diff --git a/examples/osgmovie/osgmovie.cpp b/examples/osgmovie/osgmovie.cpp
index a1969a0bb..f90994e35 100644
--- a/examples/osgmovie/osgmovie.cpp
+++ b/examples/osgmovie/osgmovie.cpp
@@ -250,6 +250,8 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
         if (arguments.isString(i))
         {
             osg::Image* image = osgDB::readImageFile(arguments[i]);
+            osg::ImageStream* imagestream = dynamic_cast<osg::ImageStream*>(image);
+            if (imagestream) imagestream->play();
             geode->addDrawable(createTexturedQuadGeometry(pos,image->s(),image->t(),image));
             geode->getOrCreateStateSet()->setMode(GL_LIGHTING,osg::StateAttribute::OFF);
             
diff --git a/src/osgDB/ReadFile.cpp b/src/osgDB/ReadFile.cpp
index 992b2b840..e5d472f59 100644
--- a/src/osgDB/ReadFile.cpp
+++ b/src/osgDB/ReadFile.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include <osg/Notify>
 #include <osg/Object>
 #include <osg/Image>
+#include <osg/ImageStream>
 #include <osg/Node>
 #include <osg/Group>
 #include <osg/Geode>
@@ -121,6 +122,17 @@ Node* osgDB::readNodeFiles(osg::ArgumentParser& arguments,const ReaderWriter::Op
         if (image.valid()) nodeList.push_back(osg::createGeodeForImage(image.get()));
     }
 
+    while (arguments.read("--movie",filename))
+    {
+        osg::ref_ptr<osg::Image> image = readImageFile(filename.c_str(), options);
+        osg::ref_ptr<osg::ImageStream> imageStream = dynamic_cast<osg::ImageStream*>(image.get());
+        if (image.valid())
+        {
+            imageStream->play();
+            nodeList.push_back(osg::createGeodeForImage(imageStream.get()));
+        }
+    }
+
     while (arguments.read("--dem",filename))
     {
         osg::HeightField* hf = readHeightFieldFile(filename.c_str(), options);
diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/mpeg/ReaderWriterMPEG.cpp b/src/osgPlugins/mpeg/ReaderWriterMPEG.cpp
index 07a615033..46c378648 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/mpeg/ReaderWriterMPEG.cpp
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/mpeg/ReaderWriterMPEG.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ class ReaderWriterMPEG : public osgDB::ReaderWriter
             if (fileName.empty()) return ReadResult::FILE_NOT_FOUND;
 
             osg::MpegImageStream* mpeg = new osg::MpegImageStream(fileName.c_str());
-            mpeg->play();
+            // mpeg->play();
             
             return mpeg;
         }
diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/quicktime/ReaderWriterQT.cpp b/src/osgPlugins/quicktime/ReaderWriterQT.cpp
index 33c2a2dcf..de62a1a18 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/quicktime/ReaderWriterQT.cpp
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/quicktime/ReaderWriterQT.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ class ReaderWriterQT : public osgDB::ReaderWriter
                 // state on the ImageStream... will integrated as is right now
                 // to get things off the ground.
                 osg::QuicktimeImageStream* moov = new osg::QuicktimeImageStream(fileName);
-                moov->play();
+                // moov->play();
                 return moov;
             }
 
diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/xine/ReaderWriterXine.cpp b/src/osgPlugins/xine/ReaderWriterXine.cpp
index c860da104..ac83245ba 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/xine/ReaderWriterXine.cpp
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/xine/ReaderWriterXine.cpp
@@ -69,18 +69,24 @@ class XineImageStream : public osg::ImageStream
              
             _ready = false;
 
-            xine_play(_stream, 0, 0);
+            // play();
 
-            // imageStream->play();
-
-            while (!_ready)
-            {
-                osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"waiting..."<<std::endl;
-                usleep(10000);
-            }
         }
 
-        virtual void play() { _status=PLAYING; }
+        virtual void play()
+        {
+            if (_status!=PLAYING)
+            {
+                osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"XineImageStream::play()"<<std::endl;
+                xine_play(_stream, 0, 0);
+                while (!_ready)
+                {
+                    osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"waiting..."<<std::endl;
+                    usleep(10000);
+                }
+            }
+            _status=PLAYING;
+        }
 
         virtual void pause() { _status=PAUSED; }