diff --git a/include/osg/DisplaySettings b/include/osg/DisplaySettings
index 060ec6ec9..6821d14e9 100644
--- a/include/osg/DisplaySettings
+++ b/include/osg/DisplaySettings
@@ -310,6 +310,19 @@ class OSG_EXPORT DisplaySettings : public osg::Referenced
         VertexBufferHint getVertexBufferHint() const { return _vertexBufferHint; }
 
 
+        enum ShaderHint
+        {
+            SHADER_NONE,
+            SHADER_GL2,
+            SHADER_GLES2,
+            SHADER_GL3,
+            SHADER_GLES3
+        };
+
+        void setShaderHint(ShaderHint hint) { _shaderHint = hint; }
+        ShaderHint getShaderHint() const { return _shaderHint; }
+
+
         void setKeystoneHint(bool enabled) { _keystoneHint = enabled; }
         bool getKeystoneHint() const { return _keystoneHint; }
 
@@ -323,7 +336,8 @@ class OSG_EXPORT DisplaySettings : public osg::Referenced
         Objects& getKeystones() { return _keystones; }
         const Objects& getKeystones() const { return _keystones; }
 
-        enum OSXMenubarBehavior {
+        enum OSXMenubarBehavior
+        {
             MENUBAR_AUTO_HIDE,
             MENUBAR_FORCE_HIDE,
             MENUBAR_FORCE_SHOW
@@ -400,6 +414,7 @@ class OSG_EXPORT DisplaySettings : public osg::Referenced
         unsigned int                    _syncSwapBuffers;
 
         VertexBufferHint                _vertexBufferHint;
+        ShaderHint                      _shaderHint;
 
         bool                            _keystoneHint;
         FileNames                       _keystoneFileNames;
diff --git a/src/osg/DisplaySettings.cpp b/src/osg/DisplaySettings.cpp
index 0aadd67dd..d17043eec 100644
--- a/src/osg/DisplaySettings.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/DisplaySettings.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include <osg/ApplicationUsage>
 #include <osg/Math>
 #include <osg/Notify>
+#include <osg/GL>
 #include <osg/ref_ptr>
 
 #include <algorithm>
@@ -117,6 +118,7 @@ void DisplaySettings::setDisplaySettings(const DisplaySettings& vs)
     _swapMethod = vs._swapMethod;
 
     _vertexBufferHint = vs._vertexBufferHint;
+    _shaderHint = vs._shaderHint;
 
     _keystoneHint = vs._keystoneHint;
     _keystoneFileNames = vs._keystoneFileNames;
@@ -247,6 +249,24 @@ void DisplaySettings::setDefaults()
     // _vertexBufferHint = VERTEX_BUFFER_OBJECT;
     // _vertexBufferHint = VERTEX_ARRAY_OBJECT;
 
+#if defined(OSG_GLES3_AVAILABLE)
+    _shaderHint = SHADER_GLES3;
+    OSG_NOTICE<<"DisplaySettings::SHADER_GLES3"<<std::endl;
+#elif defined(OSG_GLES2_AVAILABLE)
+    _shaderHint = SHADER_GLES2;
+    OSG_NOTICE<<"DisplaySettings::SHADER_GLES2"<<std::endl;
+#elif defined(OSG_GL3_AVAILABLE)
+    _shaderHint = SHADER_GL3;
+    OSG_NOTICE<<"DisplaySettings::SHADER_GL3"<<std::endl;
+#elif defined(OSG_GL_VERTEX_ARRAY_FUNCS_AVAILABLE)
+    OSG_NOTICE<<"DisplaySettings::SHADER_NONE"<<std::endl;
+    _shaderHint = SHADER_NONE;
+#else
+    OSG_NOTICE<<"DisplaySettings::SHADER_GL2"<<std::endl;
+    _shaderHint = SHADER_GL2;
+#endif
+
+
     _keystoneHint = false;
 
     _OSXMenubarBehavior = MENUBAR_AUTO_HIDE;
@@ -701,6 +721,31 @@ void DisplaySettings::readEnvironmentalVariables()
     }
 
 
+    if ((ptr = getenv("OSG_SHADER_HINT")) != 0)
+    {
+        if (strcmp(ptr,"GL2")==0)
+        {
+            _shaderHint = SHADER_GL2;
+        }
+        else if (strcmp(ptr,"GL3")==0)
+        {
+            _shaderHint = SHADER_GL3;
+        }
+        else if (strcmp(ptr,"GLES2")==0)
+        {
+            _shaderHint = SHADER_GLES2;
+        }
+        else if (strcmp(ptr,"GLES3")==0)
+        {
+            _shaderHint = SHADER_GLES3;
+        }
+        else if (strcmp(ptr,"NONE")==0)
+        {
+            _shaderHint = SHADER_NONE;
+        }
+    }
+
+
     if( (ptr = getenv("OSG_KEYSTONE")) != 0)
     {
         if (strcmp(ptr,"OFF")==0)
diff --git a/src/osg/StateSet.cpp b/src/osg/StateSet.cpp
index c6285bae6..db591c8b3 100644
--- a/src/osg/StateSet.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/StateSet.cpp
@@ -40,13 +40,7 @@
 using namespace osg;
 
