diff --git a/include/osgTerrain/Terrain b/include/osgTerrain/Terrain
index 9186afd0c..c80ef46c3 100644
--- a/include/osgTerrain/Terrain
+++ b/include/osgTerrain/Terrain
@@ -63,6 +63,15 @@ class OSGTERRAIN_EXPORT Terrain : public osg::Group
 
         /** Get the const TerrainTile for a given TileID.*/
         const TerrainTile* getTile(const TileID& tileID) const;
+        
+        /** Set the TerrainTechnique cprototype from which TerrainTiles can clone the techniques from..*/
+        void setTerrainTechniquePrototype(TerrainTechnique* technique);
+
+        /** Get the TerrainTechnique prototype */
+        TerrainTechnique* getTerrainTechniquePrototype() { return _terrainTechnique.get(); }
+        
+        /** Get the const TerrainTechnique protype*/
+        const TerrainTechnique* getTerrainTechniquePrototype() const { return _terrainTechnique.get(); }
 
     protected:
 
@@ -85,7 +94,7 @@ class OSGTERRAIN_EXPORT Terrain : public osg::Group
         TerrainTileSet                      _terrainTileSet;
         TerrainTileMap                      _terrainTileMap;
 
-       
+        osg::ref_ptr<TerrainTechnique>      _terrainTechnique;
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/include/osgTerrain/TerrainTile b/include/osgTerrain/TerrainTile
index 217ab7cc1..616c69392 100644
--- a/include/osgTerrain/TerrainTile
+++ b/include/osgTerrain/TerrainTile
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ class OSGTERRAIN_EXPORT TerrainTile : public osg::Group
         
 
         /** Set the TerrainTechnique*/
-        void setTerrainTechnique(TerrainTechnique* TerrainTechnique);
+        void setTerrainTechnique(TerrainTechnique* terrainTechnique);
 
         /** Get the TerrainTechnique*/
         TerrainTechnique* getTerrainTechnique() { return _terrainTechnique.get(); }
diff --git a/src/osgTerrain/GeometryTechnique.cpp b/src/osgTerrain/GeometryTechnique.cpp
index c82a866c4..1646414bb 100644
--- a/src/osgTerrain/GeometryTechnique.cpp
+++ b/src/osgTerrain/GeometryTechnique.cpp
@@ -43,8 +43,13 @@ GeometryTechnique::GeometryTechnique():
 }
 
 GeometryTechnique::GeometryTechnique(const GeometryTechnique& gt,const osg::CopyOp& copyop):
-    TerrainTechnique(gt,copyop)
+    TerrainTechnique(gt,copyop),
+    _currentReadOnlyBuffer(1),
+    _currentWriteBuffer(0)
 {
+    setFilterBias(gt._filterBias);
+    setFilterWidth(gt._filterWidth);
+    setFilterMatrix(gt._filterMatrix);
 }
 
 GeometryTechnique::~GeometryTechnique()
diff --git a/src/osgTerrain/Terrain.cpp b/src/osgTerrain/Terrain.cpp
index f5b5057c6..cf6d26675 100644
--- a/src/osgTerrain/Terrain.cpp
+++ b/src/osgTerrain/Terrain.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 */
 
 #include <osgTerrain/Terrain>
+#include <osgTerrain/GeometryTechnique>
+
 #include <OpenThreads/ScopedLock>
 
 using namespace osg;
@@ -21,12 +23,14 @@ Terrain::Terrain():
     _sampleRatio(1.0),
     _verticalScale(1.0)
 {
+    _terrainTechnique = new GeometryTechnique;
 }
 
 Terrain::Terrain(const Terrain& ts, const osg::CopyOp& copyop):
     osg::Group(ts,copyop),
     _sampleRatio(ts._sampleRatio),
-    _verticalScale(ts._verticalScale)
+    _verticalScale(ts._verticalScale),
+    _terrainTechnique(ts._terrainTechnique)
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/src/osgTerrain/TerrainTile.cpp b/src/osgTerrain/TerrainTile.cpp
index 6a9bed43e..283d6eec7 100644
--- a/src/osgTerrain/TerrainTile.cpp
+++ b/src/osgTerrain/TerrainTile.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 
 #include <osgTerrain/TerrainTile>
 #include <osgTerrain/Terrain>
+#include <osgTerrain/GeometryTechnique>
 
 #include <osg/ClusterCullingCallback>
 
@@ -113,7 +114,9 @@ void TerrainTile::traverse(osg::NodeVisitor& nv)
                 }
             }
         }
-            
+        
+        init();
+                    
         _hasBeenTraversal = true;
     }
 
@@ -138,6 +141,19 @@ void TerrainTile::traverse(osg::NodeVisitor& nv)
 
 void TerrainTile::init()
 {
+    if (!_terrainTechnique)
+    {        
+        if (_terrain && _terrain->getTerrainTechniquePrototype())
+        {            
+            osg::ref_ptr<osg::Object> object = _terrain->getTerrainTechniquePrototype()->clone(osg::CopyOp::DEEP_COPY_ALL);
+            setTerrainTechnique(dynamic_cast<TerrainTechnique*>(object.get()));
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            setTerrainTechnique(new GeometryTechnique);
+        }
+    }
+
     if (_terrainTechnique.valid() && getDirty())
     {
         _terrainTechnique->init();