diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/obj/ReaderWriterOBJ.cpp b/src/osgPlugins/obj/ReaderWriterOBJ.cpp
index 3597d3cab..abd7c485f 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/obj/ReaderWriterOBJ.cpp
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/obj/ReaderWriterOBJ.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <osg/Node>
 #include <osg/MatrixTransform>
 #include <osg/Geode>
+#include <osg/io_utils>
 
 #include <osg/Geometry>
 #include <osg/StateSet>
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@
 class ReaderWriterOBJ : public osgDB::ReaderWriter
 {
 public:
-    ReaderWriterOBJ() { }
+    ReaderWriterOBJ():_fixBlackMaterials(true) {}
 
     virtual const char* className() const { return "Wavefront OBJ Reader"; }
     virtual bool acceptsExtension(const std::string& extension) const {
@@ -72,6 +73,8 @@ protected:
 
     inline osg::Vec3 transformVertex(const osg::Vec3& vec, const bool rotate) const ;
     inline osg::Vec3 transformNormal(const osg::Vec3& vec, const bool rotate) const ;
+    
+    bool _fixBlackMaterials;
 
 };
 
@@ -105,6 +108,47 @@ osgDB::RegisterReaderWriterProxy<ReaderWriterOBJ> g_objReaderWriterProxy;
 
 void ReaderWriterOBJ::buildMaterialToStateSetMap(obj::Model& model, MaterialToStateSetMap& materialToStateSetMap) const
 {
+    if (_fixBlackMaterials)
+    {
+        osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"Testing for black materials"<<std::endl;
+    
+        // hack to fix Maya exported models that contian all black materials.
+        int numBlack = 0;
+        int numNotBlack = 0;
+        obj::Model::MaterialMap::iterator itr;
+        for(itr = model.materialMap.begin();
+            itr != model.materialMap.end();
+            ++itr)
+        {
+            obj::Material& material = itr->second;
+            if (material.ambient==osg::Vec4(0.0f,0.0f,0.0f,1.0f) &&
+                material.diffuse==osg::Vec4(0.0f,0.0f,0.0f,1.0f))
+            {
+                ++numBlack;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                ++numNotBlack;
+            }
+        }
+        
+        if (numNotBlack==0 && numBlack!=0)
+        {
+            for(itr = model.materialMap.begin();
+                itr != model.materialMap.end();
+                ++itr)
+            {
+                obj::Material& material = itr->second;
+                if (material.ambient==osg::Vec4(0.0f,0.0f,0.0f,1.0f) &&
+                    material.diffuse==osg::Vec4(0.0f,0.0f,0.0f,1.0f))
+                {
+                    material.ambient.set(0.3f,0.3f,0.3f,1.0f);
+                    material.diffuse.set(1.0f,1.0f,1.0f,1.0f);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    
     for(obj::Model::MaterialMap::iterator itr = model.materialMap.begin();
         itr != model.materialMap.end();
         ++itr)
diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/obj/obj.cpp b/src/osgPlugins/obj/obj.cpp
index ee5c1dc42..bb57f2853 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/obj/obj.cpp
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/obj/obj.cpp
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ bool Model::readMTL(std::istream& fin)
     char line[LINE_SIZE];
     float r = 1.0f, g = 1.0f, b = 1.0f, a = 1.0f;
 
-    Material* material = &(materialMap[""]);
+    Material* material = 0;// &(materialMap[""]);
 