 
-#define SHADERS_GL3 (defined(OSG_GL3_AVAILABLE) || defined(OSG_GLES3_AVAILABLE))
-#define SHADERS_GL2 (!defined(OSG_GL_FIXED_FUNCTION_AVAILABLE) && !defined(OSG_GL3_AVAILABLE) && !defined(OSG_GLES3_AVAILABLE))
-#define IS_ES (defined(OSG_GLES2_AVAILABLE) || defined(OSG_GLES3_AVAILABLE))
-
-#if SHADERS_GL3
-
-#if !IS_ES
+#if (!defined(OSG_GLES2_AVAILABLE) && !defined(OSG_GLES3_AVAILABLE))
     #define GLSL_VERSION_STR "330 core"
 #else
     #define GLSL_VERSION_STR "300 es"
@@ -88,10 +82,7 @@ static const char* gl3_FragmentShader = {
     "}\n"
 };
 
-#endif
 
-
-#if SHADERS_GL2
 static const char* gl2_VertexShader = {
     "// gl2_VertexShader\n"
     "#ifdef GL_ES\n"
@@ -120,7 +111,6 @@ static const char* gl2_FragmentShader = {
     "    gl_FragColor = vertexColor * texture2D(baseTexture, texCoord);\n"
     "}\n"
 };
-#endif
 
 
 extern osg::Texture2D* createDefaultTexture()
@@ -702,31 +692,30 @@ void StateSet::setGlobalDefaults()
 
     OSG_INFO<<"void StateSet::setGlobalDefaults()"<<std::endl;
 
-#if SHADERS_GL3
+    osg::DisplaySettings::ShaderHint shaderHint = osg::DisplaySettings::instance()->getShaderHint();
+    if (shaderHint==osg::DisplaySettings::SHADER_GL3 || shaderHint==osg::DisplaySettings::SHADER_GLES3)
+    {
+        OSG_INFO<<"   StateSet::setGlobalDefaults() Setting up GL3 compatible shaders"<<std::endl;
 
-    OSG_INFO<<"   StateSet::setGlobalDefaults() Setting up GL3 compatible shaders"<<std::endl;
-
-    osg::ref_ptr<osg::Program> program = new osg::Program;
-    program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::VERTEX, gl3_VertexShader));
-    program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::FRAGMENT, gl3_FragmentShader));
-    setAttributeAndModes(program.get());
-    setTextureAttribute(0, createDefaultTexture());
-    addUniform(new osg::Uniform("baseTexture", 0));
-
-#elif SHADERS_GL2
-
-    OSG_INFO<<"   StateSet::setGlobalDefaults() Setting up GL2 compatible shaders"<<std::endl;
-
-    osg::ref_ptr<osg::Program> program = new osg::Program;
-    program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::VERTEX, gl2_VertexShader));
-    program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::FRAGMENT, gl2_FragmentShader));
-    setAttributeAndModes(program.get());
-    setTextureAttribute(0, createDefaultTexture());
-    addUniform(new osg::Uniform("baseTexture", 0));
-
-#endif
+        osg::ref_ptr<osg::Program> program = new osg::Program;
+        program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::VERTEX, gl3_VertexShader));
+        program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::FRAGMENT, gl3_FragmentShader));
+        setAttributeAndModes(program.get());
+        setTextureAttribute(0, createDefaultTexture());
+        addUniform(new osg::Uniform("baseTexture", 0));
+    }
+    else if (shaderHint==osg::DisplaySettings::SHADER_GL2 || shaderHint==osg::DisplaySettings::SHADER_GLES2)
+    {
 
+        OSG_INFO<<"   StateSet::setGlobalDefaults() Setting up GL2 compatible shaders"<<std::endl;
 
+        osg::ref_ptr<osg::Program> program = new osg::Program;
+        program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::VERTEX, gl2_VertexShader));
+        program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::FRAGMENT, gl2_FragmentShader));
+        setAttributeAndModes(program.get());
+        setTextureAttribute(0, createDefaultTexture());
+        addUniform(new osg::Uniform("baseTexture", 0));
+    }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/osgText/Font.cpp b/src/osgText/Font.cpp
index d5dc0f8fd..c06392640 100644
--- a/src/osgText/Font.cpp
+++ b/src/osgText/Font.cpp
@@ -32,16 +32,10 @@
 using namespace osgText;
 using namespace std;
 
