diff --git a/examples/osgshadow/osgshadow.cpp b/examples/osgshadow/osgshadow.cpp
index 2d4341a9b..2967cea26 100644
--- a/examples/osgshadow/osgshadow.cpp
+++ b/examples/osgshadow/osgshadow.cpp
@@ -837,6 +837,9 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
         unsigned int unit=1;
         if (arguments.read("--unit",unit)) vdsm->setBaseShadowTextureUnit(unit);
         
+        double n=0.0;
+        if (arguments.read("-n",n)) vdsm->setMinimumShadowMapNearFarRatio(n);
+
         shadowedScene->setShadowTechnique(vdsm.get());
     }
     else if ( arguments.read("--lispsm") ) 
diff --git a/include/osgShadow/ViewDependentShadowMap b/include/osgShadow/ViewDependentShadowMap
index e8285da0a..af7dcf111 100644
--- a/include/osgShadow/ViewDependentShadowMap
+++ b/include/osgShadow/ViewDependentShadowMap
@@ -168,6 +168,10 @@ class OSGSHADOW_EXPORT ViewDependentShadowMap : public ShadowTechnique
         void setShadowMapProjectionHint(ShadowMapProjectionHint hint) { _shadowMapProjectionHint = hint; }
         ShadowMapProjectionHint getShadowMapProjectionHint() const { return _shadowMapProjectionHint; }
 
+        void setMinimumShadowMapNearFarRatio(double ratio) { _minimumShadowMapNearFarRatio = ratio; }
+        double getMinimumShadowMapNearFarRatio() const { return _minimumShadowMapNearFarRatio; }
+        
+
         virtual void createShaders();
 
         virtual bool selectActiveLights(osgUtil::CullVisitor* cv, ViewDependentData* vdd) const;
@@ -210,6 +214,7 @@ protected:
         osg::ref_ptr<osg::Program>              _program;
 
         ShadowMapProjectionHint                 _shadowMapProjectionHint;
+        double                                  _minimumShadowMapNearFarRatio;
         bool                                    _debugDraw;
         
 };
diff --git a/src/osgShadow/ViewDependentShadowMap.cpp b/src/osgShadow/ViewDependentShadowMap.cpp
index 04b7d1c83..729158e4d 100644
--- a/src/osgShadow/ViewDependentShadowMap.cpp
+++ b/src/osgShadow/ViewDependentShadowMap.cpp
@@ -522,8 +522,9 @@ void ViewDependentShadowMap::ViewDependentData::releaseGLObjects(osg::State* sta
 //
 ViewDependentShadowMap::ViewDependentShadowMap():
     ShadowTechnique(),
-    _baseShadowTextureUnit(1),
+    _baseShadowTextureUnit(1),    
     _shadowMapProjectionHint(PERSPECTIVE_SHADOW_MAP),
+    _minimumShadowMapNearFarRatio(0.01),
     _debugDraw(false)
 {
     _shadowRecievingPlaceholderStateSet = new osg::StateSet;
@@ -533,6 +534,7 @@ ViewDependentShadowMap::ViewDependentShadowMap(const ViewDependentShadowMap& vds
     ShadowTechnique(vdsm,copyop),
     _baseShadowTextureUnit(vdsm._baseShadowTextureUnit),
     _shadowMapProjectionHint(vdsm._shadowMapProjectionHint),
+    _minimumShadowMapNearFarRatio(vdsm._minimumShadowMapNearFarRatio),
     _debugDraw(vdsm._debugDraw)
 {
     _shadowRecievingPlaceholderStateSet = new osg::StateSet;
@@ -1581,7 +1583,7 @@ bool ViewDependentShadowMap::adjustPerspectiveShadowMapCameraSettings(osgUtil::R
     double alpha = osg::DegreesToRadians(30.0);
     double n = tan(alpha)*tan(osg::PI_2-gamma_v)*tan(osg::PI_2-gamma_v);
     //double n = tan(alpha)*tan(osg::PI_2-gamma_v);
-    double min_n = osg::maximum(-1.0-eye_ls.y(), 0.01);
+    double min_n = osg::maximum(-1.0-eye_ls.y(), _minimumShadowMapNearFarRatio);
     if (n<min_n)
     {
         OSG_INFO<<"Clamping n to eye point"<<std::endl;