     while (fin)
     {
@@ -131,139 +131,143 @@ bool Model::readMTL(std::istream& fin)
         }
         else if (strlen(line)>0)
         {
-            if (strncmp(line,"Ka ",3)==0)
-            {
-                unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+3,"%f %f %f %f", &r, &g, &b, &a);
-
-                if (fieldsRead==1)      material->ambient.set(r,0.0f,0.0f,1.0f);
-                else if (fieldsRead==2) material->ambient.set(r,g,0.0f,1.0f);
-                else if (fieldsRead==3) material->ambient.set(r,g,b,1.0f);
-                else if (fieldsRead==4) material->ambient.set(r,g,b,a);
-            }
-            else if (strncmp(line,"Kd ",3)==0)
-            {
-                unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+3,"%f %f %f %f", &r, &g, &b, &a);
-
-                if (fieldsRead==1)      material->diffuse.set(r,0.0f,0.0f,1.0f);
-                else if (fieldsRead==2) material->diffuse.set(r,g,0.0f,1.0f);
-                else if (fieldsRead==3) material->diffuse.set(r,g,b,1.0f);
-                else if (fieldsRead==4) material->diffuse.set(r,g,b,a);
-            }
-            else if (strncmp(line,"Ks ",3)==0)
-            {
-                unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+3,"%f %f %f %f", &r, &g, &b, &a);
-
-                if (fieldsRead==1)      material->specular.set(r,0.0f,0.0f,1.0f);
-                else if (fieldsRead==2) material->specular.set(r,g,0.0f,1.0f);
-                else if (fieldsRead==3) material->specular.set(r,g,b,1.0f);
-                else if (fieldsRead==4) material->specular.set(r,g,b,a);
-            }
-            else if (strncmp(line,"Ke ",3)==0)
-            {
-                unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+3,"%f %f %f %f", &r, &g, &b, &a);
-
-                if (fieldsRead==1)      material->emissive.set(r,0.0f,0.0f,1.0f);
-                else if (fieldsRead==2) material->emissive.set(r,g,0.0f,1.0f);
-                else if (fieldsRead==3) material->emissive.set(r,g,b,1.0f);
-                else if (fieldsRead==4) material->emissive.set(r,g,b,a);
-            }
-            else if (strncmp(line,"Tf ",3)==0)
-            {
-                unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+3,"%f %f %f %f", &r, &g, &b, &a);
-
-                if (fieldsRead==1)      material->Tf.set(r,0.0f,0.0f,1.0f);
-                else if (fieldsRead==2) material->Tf.set(r,g,0.0f,1.0f);
-                else if (fieldsRead==3) material->Tf.set(r,g,b,1.0f);
-                else if (fieldsRead==4) material->Tf.set(r,g,b,a);
-            }
-            else if (strncmp(line,"newmtl ",7)==0)
+            if (strncmp(line,"newmtl ",7)==0)
             {
                 std::string materialName(line+7);
-                if (material->name != materialName)
+                material = & materialMap[materialName];
+                material->name = materialName;
+            }
+            else if (material)
+            {
+                if (strncmp(line,"Ka ",3)==0)
                 {
-                    material = & materialMap[materialName];
-                    material->name = materialName;
+                    unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+3,"%f %f %f %f", &r, &g, &b, &a);
+
+                    if (fieldsRead==1)      material->ambient.set(r,0.0f,0.0f,1.0f);
+                    else if (fieldsRead==2) material->ambient.set(r,g,0.0f,1.0f);
+                    else if (fieldsRead==3) material->ambient.set(r,g,b,1.0f);
+                    else if (fieldsRead==4) material->ambient.set(r,g,b,a);
                 }
-            }
-            else if (strncmp(line,"sharpness ",10)==0)
-            {
-                float sharpness = 0.0f;
-                unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+10,"%f", &sharpness);
-
-                if (fieldsRead==1) material->sharpness = sharpness;
-            }
-            else if (strncmp(line,"illum ",6)==0)
-            {
-                int illum = 0;
-                unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+6,"%d", &illum);
-
-                if (fieldsRead==1) material->illum = illum;
-            }
-            else if (strncmp(line,"Ns ",3)==0)
-            {
-                int Ns = 0;
-                unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+3,"%d", &Ns);
-
-                if (fieldsRead==1) material->Ns = Ns;
-            }
-            else if (strncmp(line,"Ni ",3)==0)
-            {
-                int Ni = 0;
-                unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+3,"%d", &Ni);
-
-                if (fieldsRead==1) material->Ni = Ni;
-            }
-            else if (strncmp(line,"illum ",6)==0)
-            {
-                int illum = 0;
-                unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+6,"%d", &illum);
-
-                if (fieldsRead==1) material->illum = illum;
-            }
-            else if (strncmp(line,"Tr ",3)==0)
-            {
-                float alpha=1.0f;
-                unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+3,"%f", &alpha);
-
-                if (fieldsRead==1)
+                else if (strncmp(line,"Kd ",3)==0)
                 {
-                    material->ambient[3] = alpha;
-                    material->diffuse[3] = alpha;
-                    material->specular[3] = alpha;
-                    material->emissive[3] = alpha;
-                }
-            }
-            else if (strncmp(line,"d ",2)==0)
-            {
-                float alpha=1.0f;
-                unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+2,"%f", &alpha);
+                    unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+3,"%f %f %f %f", &r, &g, &b, &a);
 
