diff --git a/simgear/scene/model/SGReaderWriterXML.cxx b/simgear/scene/model/SGReaderWriterXML.cxx
index 4c6304ac..3cc13eb9 100644
--- a/simgear/scene/model/SGReaderWriterXML.cxx
+++ b/simgear/scene/model/SGReaderWriterXML.cxx
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ using namespace std;
 using namespace simgear;
 using namespace osg;
 
-static osg::Node *
+static std::tuple<int, osg::Node *>
 sgLoad3DModel_internal(const SGPath& path,
                        const osgDB::Options* options,
                        SGPropertyNode *overlay = 0);
@@ -88,8 +88,10 @@ SGReaderWriterXML::readNode(const std::string& name,
         if (!p.exists()) {
           return ReadResult::FILE_NOT_FOUND;
         }
-        
-        result=sgLoad3DModel_internal(p, options);
+
+        static std::tuple<int, osg::Node *> retval;
+        int num_anims;
+        std::tie(num_anims, result) = sgLoad3DModel_internal(p, options);
     } catch (const sg_exception &t) {
         SG_LOG(SG_INPUT, SG_ALERT, "Failed to load model: " << t.getFormattedMessage()
           << "\n\tfrom:" << fileName);
@@ -160,13 +162,13 @@ void makeEffectAnimations(PropertyList& animation_nodes,
         SGPropertyNode* typeProp = animProp->getChild("type");
         if (!typeProp)
             continue;
-        
+
         const char* typeString = typeProp->getStringValue();
         if (!strcmp(typeString, "material")) {
             effectProp
                 = SGMaterialAnimation::makeEffectProperties(animProp);
         } else if (!strcmp(typeString, "shader")) {
-            
+
             SGPropertyNode* shaderProp = animProp->getChild("shader");
             if (!shaderProp || strcmp(shaderProp->getStringValue(), "chrome"))
                 continue;
@@ -215,7 +217,7 @@ private:
     osg::Node::NodeMask nodeMaskSet;
     osg::Node::NodeMask nodeMaskClear;
 };
-    
+
 }
 
 namespace {
@@ -229,7 +231,7 @@ namespace {
             return (typeString == "pick") || (typeString == "knob") || (typeString == "slider") || (typeString == "touch");
         }
     };
-    
+
     bool removeNamedNode(osg::Group* aGroup, const std::string& aName)
     {
         int nKids = aGroup->getNumChildren();
@@ -240,28 +242,28 @@ namespace {
                 return true;
             }
         }
-        
+
         for (int i = 0; i < nKids; i++) {
             osg::Group* childGroup = aGroup->getChild(i)->asGroup();
             if (!childGroup)
                 continue;
-            
+
             if (removeNamedNode(childGroup, aName))
                 return true;
         } // of child groups traversal
-        
+
         return false;
     }
 }
 
-static osg::Node *
+static std::tuple<int, osg::Node *>
 sgLoad3DModel_internal(const SGPath& path,
                        const osgDB::Options* dbOptions,
                        SGPropertyNode *overlay)
 {
     if (!path.exists()) {
       SG_LOG(SG_INPUT, SG_ALERT, "Failed to load file: \"" << path << "\"");
-      return NULL;
+      return std::make_tuple(0, (osg::Node *) NULL);
     }
 
     osg::ref_ptr<SGReaderWriterOptions> options;
@@ -270,19 +272,20 @@ sgLoad3DModel_internal(const SGPath& path,
     SGPath modelpath(path);
     SGPath texturepath(path);
     SGPath modelDir(modelpath.dir());
-    
+    int animationcount = 0;
+
     SGSharedPtr<SGPropertyNode> prop_root = options->getPropertyNode();
     if (!prop_root.valid())
         prop_root = new SGPropertyNode;
     // The model data appear to be only used in the topmost model
     osg::ref_ptr<SGModelData> data = options->getModelData();
     options->setModelData(0);
-    
+
     osg::ref_ptr<osg::Node> model;
     osg::ref_ptr<osg::Group> group;
     SGPropertyNode_ptr props = new SGPropertyNode;
     bool previewMode = (dbOptions->getPluginStringData("SimGear::PREVIEW") == "ON");
-    
+
     // Check for an XML wrapper
     if (modelpath.extension() == "xml") {
        try {
@@ -296,9 +299,9 @@ sgLoad3DModel_internal(const SGPath& path,
             copyProperties(overlay, props);
 
