diff --git a/simgear/scene/model/SGText.cxx b/simgear/scene/model/SGText.cxx
index 21fc0c8f..0f3c705c 100644
--- a/simgear/scene/model/SGText.cxx
+++ b/simgear/scene/model/SGText.cxx
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@
 #include <simgear/math/SGMath.hxx>
 #include <simgear/misc/sg_path.hxx>
 #include <simgear/misc/strutils.hxx>
+#include <simgear/scene/material/Effect.hxx>
+#include <simgear/scene/material/EffectGeode.hxx>
+#include <simgear/scene/util/SGReaderWriterOptions.hxx>
 
 #include <osg/Geode>
 #include <osg/MatrixTransform>
@@ -92,9 +95,16 @@ osg::Node * SGText::appendText(const SGPropertyNode* configNode,
   SGConstPropertyNode_ptr p;
 
   osgText::Text * text = new osgText::Text();
-  osg::Geode * g = new osg::Geode;
+  simgear::EffectGeode * g = new simgear::EffectGeode;
   g->addDrawable( text );
 
+  SGPropertyNode_ptr effectProp = new SGPropertyNode;
+  makeChild(effectProp, "inherits-from")->setStringValue("Effects/text-default");
+  simgear::Effect* effect = simgear::makeEffect(
+    effectProp, true, dynamic_cast<const simgear::SGReaderWriterOptions*>(options));
+  if (effect)
+    g->setEffect(effect);
+
   SGPath path("Fonts" );
   path.append( configNode->getStringValue( "font", "Helvetica" ));
   text->setFont( path.utf8Str() );