diff --git a/include/osg/ImpostorSprite b/include/osg/ImpostorSprite
index 70fc9f455..a7d7bebbb 100644
--- a/include/osg/ImpostorSprite
+++ b/include/osg/ImpostorSprite
@@ -198,7 +198,10 @@ class SG_EXPORT ImpostorSpriteManager : public Referenced
         void remove(ImpostorSprite* is);
         
         ImpostorSprite* createOrReuseImpostorSprite(int s,int t,int frameNumber);
-    
+
+        StateSet* createOrReuseStateSet();
+
+        void reset();
     
     protected:
 
@@ -210,6 +213,10 @@ class SG_EXPORT ImpostorSpriteManager : public Referenced
 
         ImpostorSprite*     _first;
         ImpostorSprite*     _last;
+        
+        typedef std::vector< ref_ptr<StateSet> > StateSetList;
+        StateSetList        _stateSetList;
+        unsigned int        _reuseStateSetIndex;
 
 
 };
diff --git a/include/osgUtil/CullVisitor b/include/osgUtil/CullVisitor
index 8f8addedd..76f45c4ad 100644
--- a/include/osgUtil/CullVisitor
+++ b/include/osgUtil/CullVisitor
@@ -244,8 +244,6 @@ class OSGUTIL_EXPORT CullVisitor : public osg::NodeVisitor, public osg::CullStac
         osg::ref_ptr<RenderStage>                                   _rootRenderStage;        
         RenderBin*                                                  _currentRenderBin;
 
-        osg::ref_ptr<osg::StateSet>                                 _localPreRenderState;
-
         ComputeNearFarMode  _computeNearFar;
         float               _computed_znear;
         float               _computed_zfar;
diff --git a/src/osg/ImpostorSprite.cpp b/src/osg/ImpostorSprite.cpp
index 7a2c41008..7b6b9eb67 100644
--- a/src/osg/ImpostorSprite.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/ImpostorSprite.cpp
@@ -163,6 +163,8 @@ ImpostorSpriteManager::ImpostorSpriteManager():
 
     _alphafunc = new osg::AlphaFunc;
     _alphafunc->setFunction( AlphaFunc::GREATER, 0.000f );
+    
+    _reuseStateSetIndex = 0;
 }
 
 
@@ -305,3 +307,18 @@ ImpostorSprite* ImpostorSpriteManager::createOrReuseImpostorSprite(int s,int t,i
 
 }
 
+StateSet* ImpostorSpriteManager::createOrReuseStateSet()
+{
+    if (_reuseStateSetIndex<_stateSetList.size())
+    {
+        return _stateSetList[_reuseStateSetIndex++].get();
+    }
+    _stateSetList.push_back(new StateSet);
+    _reuseStateSetIndex=_stateSetList.size();
+    return _stateSetList.back().get();
+}
+
+void ImpostorSpriteManager::reset()
+{
+    _reuseStateSetIndex = 0;
+}
diff --git a/src/osgUtil/CullVisitor.cpp b/src/osgUtil/CullVisitor.cpp
index ce7039c84..e6009d39a 100644
--- a/src/osgUtil/CullVisitor.cpp
+++ b/src/osgUtil/CullVisitor.cpp
@@ -142,6 +142,8 @@ void CullVisitor::reset()
         (*itr)->reset();
     }
     
+    if (_impostorSpriteManager.valid()) _impostorSpriteManager->reset();
+    
 }
 
 float CullVisitor::getDistanceToEyePoint(const Vec3& pos, bool withLODScale) const
@@ -802,9 +804,9 @@ ImpostorSprite* CullVisitor::createImpostorSprite(Impostor& node)
     // into account the new camera orientation.
     pushModelViewMatrix(rotate_matrix);
 
-    if (!_localPreRenderState) _localPreRenderState = new StateSet;
+    StateSet* localPreRenderState = _impostorSpriteManager->createOrReuseStateSet();
 
-    pushStateSet(_localPreRenderState.get());
+    pushStateSet(localPreRenderState);
 
     {
 
@@ -888,7 +890,7 @@ ImpostorSprite* CullVisitor::createImpostorSprite(Impostor& node)
     new_viewport->setViewport(center_x-new_s/2,center_y-new_t/2,new_s,new_t);
     rtts->setViewport(new_viewport);
     
-    _localPreRenderState->setAttribute(new_viewport);
+    localPreRenderState->setAttribute(new_viewport);
 
     // create the impostor sprite.
     ImpostorSprite* impostorSprite = 
@@ -912,7 +914,7 @@ ImpostorSprite* CullVisitor::createImpostorSprite(Impostor& node)
         // the depth sort bin should probably be user definable,
         // will look into this later. RO July 2001.
         StateSet* stateset = impostorSprite->getStateSet();
-        stateset->setRenderBinDetails(1,"DepthSortedBin");
+        stateset->setRenderBinDetails(10,"DepthSortedBin");
     }
     
     Texture2D* texture = impostorSprite->getTexture();