diff --git a/simgear/scene/tgdb/ReaderWriterSTG.cxx b/simgear/scene/tgdb/ReaderWriterSTG.cxx
index 46f73ba9..4a79e8ec 100644
--- a/simgear/scene/tgdb/ReaderWriterSTG.cxx
+++ b/simgear/scene/tgdb/ReaderWriterSTG.cxx
@@ -586,7 +586,7 @@ struct ReaderWriterSTG::_ModelBin {
             i->_elev += elevation(*terrainGroup, SGGeod::fromDeg(i->_lon, i->_lat));
         }
 
-        if (_objectStaticList.empty() && _signList.empty()) {
+        if (_objectStaticList.empty() && _signList.empty() && (_buildingListList.size() == 0)) {
             // The simple case, just return the terrain group
             return terrainGroup.release();
         } else {