNodeFile(_databasePath+_perRangeDataList[numChildren]._filename,nv.getNodePath(),priority,nv.getFrameStamp(), _perRangeDataList[numChildren]._databaseRequest, _databaseOptions.get());
                     }
                 }
 
diff --git a/src/osg/ProxyNode.cpp b/src/osg/ProxyNode.cpp
index 377bc07a0..d6432022b 100644
--- a/src/osg/ProxyNode.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/ProxyNode.cpp
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ void ProxyNode::traverse(NodeVisitor& nv)
     {
         for(unsigned int i=_children.size(); i<_filenameList.size(); ++i)
         {
-            nv.getDatabaseRequestHandler()->requestNodeFile(_databasePath+_filenameList[i].first, this, 1.0f, nv.getFrameStamp(), _filenameList[i].second, _databaseOptions.get());
+            nv.getDatabaseRequestHandler()->requestNodeFile(_databasePath+_filenameList[i].first, nv.getNodePath(), 1.0f, nv.getFrameStamp(), _filenameList[i].second, _databaseOptions.get());
         }
     }
     else
diff --git a/src/osgDB/DatabasePager.cpp b/src/osgDB/DatabasePager.cpp
index 9636540c7..55659cdde 100644
--- a/src/osgDB/DatabasePager.cpp
+++ b/src/osgDB/DatabasePager.cpp
@@ -799,7 +799,15 @@ void DatabasePager::DatabaseThread::run()
             {
                 if (dr_loadOptions->getFileCache()) fileCache = dr_loadOptions->getFileCache();
                 if (dr_loadOptions->getFileLocationCallback()) fileLocationCallback = dr_loadOptions->getFileLocationCallback();
+
+                dr_loadOptions = dr_loadOptions->cloneOptions();
             }
+            else
+            {
+                dr_loadOptions = new osgDB::Options;
+            }
+
+            dr_loadOptions->setTerrain(databaseRequest->_terrain);
 
             // disable the FileCache if the fileLocationCallback tells us that it isn't required for this request.
             if (fileLocationCallback.valid() && !fileLocationCallback->useFileCache()) fileCache = 0;
@@ -893,7 +901,7 @@ void DatabasePager::DatabaseThread::run()
             {
                 fileCache->writeNode(*(loadedModel), fileName, dr_loadOptions.get());
             }
-            osg::RefNodePath refNodePath;
+
             {
                 OpenThreads::ScopedLock<OpenThreads::Mutex> drLock(_pager->_dr_mutex);
                 if ((_pager->_frameNumber-databaseRequest->_frameNumberLastRequest)>1)
@@ -901,16 +909,6 @@ void DatabasePager::DatabaseThread::run()
                     OSG_INFO<<_name<<": Warning DatabaseRquest no longer required."<<std::endl;
                     loadedModel = 0;
                 }
-                else
-                {
-                    // take a refNodePath to ensure that none of the nodes
-                    // go out of scope while we are using them.
-                    if (!databaseRequest->_observerNodePath.getRefNodePath(refNodePath))
-                    {
-                        OSG_INFO<<_name<<": Warning node in parental chain has been deleted, discarding load."<<std::endl;
-                        loadedModel = 0;
-                    }
-                }
             }
 
             //OSG_NOTICE<<"     node read in "<<osg::Timer::instance()->delta_m(before,osg::Timer::instance()->tick())<<" ms"<<std::endl;
@@ -925,17 +923,6 @@ void DatabasePager::DatabaseThread::run()
                                                                     _pager->_drawablePolicy,
                                                                     _pager);
 
-                // push the soon to be parent on the nodepath of the NodeVisitor so that 
-                // during traversal one can test for where it'll be in the overall scene graph
-                // This is the benefit for osgTerrain::TerrainTile, so
-                // that it will find its Terrain node on its first traversal.
-                for(osg::RefNodePath::iterator rnp_itr = refNodePath.begin();
-                    rnp_itr != refNodePath.end();
-                    ++rnp_itr)
-                {
-                    frov.pushOntoNodePath(rnp_itr->get());
-                }
-
                 loadedModel->accept(frov);
 
                 bool loadedObjectsNeedToBeCompiled = (_pager->_doPreCompile && frov.requiresCompilation() && _pager->_incrementalCompileOperation.valid());
@@ -1362,7 +1349,7 @@ bool DatabasePager::getRequestsInProgress() const
 }
 