         if (previewMode && props->hasChild("nopreview")) {
-            return NULL;
+            return std::make_tuple(0, (osg::Node *) NULL);
         }
-        
+
         if (props->hasValue("/path")) {
             string modelPathStr = props->getStringValue("/path");
             modelpath = SGModelLib::findDataFile(modelPathStr, NULL, modelDir);
@@ -399,9 +402,9 @@ sgLoad3DModel_internal(const SGPath& path,
 
         SGPath submodelpath;
         osg::ref_ptr<osg::Node> submodel;
-        
+
         string subPathStr = sub_props->getStringValue("path");
-        SGPath submodelPath = SGModelLib::findDataFile(subPathStr, 
+        SGPath submodelPath = SGModelLib::findDataFile(subPathStr,
           NULL, modelDir);
 
         if (submodelPath.isNull()) {
@@ -419,14 +422,16 @@ sgLoad3DModel_internal(const SGPath& path,
         }
 
         try {
-            submodel = sgLoad3DModel_internal(submodelPath, options.get(),
+            int num_anims;
+            std::tie(num_anims, submodel) = sgLoad3DModel_internal(submodelPath, options.get(),
                                               sub_props->getNode("overlay"));
+            animationcount += num_anims;
         } catch (const sg_exception &t) {
             SG_LOG(SG_INPUT, SG_ALERT, "Failed to load submodel: " << t.getFormattedMessage()
               << "\n\tfrom:" << t.getOrigin());
             continue;
         }
-        
+
         if (!submodel)
             continue;
 
@@ -491,7 +496,7 @@ sgLoad3DModel_internal(const SGPath& path,
             if (i==0) {
                 if (!texturepath.extension().empty())
                     texturepath = texturepath.dir();
-                
+
                 options2->setDatabasePath(texturepath.local8BitStr());
             }
             group->addChild(Particles::appendParticles(particle_nodes[i],
@@ -510,13 +515,13 @@ sgLoad3DModel_internal(const SGPath& path,
 
     PropertyList effect_nodes = props->getChildren("effect");
     PropertyList animation_nodes = props->getChildren("animation");
-    
+
     if (previewMode) {
         PropertyList::iterator it;
         it = std::remove_if(animation_nodes.begin(), animation_nodes.end(), ExcludeInPreview());
         animation_nodes.erase(it, animation_nodes.end());
     }
-    
+
     // Some material animations (eventually all) are actually effects.
     makeEffectAnimations(animation_nodes, effect_nodes);
     {
@@ -543,13 +548,15 @@ sgLoad3DModel_internal(const SGPath& path,
         /// OSGFIXME: duh, why not only model?????
         SGAnimation::animate(modelData);
     }
-    
+
+    animationcount += animation_nodes.size();
+
     if (!needTransform && group->getNumChildren() < 2) {
         model = group->getChild(0);
         group->removeChild(model.get());
         if (data.valid())
             data->modelLoaded(modelpath.utf8Str(), props, model.get());
-        return model.release();
+        return std::make_tuple(animationcount, model.release());
     }
     if (data.valid())
         data->modelLoaded(modelpath.utf8Str(), props, group.get());
@@ -559,6 +566,7 @@ sgLoad3DModel_internal(const SGPath& path,
         osgDB::writeNodeFile(*group, outputfile);
     }
 
-    return group.release();
-}
+    SG_LOG(SG_GENERAL, SG_DEBUG, "Model " << path << " animation count: " << animationcount);
 
+    return std::make_tuple(animationcount, group.release());
+}