-                if (fieldsRead==1)
-                {
-                    material->ambient[3] = alpha;
-                    material->diffuse[3] = alpha;
-                    material->specular[3] = alpha;
-                    material->emissive[3] = alpha;
+                    if (fieldsRead==1)      material->diffuse.set(r,0.0f,0.0f,1.0f);
+                    else if (fieldsRead==2) material->diffuse.set(r,g,0.0f,1.0f);
+                    else if (fieldsRead==3) material->diffuse.set(r,g,b,1.0f);
+                    else if (fieldsRead==4) material->diffuse.set(r,g,b,a);
+                }
+                else if (strncmp(line,"Ks ",3)==0)
+                {
+                    unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+3,"%f %f %f %f", &r, &g, &b, &a);
+
+                    if (fieldsRead==1)      material->specular.set(r,0.0f,0.0f,1.0f);
+                    else if (fieldsRead==2) material->specular.set(r,g,0.0f,1.0f);
+                    else if (fieldsRead==3) material->specular.set(r,g,b,1.0f);
+                    else if (fieldsRead==4) material->specular.set(r,g,b,a);
+                }
+                else if (strncmp(line,"Ke ",3)==0)
+                {
+                    unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+3,"%f %f %f %f", &r, &g, &b, &a);
+
+                    if (fieldsRead==1)      material->emissive.set(r,0.0f,0.0f,1.0f);
+                    else if (fieldsRead==2) material->emissive.set(r,g,0.0f,1.0f);
+                    else if (fieldsRead==3) material->emissive.set(r,g,b,1.0f);
+                    else if (fieldsRead==4) material->emissive.set(r,g,b,a);
+                }
+                else if (strncmp(line,"Tf ",3)==0)
+                {
+                    unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+3,"%f %f %f %f", &r, &g, &b, &a);
+
+                    if (fieldsRead==1)      material->Tf.set(r,0.0f,0.0f,1.0f);
+                    else if (fieldsRead==2) material->Tf.set(r,g,0.0f,1.0f);
+                    else if (fieldsRead==3) material->Tf.set(r,g,b,1.0f);
+                    else if (fieldsRead==4) material->Tf.set(r,g,b,a);
+                }
+                else if (strncmp(line,"sharpness ",10)==0)
+                {
+                    float sharpness = 0.0f;
+                    unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+10,"%f", &sharpness);
+
+                    if (fieldsRead==1) material->sharpness = sharpness;
+                }
+                else if (strncmp(line,"illum ",6)==0)
+                {
+                    int illum = 0;
+                    unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+6,"%d", &illum);
+
+                    if (fieldsRead==1) material->illum = illum;
+                }
+                else if (strncmp(line,"Ns ",3)==0)
+                {
+                    int Ns = 0;
+                    unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+3,"%d", &Ns);
+
+                    if (fieldsRead==1) material->Ns = Ns;
+                }
+                else if (strncmp(line,"Ni ",3)==0)
+                {
+                    int Ni = 0;
+                    unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+3,"%d", &Ni);
+
+                    if (fieldsRead==1) material->Ni = Ni;
+                }
+                else if (strncmp(line,"illum ",6)==0)
+                {
+                    int illum = 0;
+                    unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+6,"%d", &illum);
+
+                    if (fieldsRead==1) material->illum = illum;
+                }
+                else if (strncmp(line,"Tr ",3)==0)
+                {
+                    float alpha=1.0f;
+                    unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+3,"%f", &alpha);
+
+                    if (fieldsRead==1)
+                    {
+                        material->ambient[3] = alpha;
+                        material->diffuse[3] = alpha;
+                        material->specular[3] = alpha;
+                        material->emissive[3] = alpha;
+                    }
+                }
+                else if (strncmp(line,"d ",2)==0)
+                {
+                    float alpha=1.0f;
+                    unsigned int fieldsRead = sscanf(line+2,"%f", &alpha);
+
+                    if (fieldsRead==1)
+                    {
+                        material->ambient[3] = alpha;
+                        material->diffuse[3] = alpha;
+                        material->specular[3] = alpha;
+                        material->emissive[3] = alpha;
+                    }
+                }
+                else if (strncmp(line,"map_Ka ",7)==0)
+                {
+                    std::string filename(line+7);
+                    material->map_Ka = filename;
+                }
+                else if (strncmp(line,"map_Kd ",7)==0)
+                {
+                    std::string filename(line+7);
+                    material->map_Kd = filename;
+                }
+                else if (strncmp(line,"map_Ks ",7)==0)
+                {
+                    std::string filename(line+7);
+                    material->map_Ks = filename;
+                }
+                else if (strcmp(line,"refl")==0 || strncmp(line,"refl ",5)==0)
+                {
+                    material->textureReflection = true;
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    osg::notify(osg::NOTICE) <<"*** line not handled *** :"<<line<<std::endl;
                 }
-            }
-            else if (strncmp(line,"map_Ka ",7)==0)
-            {
-                std::string filename(line+7);
-                material->map_Ka = filename;
-            }
-            else if (strncmp(line,"map_Kd ",7)==0)
-            {
-                std::string filename(line+7);
-                material->map_Kd = filename;
-            }
-            else if (strncmp(line,"map_Ks ",7)==0)
-            {
-                std::string filename(line+7);
-                material->map_Ks = filename;
-            }
-            else if (strcmp(line,"refl")==0 || strncmp(line,"refl ",5)==0)
-            {
-                material->textureReflection = true;
             }
             else
             {