 
-void DatabasePager::requestNodeFile(const std::string& fileName,osg::Group* group,
+void DatabasePager::requestNodeFile(const std::string& fileName, osg::NodePath& nodePath,
                                     float priority, const osg::FrameStamp* framestamp,
                                     osg::ref_ptr<osg::Referenced>& databaseRequestRef,
                                     const osg::Referenced* options)
@@ -1381,7 +1368,28 @@ void DatabasePager::requestNodeFile(const std::string& fileName,osg::Group* grou
 
 
     if (!_acceptNewRequests) return;
-    
+
+
+    if (nodePath.empty())
+    {
+        OSG_NOTICE<<"Warning: DatabasePager::requestNodeFile(..) passed empty NodePath, so nowhere to attach new subgraph to."<<std::endl;
+        return;
+    }
+
+    osg::Group* group = nodePath.back()->asGroup();
+    if (!group)
+    {
+        OSG_NOTICE<<"Warning: DatabasePager::requestNodeFile(..) passed NodePath without group as last node in path, so nowhere to attach new subgraph to."<<std::endl;
+        return;
+    }
+
+    osg::Node* terrain = 0;
+    for(osg::NodePath::reverse_iterator itr = nodePath.rbegin();
+        itr != nodePath.rend();
+        ++itr)
+    {
+        if ((*itr)->asTerrain()) terrain = *itr;
+    }
 
     double timestamp = framestamp?framestamp->getReferenceTime():0.0;
     unsigned int frameNumber = framestamp?framestamp->getFrameNumber():static_cast<unsigned int>(_frameNumber);
@@ -1410,7 +1418,7 @@ void DatabasePager::requestNodeFile(const std::string& fileName,osg::Group* grou
         bool requeue = false;
         if (databaseRequest)
         {
-            OpenThreads::ScopedLock<OpenThreads::Mutex> drLock(_dr_mutex);            
+            OpenThreads::ScopedLock<OpenThreads::Mutex> drLock(_dr_mutex);
             if (!(databaseRequest->valid()))
             {
                 OSG_INFO<<"DatabaseRequest has been previously invalidated whilst still attached to scene graph."<<std::endl;
@@ -1436,7 +1444,8 @@ void DatabasePager::requestNodeFile(const std::string& fileName,osg::Group* grou
                     databaseRequest->_frameNumberLastRequest = frameNumber;
                     databaseRequest->_timestampLastRequest = timestamp;
                     databaseRequest->_priorityLastRequest = priority;
-                    databaseRequest->_observerNodePath.setNodePathTo(group);
+                    databaseRequest->_group = group;
+                    databaseRequest->_terrain = terrain;
                     databaseRequest->_loadOptions = loadOptions;
                     requeue = true;
                 }
@@ -1467,7 +1476,8 @@ void DatabasePager::requestNodeFile(const std::string& fileName,osg::Group* grou
             databaseRequest->_frameNumberLastRequest = frameNumber;
             databaseRequest->_timestampLastRequest = timestamp;
             databaseRequest->_priorityLastRequest = priority;
-            databaseRequest->_observerNodePath.setNodePathTo(group);
+            databaseRequest->_group = group;
+            databaseRequest->_terrain = terrain;
             databaseRequest->_loadOptions = loadOptions;
 
             _fileRequestQueue->addNoLock(databaseRequest.get());
@@ -1608,19 +1618,17 @@ void DatabasePager::addLoadedDataToSceneGraph(const osg::FrameStamp &frameStamp)
         ++itr)
     {
         DatabaseRequest* databaseRequest = itr->get();
+
         // No need to take _dr_mutex. The pager threads are done with
         // the request; the cull traversal -- which might redispatch
         // the request -- can't run at the sametime as this update traversal.
-        osg::RefNodePath refNodePath;
-        if (databaseRequest->_observerNodePath.getRefNodePath(refNodePath))
+        osg::ref_ptr<osg::Group> group;
+        if (databaseRequest->_group.lock(group))
         {
-            // OSG_NOTICE<<"Merging "<<_frameNumber-(*itr)->_frameNumberLastRequest<<std::endl;
-            osg::Group* group = static_cast<osg::Group*>(refNodePath.back().get());
-
             if (osgDB::Registry::instance()->getSharedStateManager())
                 osgDB::Registry::instance()->getSharedStateManager()->share(databaseRequest->_loadedModel.get());
 
-            osg::PagedLOD* plod = dynamic_cast<osg::PagedLOD*>(group);
+            osg::PagedLOD* plod = dynamic_cast<osg::PagedLOD*>(group.get());
             if (plod)
             {
                 plod->setTimeStamp(plod->getNumChildren(), timeStamp);
@@ -1629,7 +1637,7 @@ void DatabasePager::addLoadedDataToSceneGraph(const osg::FrameStamp &frameStamp)
             }
             else
             {
-                osg::ProxyNode* proxyNode = dynamic_cast<osg::ProxyNode*>(group);
+                osg::ProxyNode* proxyNode = dynamic_cast<osg::ProxyNode*>(group.get());
                 if (proxyNode)
                 {
                     proxyNode->getDatabaseRequest(proxyNode->getNumChildren()) = 0;
diff --git a/src/osgDB/Options.cpp b/src/osgDB/Options.cpp
index 430271cfb..359b1df78 100644
--- a/src/osgDB/Options.cpp
+++ b/src/osgDB/Options.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ Options::Options(const Options& options,const osg::CopyOp& copyop):
     _readFileCallback(options._readFileCallback),
     _writeFileCallback(options._writeFileCallback),
     _fileLocationCallback(options._fileLocationCallback),
-    _fileCache(options._fileCache) {}
+    _fileCache(options._fileCache),
+    _terrain(options._terrain) {}
 