-#define SHADERS_GL3 (defined(OSG_GL3_AVAILABLE) || defined(OSG_GLES3_AVAILABLE))
-#define SHADERS_GL2 (!defined(OSG_GL_FIXED_FUNCTION_AVAILABLE) && !defined(OSG_GL3_AVAILABLE) && !defined(OSG_GLES3_AVAILABLE))
-#define IS_ES (defined(OSG_GLES2_AVAILABLE) || defined(OSG_GLES3_AVAILABLE))
-
-#if SHADERS_GL3
-
-#if !IS_ES
+#if (!defined(OSG_GLES2_AVAILABLE) && !defined(OSG_GLES3_AVAILABLE))
     #define GLSL_VERSION_STR "330 core"
     #define GLYPH_CMP "r"
-#else 
+#else
     #define GLSL_VERSION_STR "300 es"
     #define GLYPH_CMP "a"
 #endif
@@ -83,10 +77,6 @@ static const char* gl3_TextFragmentShader = {
     "}\n"
 };
 
-#endif
-
-
-#if SHADERS_GL2
 static const char* gl2_TextVertexShader = {
     "// gl2_TextVertexShader\n"
     "#ifdef GL_ES\n"
@@ -116,7 +106,6 @@ static const char* gl2_TextFragmentShader = {
     "    else gl_FragColor = vertexColor;\n"
     "}\n"
 };
-#endif
 
 osg::ref_ptr<Font>& Font::getDefaultFont()
 {
@@ -335,27 +324,32 @@ Font::Font(FontImplementation* implementation):
     _stateset->setTextureMode(0, GL_TEXTURE_2D, osg::StateAttribute::ON);
 #endif
 
-#if SHADERS_GL3
+    osg::DisplaySettings::ShaderHint shaderHint = osg::DisplaySettings::instance()->getShaderHint();
+    if (shaderHint==osg::DisplaySettings::SHADER_GL3 || shaderHint==osg::DisplaySettings::SHADER_GLES3)
+    {
 
-    OSG_INFO<<"Font::Font() Setting up GL3 compatible shaders"<<std::endl;
+        OSG_INFO<<"Font::Font() Setting up GL3 compatible shaders"<<std::endl;
 
-    osg::ref_ptr<osg::Program> program = new osg::Program;
-    program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::VERTEX, gl3_TextVertexShader));
-    program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::FRAGMENT, gl3_TextFragmentShader));
-    _stateset->setAttributeAndModes(program.get());
-    _stateset->addUniform(new osg::Uniform("glyphTexture", 0));
+        osg::ref_ptr<osg::Program> program = new osg::Program;
+        program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::VERTEX, gl3_TextVertexShader));
+        program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::FRAGMENT, gl3_TextFragmentShader));
+        _stateset->setAttributeAndModes(program.get());
+        _stateset->addUniform(new osg::Uniform("glyphTexture", 0));
 
-#elif SHADERS_GL2
+    }
+    else if (shaderHint==osg::DisplaySettings::SHADER_GL2 || shaderHint==osg::DisplaySettings::SHADER_GLES2)
+    {
 
-    OSG_INFO<<"Font::Font() Setting up GL2 compatible shaders"<<std::endl;
 
-    osg::ref_ptr<osg::Program> program = new osg::Program;
-    program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::VERTEX, gl2_TextVertexShader));
-    program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::FRAGMENT, gl2_TextFragmentShader));
-    _stateset->setAttributeAndModes(program.get());
-    _stateset->addUniform(new osg::Uniform("glyphTexture", 0));
+        OSG_INFO<<"Font::Font() Setting up GL2 compatible shaders"<<std::endl;
 
-#endif
+        osg::ref_ptr<osg::Program> program = new osg::Program;
+        program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::VERTEX, gl2_TextVertexShader));
+        program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::FRAGMENT, gl2_TextFragmentShader));
+        _stateset->setAttributeAndModes(program.get());
+        _stateset->addUniform(new osg::Uniform("glyphTexture", 0));
+
+    }
 
     char *ptr;
     if( (ptr = getenv("OSG_MAX_TEXTURE_SIZE")) != 0)
diff --git a/src/osgViewer/StatsHandler.cpp b/src/osgViewer/StatsHandler.cpp
index 6a82943f8..6b56a62db 100644
--- a/src/osgViewer/StatsHandler.cpp
+++ b/src/osgViewer/StatsHandler.cpp
@@ -28,13 +28,14 @@
 namespace osgViewer
 {
 
