diff --git a/include/osgViewer/StatsHandler b/include/osgViewer/StatsHandler
index cbd1dd8d0..5fb1d7eb2 100644
--- a/include/osgViewer/StatsHandler
+++ b/include/osgViewer/StatsHandler
@@ -34,6 +34,12 @@ class StatsHandler : public osgGA::GUIEventHandler
             SCENE_STATS = 3,
             LAST = 4
         };
+        
+        void setKeyEventTogglesOnScreenStats(int key) { _keyEventTogglesOnScreenStats = key; }
+        int getKeyEventTogglesOnScreenStats() const { return _keyEventTogglesOnScreenStats; }
+        
+        void setKeyEventPrintsOutStats(int key) { _keyEventPrintsOutStats = key; }
+        int getKeyEventPrintsOutStats() const { return _keyEventPrintsOutStats; }
 
         bool handle(const osgGA::GUIEventAdapter& ea, osgGA::GUIActionAdapter& aa);
 
@@ -53,6 +59,9 @@ class StatsHandler : public osgGA::GUIEventHandler
 
         void setUpScene(osgViewer::Viewer* viewer);
 
+        int                             _keyEventTogglesOnScreenStats;
+        int                             _keyEventPrintsOutStats;
+
         int                             _statsType;
         osg::ref_ptr<osg::Camera>       _camera;
         osg::ref_ptr<osg::Switch>       _switch;
diff --git a/src/osgViewer/StatsHandler.cpp b/src/osgViewer/StatsHandler.cpp
index e5a2c89ff..14792e640 100644
--- a/src/osgViewer/StatsHandler.cpp
+++ b/src/osgViewer/StatsHandler.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ namespace osgViewer
 {
 
 StatsHandler::StatsHandler():
+    _keyEventTogglesOnScreenStats('s'),
+    _keyEventPrintsOutStats('S'),
     _statsType(NO_STATS),
     _frameRateChildNum(0),
     _viewerChildNum(0),
@@ -35,7 +37,7 @@ bool StatsHandler::handle(const osgGA::GUIEventAdapter& ea, osgGA::GUIActionAdap
     {
         case(osgGA::GUIEventAdapter::KEYDOWN):
         {
-            if (ea.getKey()=='s')
+            if (ea.getKey()==_keyEventTogglesOnScreenStats)
             {
                 if (viewer->getStats())
                 {
@@ -83,7 +85,7 @@ bool StatsHandler::handle(const osgGA::GUIEventAdapter& ea, osgGA::GUIActionAdap
                 }
                 return true;
             }
-            if (ea.getKey()=='S')
+            if (ea.getKey()==_keyEventPrintsOutStats)
             {
                 if (viewer->getStats())
                 {