diff --git a/include/osg/Texture b/include/osg/Texture
index a4f744f68..eb4131374 100644
--- a/include/osg/Texture
+++ b/include/osg/Texture
@@ -654,6 +654,11 @@ class OSG_EXPORT Texture : public osg::StateAttribute
 
         class TextureObject;
 
+
+        /** return true if the texture image data has been modified and the associated GL texture object needs to be updated.*/
+        virtual bool isDirty(unsigned int /*contextID*/) const { return false; }
+
+
         /** Returns a pointer to the TextureObject for the current context. */
         inline TextureObject* getTextureObject(unsigned int contextID) const
         {
diff --git a/include/osg/Texture1D b/include/osg/Texture1D
index f70f5a1b6..a8d75ea97 100644
--- a/include/osg/Texture1D
+++ b/include/osg/Texture1D
@@ -64,6 +64,11 @@ class OSG_EXPORT Texture1D : public Texture
         /** Gets the const texture image. */
         inline const Image* getImage() const { return _image.get(); }
 
+
+        /** return true if the texture image data has been modified and the associated GL texture object needs to be updated.*/
+        virtual bool isDirty(unsigned int contextID) const { return (_image.valid() && _image->getModifiedCount()!=_modifiedCount[contextID]); }
+
+
         inline unsigned int& getModifiedCount(unsigned int contextID) const
         {
             // get the modified count for the current contextID.
diff --git a/include/osg/Texture2D b/include/osg/Texture2D
index 5aa24301e..654c82be1 100644
--- a/include/osg/Texture2D
+++ b/include/osg/Texture2D
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ class OSG_EXPORT Texture2D : public Texture
         /** Gets the const texture image. */
         inline const Image* getImage() const { return _image.get(); }
 
+        /** return true if the texture image data has been modified and the associated GL texture object needs to be updated.*/
+        virtual bool isDirty(unsigned int contextID) const { return (_image.valid() && _image->getModifiedCount()!=_modifiedCount[contextID]); }
+
         inline unsigned int& getModifiedCount(unsigned int contextID) const
         {
             // get the modified count for the current contextID.
diff --git a/include/osg/Texture2DArray b/include/osg/Texture2DArray
index e410cd8f1..5565d5e02 100644
--- a/include/osg/Texture2DArray
+++ b/include/osg/Texture2DArray
@@ -63,6 +63,16 @@ class OSG_EXPORT Texture2DArray : public Texture
          */
         virtual unsigned int getNumImages() const { return _images.size(); }
 
+        /** return true if the texture image data has been modified and the associated GL texture object needs to be updated.*/
+        virtual bool isDirty(unsigned int contextID) const
+        {
+            for(unsigned int i=0; i<_images.size(); ++i)
+            {
+                if (_images[i].valid() && _images[i]->getModifiedCount()!=_modifiedCount[i][contextID]) return true;
+            }
+            return false;
+        }
+
         /** Check how often was a certain layer in the given context modified */
         inline unsigned int& getModifiedCount(unsigned int layer, unsigned int contextID) const
         {
diff --git a/include/osg/Texture3D b/include/osg/Texture3D
index f1ebfda4e..0ee67db08 100644
--- a/include/osg/Texture3D
+++ b/include/osg/Texture3D
@@ -61,6 +61,9 @@ class OSG_EXPORT Texture3D : public Texture
         /** Gets the const texture image. */
         inline const Image* getImage() const { return _image.get(); }
 
+        /** return true if the texture image data has been modified and the associated GL texture object needs to be updated.*/
+        virtual bool isDirty(unsigned int contextID) const { return (_image.valid() && _image->getModifiedCount()!=_modifiedCount[contextID]); }
+
         inline unsigned int& getModifiedCount(unsigned int contextID) const
         {
             // get the modified count for the current contextID.
diff --git a/include/osg/TextureBuffer b/include/osg/TextureBuffer
index 7a5c603c6..437e62c0b 100644
--- a/include/osg/TextureBuffer
+++ b/include/osg/TextureBuffer
@@ -51,7 +51,10 @@ class OSG_EXPORT TextureBuffer : public Texture
         /** Gets the const texture image. */
         inline const Image* getImage() const { return dynamic_cast<Image*>(_bufferData.get() ); }
 
-         inline unsigned int & getModifiedCount(unsigned int contextID) const
+        /** return true if the texture image data has been modified and the associated GL texture object needs to be updated.*/
+        virtual bool isDirty(unsigned int contextID) const { return (_bufferData.valid() && _bufferData->getModifiedCount()!=_modifiedCount[contextID]); }
+
+        inline unsigned int & getModifiedCount(unsigned int contextID) const
         {
             // get the modified count for the current contextID.
             return _modifiedCount[contextID];
diff --git a/include/osg/TextureCubeMap b/include/osg/TextureCubeMap
index 3ab3f8929..c212d679f 100644
--- a/include/osg/TextureCubeMap
+++ b/include/osg/TextureCubeMap
@@ -60,6 +60,18 @@ class OSG_EXPORT TextureCubeMap : public Texture
         /** Get the number of images that can be assigned to the Texture. */
         virtual unsigned int getNumImages() const { return 6; }
 
+
+        /** return true if the texture image data has been modified and the associated GL texture object needs to be updated.*/
+        virtual bool isDirty(unsigned int contextID) const
+        {
+            return  (_images[0].valid() && _images[0]->getModifiedCount()!=_modifiedCount[0][contextID]) ||
+                    (_images[1].valid() && _images[1]->getModifiedCount()!=_modifiedCount[1][contextID]) ||
+                    (_images[2].valid() && _images[2]->getModifiedCount()!=_modifiedCount[2][contextID]) ||
+                    (_images[3].valid() && _images[3]->getModifiedCount()!=_modifiedCount[3][contextID]) ||
+                    (_images[4].valid() && _images[4]->getModifiedCount()!=_modifiedCount[4][contextID]) ||
+                    (_images[5].valid() && _images[5]->getModifiedCount()!=_modifiedCount[5][contextID]);
+        }
+
         inline unsigned int& getModifiedCount(unsigned int face,unsigned int contextID) const
         {
             // get the modified count for the current contextID.
diff --git a/include/osg/TextureRectangle b/include/osg/TextureRectangle
index f389523e3..68b6f48e9 100644
--- a/include/osg/TextureRectangle
+++ b/include/osg/TextureRectangle
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ class OSG_EXPORT TextureRectangle : public Texture
         /** Get the const texture image. */
         inline const Image* getImage() const { return _image.get(); }
 
+        /** return true if the texture image data has been modified and the associated GL texture object needs to be updated.*/
+        virtual bool isDirty(unsigned int contextID) const { return (_image.valid() && _image->getModifiedCount()!=_modifiedCount[contextID]); }
+
         inline unsigned int& getModifiedCount(unsigned int contextID) const
         {
             // get the modified count for the current contextID.