-#define FIXED_FUNCTION defined(OSG_GL_FIXED_FUNCTION_AVAILABLE)
-#define SHADERS_GL3 (defined(OSG_GL3_AVAILABLE))
-#define SHADERS_GL2 !FIXED_FUNCTION && !SHADERS_GL3
+#if (!defined(OSG_GLES2_AVAILABLE) && !defined(OSG_GLES3_AVAILABLE))
+    #define GLSL_VERSION_STR "330 core"
+#else
+    #define GLSL_VERSION_STR "300 es"
+#endif
 
-#if SHADERS_GL3
 static const char* gl3_StatsVertexShader = {
-    "#version 330 core\n"
+    "#version " GLSL_VERSION_STR "\n"
     "// gl3_StatsVertexShader\n"
     "#ifdef GL_ES\n"
     "    precision highp float;\n"
@@ -51,7 +52,7 @@ static const char* gl3_StatsVertexShader = {
 };
 
 static const char* gl3_StatsFragmentShader = {
-    "#version 330 core\n"
+    "#version " GLSL_VERSION_STR "\n"
     "// gl3_StatsFragmentShader\n"
     "#ifdef GL_ES\n"
     "    precision highp float;\n"
@@ -64,10 +65,6 @@ static const char* gl3_StatsFragmentShader = {
     "}\n"
 };
 
-#endif
-
-
-#if SHADERS_GL2
 static const char* gl2_StatsVertexShader = {
     "// gl2_StatsVertexShader\n"
     "#ifdef GL_ES\n"
@@ -92,7 +89,6 @@ static const char* gl2_StatsFragmentShader = {
     "    gl_FragColor = vertexColor;\n"
     "}\n"
 };
-#endif
 
 StatsHandler::StatsHandler():
     _keyEventTogglesOnScreenStats('s'),
@@ -121,26 +117,31 @@ StatsHandler::StatsHandler():
     _camera->setRenderer(new Renderer(_camera.get()));
     _camera->setProjectionResizePolicy(osg::Camera::FIXED);
 
-#if SHADERS_GL3
+    osg::DisplaySettings::ShaderHint shaderHint = osg::DisplaySettings::instance()->getShaderHint();
+    if (shaderHint==osg::DisplaySettings::SHADER_GL3 || shaderHint==osg::DisplaySettings::SHADER_GLES3)
+    {
 
-    OSG_INFO<<"StatsHandler::StatsHandler() Setting up GL3 compatible shaders"<<std::endl;
+        OSG_INFO<<"StatsHandler::StatsHandler() Setting up GL3 compatible shaders"<<std::endl;
 
-    osg::ref_ptr<osg::Program> program = new osg::Program;
-    program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::VERTEX, gl3_StatsVertexShader));
-    program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::FRAGMENT, gl3_StatsFragmentShader));
-    _camera->getOrCreateStateSet()->setAttributeAndModes(program.get());
+        osg::ref_ptr<osg::Program> program = new osg::Program;
+        program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::VERTEX, gl3_StatsVertexShader));
+        program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::FRAGMENT, gl3_StatsFragmentShader));
+        _camera->getOrCreateStateSet()->setAttributeAndModes(program.get());
+    }
+    else if (shaderHint==osg::DisplaySettings::SHADER_GL2 || shaderHint==osg::DisplaySettings::SHADER_GLES2)
+    {
 
-#elif SHADERS_GL2
+        OSG_INFO<<"StatsHandler::StatsHandler() Setting up GL2 compatible shaders"<<std::endl;
 
-    OSG_INFO<<"StatsHandler::StatsHandler() Setting up GL2 compatible shaders"<<std::endl;
-
-    osg::ref_ptr<osg::Program> program = new osg::Program;
-    program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::VERTEX, gl2_StatsVertexShader));
-    program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::FRAGMENT, gl2_StatsFragmentShader));
-    _camera->getOrCreateStateSet()->setAttributeAndModes(program.get());
-#else
-    OSG_INFO<<"StatsHandler::StatsHandler() Fixed pipeline"<<std::endl;
-#endif
+        osg::ref_ptr<osg::Program> program = new osg::Program;
+        program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::VERTEX, gl2_StatsVertexShader));
+        program->addShader(new osg::Shader(osg::Shader::FRAGMENT, gl2_StatsFragmentShader));
+        _camera->getOrCreateStateSet()->setAttributeAndModes(program.get());
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        OSG_INFO<<"StatsHandler::StatsHandler() Fixed pipeline"<<std::endl;
+    }
 }
 
 void StatsHandler::collectWhichCamerasToRenderStatsFor(osgViewer::ViewerBase* viewer, osgViewer::ViewerBase::Cameras& cameras)