diff --git a/simgear/bvh/BVHMaterial.cxx b/simgear/bvh/BVHMaterial.cxx
deleted file mode 100644
index 5a9eb7a5..00000000
--- a/simgear/bvh/BVHMaterial.cxx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright (C) 2008 - 2012  Mathias Froehlich - Mathias.Froehlich@web.de
-//
-// This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
-// modify it under the terms of the GNU Library General Public
-// License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
-// version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
-//
-// This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
-// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
-// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
-// Library General Public License for more details.
-//
-// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
-// along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
-// Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301, USA.
-//
-
-#include <simgear_config.h>
-
-#include "BVHMaterial.hxx"
-
-namespace simgear {
-
-BVHMaterial::BVHMaterial() :
-    _solid(true),
-    _friction_factor(1),
-    _rolling_friction(0.02),
-    _bumpiness(0),
-    _load_resistance(1e30)
-{
-}
-
-BVHMaterial::~BVHMaterial()
-{
-}
-
-}
diff --git a/simgear/bvh/BVHMaterial.hxx b/simgear/bvh/BVHMaterial.hxx
index 90c4d381..7131637a 100644
--- a/simgear/bvh/BVHMaterial.hxx
+++ b/simgear/bvh/BVHMaterial.hxx
@@ -19,19 +19,24 @@
 #define BVHMaterial_hxx
 
 #include <simgear/structure/SGReferenced.hxx>
+#include <simgear/props/props.hxx>
+
+#include <cstdio>
 
 namespace simgear {
 
 class BVHMaterial : public SGReferenced {
 public:
-    BVHMaterial();
-    virtual ~BVHMaterial();
+    BVHMaterial() = default;
+    virtual ~BVHMaterial() = default;
 
     /**
      * Return if the surface material is solid, if it is not solid, a fluid
      * can be assumed, that is usually water.
      */
-    bool get_solid () const { return _solid; }
+    bool get_solid () const {
+      return _solid_is_prop ? _solid_property->getBoolValue() : _solid;
+    }
     
     /**
      * Get the friction factor for that material
@@ -55,21 +60,26 @@ public:
 
 protected:    
     // True if the material is solid, false if it is a fluid
-    bool _solid;
+    bool _solid = true;
     
     // the friction factor of that surface material
-    double _friction_factor;
+    double _friction_factor = 1.0;
     
     // the rolling friction of that surface material
-    double _rolling_friction;
+    double _rolling_friction = 0.02;
     
     // the bumpiness of that surface material
-    double _bumpiness;
+    double _bumpiness = 0.0;
     
     // the load resistance of that surface material
-    double _load_resistance;
+    double _load_resistance = 1e30;
+
+    // Placeholder for the solid property, if defined
+    SGPropertyNode_ptr _solid_property;
+    bool _solid_is_prop = false;
 };
 
+
 }
 
-#endif
+#,endif
diff --git a/simgear/bvh/CMakeLists.txt b/simgear/bvh/CMakeLists.txt
index d3e32915..96157bd9 100644
--- a/simgear/bvh/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/simgear/bvh/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ set(SOURCES
     BVHStaticNode.cxx
     BVHStaticTriangle.cxx
     BVHSubTreeCollector.cxx
-    BVHMaterial.cxx
     BVHTransform.cxx
 )
 
diff --git a/simgear/scene/material/mat.cxx b/simgear/scene/material/mat.cxx
index 9531d983..99a92cfb 100644
--- a/simgear/scene/material/mat.cxx
+++ b/simgear/scene/material/mat.cxx
@@ -385,7 +385,13 @@ SGMaterial::read_properties(const SGReaderWriterOptions* options,
     }
 
     // surface values for use with ground reactions
-    _solid = props->getBoolValue("solid", _solid);
+    string propval = props->getStringValue("solid/property", "");
+    if (propval != "") {
+        _solid_property = prop_root->getNode(propval, true);
+        _solid_is_prop  =true;
+    } else {
+        _solid = props->getBoolValue("solid", _solid);
+    }
     _friction_factor = props->getDoubleValue("friction-factor", _friction_factor);
     _rolling_friction = props->getDoubleValue("rolling-friction", _rolling_friction);
     _bumpiness = props->getDoubleValue("bumpiness", _bumpiness);