 void Options::parsePluginStringData(const std::string& str, char separator1, char separator2)
 {
diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/ive/TerrainTile.cpp b/src/osgPlugins/ive/TerrainTile.cpp
index 943a7a93e..072a6f9e3 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/ive/TerrainTile.cpp
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/ive/TerrainTile.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@
 #include "Group.h"
 #include "Layer.h"
 
+#include <osgDB/Options>
 #include <osgTerrain/GeometryTechnique>
+#include <osgTerrain/Terrain>
 
 using namespace ive;
 
@@ -132,6 +134,15 @@ void TerrainTile::read(DataInputStream* in)
         
     setTerrainTechnique(readTerrainTechnique(in));
 
+    if (in->getOptions())
+    {
+        osg::ref_ptr<osg::Node> node;
+        if (in->getOptions()->getTerrain().lock(node))
+        {
+            setTerrain(node->asTerrain());
+        }
+    }
+
     if (osgTerrain::TerrainTile::getTileLoadedCallback().valid()) 
         osgTerrain::TerrainTile::getTileLoadedCallback()->loaded(this, in->getOptions());
 }
diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/txp/TXPPagedLOD.cpp b/src/osgPlugins/txp/TXPPagedLOD.cpp
index a6e29165f..ed9b205b5 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/txp/TXPPagedLOD.cpp
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/txp/TXPPagedLOD.cpp
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ void TXPPagedLOD::traverse(osg::NodeVisitor& nv)
 
                     //std::cout<<"    requesting child "<<_fileNameList[numChildren]<<" priotity = "<<priority<<std::endl;
                     nv.getDatabaseRequestHandler()->requestNodeFile(_perRangeDataList[numChildren]._filename,
-                                                                    this,
+                                                                    nv.getNodePath(),
                                                                     priority,
                                                                     nv.getFrameStamp(),
                                                                     _perRangeDataList[numChildren]._databaseRequest);
diff --git a/src/osgWrappers/deprecated-dotosg/osgTerrain/TerrainTile.cpp b/src/osgWrappers/deprecated-dotosg/osgTerrain/TerrainTile.cpp
index 847a489ce..a0ef39bbe 100644
--- a/src/osgWrappers/deprecated-dotosg/osgTerrain/TerrainTile.cpp
+++ b/src/osgWrappers/deprecated-dotosg/osgTerrain/TerrainTile.cpp
@@ -188,6 +188,14 @@ bool TerrainTile_readLocalData(osg::Object& obj, osgDB::Input &fr)
         itrAdvanced = true;
     }
 
+    if (fr.getOptions())
+    {
+        osg::ref_ptr<osg::Node> node;
+        if (fr.getOptions()->getTerrain().lock(node))
+        {
+            terrainTile.setTerrain(node->asTerrain());
+        }
+    }
 
     if (osgTerrain::TerrainTile::getTileLoadedCallback().valid()) 
         osgTerrain::TerrainTile::getTileLoadedCallback()->loaded(&terrainTile, fr.getOptions());
diff --git a/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgTerrain/TerrainTile.cpp b/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgTerrain/TerrainTile.cpp
index af5c76f46..d8c62e061 100644
--- a/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgTerrain/TerrainTile.cpp
+++ b/src/osgWrappers/serializers/osgTerrain/TerrainTile.cpp
@@ -65,6 +65,16 @@ struct TerrainTileFinishedObjectReadCallback : public osgDB::FinishedObjectReadC
     virtual void objectRead(osgDB::InputStream& is, osg::Object& obj)
     {
         osgTerrain::TerrainTile& tile = static_cast<osgTerrain::TerrainTile&>(obj);
+
+        if (is.getOptions())
+        {
+            osg::ref_ptr<osg::Node> node;
+            if (is.getOptions()->getTerrain().lock(node))
+            {
+                tile.setTerrain(node->asTerrain());
+            }
+        }
+
         if ( osgTerrain::TerrainTile::getTileLoadedCallback().valid() )
             osgTerrain::TerrainTile::getTileLoadedCallback()->loaded( &tile, is.getOptions() );
         }