diff --git a/simgear/sound/sample_openal.cxx b/simgear/sound/sample_openal.cxx
index d2242d3c..77f0737a 100644
--- a/simgear/sound/sample_openal.cxx
+++ b/simgear/sound/sample_openal.cxx
@@ -80,9 +80,8 @@ SGSoundSample::SGSoundSample( const char *path, const char *file,
     SG_LOG( SG_GENERAL, SG_DEBUG, "From file sounds sample = "
             << samplepath.str() );
 
-    ALuint error;
-
-    source_pos[0] = 0.0; source_pos[1] = 0.0; source_pos[2] = 0.0;
+   source_pos[0] = 0.0; source_pos[1] = 0.0; source_pos[2] = 0.0;
+    offset_pos[0] = 0.0; offset_pos[1] = 0.0; offset_pos[2] = 0.0;
     source_vel[0] = 0.0; source_vel[1] = 0.0; source_vel[2] = 0.0;
 
     // clear errors from elsewhere?
@@ -90,7 +89,7 @@ SGSoundSample::SGSoundSample( const char *path, const char *file,
 
     // create an OpenAL buffer handle
     alGenBuffers(1, &buffer);
-    error = alGetError();
+    ALuint error = alGetError();
     if ( error != AL_NO_ERROR ) {
         print_openal_error( error );
         throw sg_exception("Failed to gen OpenAL buffer.");
@@ -152,11 +151,17 @@ SGSoundSample::SGSoundSample( unsigned char *_data, int len, int _freq ) :
     sample_name = "unknown, generated from data";
 
     source_pos[0] = 0.0; source_pos[1] = 0.0; source_pos[2] = 0.0;
+    offset_pos[0] = 0.0; offset_pos[1] = 0.0; offset_pos[2] = 0.0;
     source_vel[0] = 0.0; source_vel[1] = 0.0; source_vel[2] = 0.0;
 
+    // clear errors from elsewhere?
+    alGetError();
+
     // Load wav data into a buffer.
     alGenBuffers(1, &buffer);
-    if (alGetError() != AL_NO_ERROR) {
+    ALuint error = alGetError();
+    if ( error != AL_NO_ERROR ) {
+        print_openal_error( error );
         throw sg_exception("Failed to gen buffer." );
         return;
     }
diff --git a/simgear/sound/sample_openal.hxx b/simgear/sound/sample_openal.hxx
index e0488979..a7bfe03f 100644
--- a/simgear/sound/sample_openal.hxx
+++ b/simgear/sound/sample_openal.hxx
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@
 # include <AL/alut.h>
 #endif
 
+#include <plib/sg.h>
+
 #include <simgear/debug/logstream.hxx>
 
 SG_USING_STD(string);
@@ -70,6 +72,9 @@ private:
     // Position of the source sound.
     ALfloat source_pos[3];
 
+    // A constant offset to be applied to the final source_pos
+    ALfloat offset_pos[3];
+
     // Velocity of the source sound.
     ALfloat source_vel[3];
 
@@ -85,6 +90,7 @@ private:
     double max_dist;
     ALboolean loop;
 
+
 public:
 
     /**
@@ -199,7 +205,26 @@ public:
         source_pos[0] = pos[0];
         source_pos[1] = pos[1];
         source_pos[2] = pos[2];
-        alSourcefv( source, AL_POSITION, source_pos );
+
+        sgVec3 final_pos;
+        sgAddVec3( final_pos, source_pos, offset_pos );
+
+        alSourcefv( source, AL_POSITION, final_pos );
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Set "constant" offset position of sound source (uses same
+     * coordinate system as opengl)
+     */
+    inline void set_offset_pos( ALfloat *pos ) {
+        offset_pos[0] = pos[0];
+        offset_pos[1] = pos[1];
+        offset_pos[2] = pos[2];
+
+        sgVec3 final_pos;
+        sgAddVec3( final_pos, source_pos, offset_pos );
+
+        alSourcefv( source, AL_POSITION, final_pos );
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/simgear/sound/xmlsound.cxx b/simgear/sound/xmlsound.cxx
index 3899be7c..58be2356 100644
--- a/simgear/sound/xmlsound.cxx
+++ b/simgear/sound/xmlsound.cxx
@@ -235,6 +235,18 @@ SGXmlSound::init(SGPropertyNode *root, SGPropertyNode *node, SGSoundMgr *sndmgr,
       p += pitch.offset;
    }
 
+   //
+   // Relative position
+   //
+   sgVec3 offset_pos;
+   sgSetVec3( offset_pos, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0 );
+   SGPropertyNode_ptr pos = node->getChild("position");
+   if ( pos != NULL ) {
+       offset_pos[0] = pos->getDoubleValue("x", 0.0);
+       offset_pos[1] = pos->getDoubleValue("y", 0.0);
+       offset_pos[2] = pos->getDoubleValue("z", 0.0);
+   }
+
    //
    // Initialize the sample
    //
@@ -247,6 +259,7 @@ SGXmlSound::init(SGPropertyNode *root, SGPropertyNode *node, SGSoundMgr *sndmgr,
        _mgr->add( _sample, _name );
    }
 
+   _sample->set_offset_pos( offset_pos );
    _sample->set_volume(v);
    _sample->set_reference_dist( reference_dist );
    _sample->set_max_dist( max_dist );