diff --git a/simgear/scene/material/Effect.cxx b/simgear/scene/material/Effect.cxx
index 72f5fba1..994adeab 100644
--- a/simgear/scene/material/Effect.cxx
+++ b/simgear/scene/material/Effect.cxx
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@
 #include <simgear/scene/util/StateAttributeFactory.hxx>
 #include <simgear/structure/OSGUtils.hxx>
 #include <simgear/structure/SGExpression.hxx>
+#include <simgear/props/props_io.hxx>
 #include <simgear/props/vectorPropTemplates.hxx>
 #include <simgear/threads/SGThread.hxx>
 #include <simgear/threads/SGGuard.hxx>
@@ -245,11 +246,12 @@ int Effect::getGenerator(Effect::Generator what) const
 
 // There should always be a valid technique in an effect.
 
-Technique* Effect::chooseTechnique(RenderInfo* info)
+Technique* Effect::chooseTechnique(RenderInfo* info, const std::string &scheme)
 {
     BOOST_FOREACH(ref_ptr<Technique>& technique, techniques)
     {
-        if (technique->valid(info) == Technique::VALID)
+        if (technique->valid(info) == Technique::VALID &&
+            technique->getScheme() == scheme)
             return technique.get();
     }
     return 0;
@@ -1308,6 +1310,7 @@ void buildTechnique(Effect* effect, const SGPropertyNode* prop,
 {
     Technique* tniq = new Technique;
     effect->techniques.push_back(tniq);
+    tniq->setScheme(prop->getStringValue("scheme"));
     const SGPropertyNode* predProp = prop->getChild("predicate");
     if (!predProp) {
         tniq->setAlwaysValid(true);
@@ -1411,12 +1414,60 @@ bool makeParametersFromStateSet(SGPropertyNode* effectRoot, const StateSet* ss)
     return true;
 }
 
+SGPropertyNode_ptr schemeList;
+
+void mergeSchemesFallbacks(Effect *effect, const SGReaderWriterOptions *options)
+{
+    if (!schemeList) {
+        schemeList = new SGPropertyNode;
+        const string schemes_file("Effects/schemes.xml");
+        string absFileName
+            = SGModelLib::findDataFile(schemes_file, options);
+        if (absFileName.empty()) {
+            SG_LOG(SG_INPUT, SG_ALERT, "Could not find '" << schemes_file << "'");
+            return;
+        }
+        try {
+            readProperties(absFileName, schemeList, 0, true);
+        } catch (sg_io_exception& e) {
+            SG_LOG(SG_INPUT, SG_ALERT, "Error reading '" << schemes_file <<
+                   "': " << e.getFormattedMessage());
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+
+    PropertyList p_schemes = schemeList->getChildren("scheme");
+    for (const auto &p_scheme : p_schemes) {
+        string scheme_name   = p_scheme->getStringValue("name");
+        string fallback_name = p_scheme->getStringValue("fallback");
+        if (scheme_name.empty() || fallback_name.empty())
+            continue;
+        vector<SGPropertyNode_ptr> techniques = effect->root->getChildren("technique");
+        auto it = std::find_if(techniques.begin(), techniques.end(),
+                               [&scheme_name](const SGPropertyNode_ptr &tniq) {
+                                   return tniq->getStringValue("scheme") == scheme_name;
+                               });
+        // Only merge the fallback effect if we haven't found a technique
+        // implementing the scheme
+        if (it == techniques.end()) {
+            ref_ptr<Effect> fallback = makeEffect(fallback_name, false, options);
+            if (fallback) {
+                SGPropertyNode *new_root = new SGPropertyNode;
+                mergePropertyTrees(new_root, effect->root, fallback->root);
+                effect->root = new_root;
+                effect->parametersProp = effect->root->getChild("parameters");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 // Walk the techniques property tree, building techniques and
 // passes.
 static SGMutex  realizeTechniques_lock;
 bool Effect::realizeTechniques(const SGReaderWriterOptions* options)
 {
     SGGuard<SGMutex> g(realizeTechniques_lock);
+    mergeSchemesFallbacks(this, options);
 
     if (_isRealized)
         return true;
diff --git a/simgear/scene/material/Effect.hxx b/simgear/scene/material/Effect.hxx
index 56a84769..496805a2 100644
--- a/simgear/scene/material/Effect.hxx
+++ b/simgear/scene/material/Effect.hxx
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ public:
     SGPropertyNode_ptr root;
     // Pointer to the parameters node, if it exists
     SGPropertyNode_ptr parametersProp;
-    Technique* chooseTechnique(osg::RenderInfo* renderInfo);
+    Technique* chooseTechnique(osg::RenderInfo* renderInfo, const std::string &scheme);
     virtual void resizeGLObjectBuffers(unsigned int maxSize);
     virtual void releaseGLObjects(osg::State* state = 0) const;
     /**
diff --git a/simgear/scene/material/EffectCullVisitor.cxx b/simgear/scene/material/EffectCullVisitor.cxx
index a016a455..36c31653 100644
--- a/simgear/scene/material/EffectCullVisitor.cxx
+++ b/simgear/scene/material/EffectCullVisitor.cxx
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ namespace simgear
 
 using osgUtil::CullVisitor;
 
-EffectCullVisitor::EffectCullVisitor(bool collectLights, Effect *effectOverride) :
+EffectCullVisitor::EffectCullVisitor(bool collectLights, const std::string &effScheme) :
     _collectLights(collectLights),
-    _effectOverride(effectOverride)
+    _effScheme(effScheme)
 {
 }
 
@@ -62,18 +62,12 @@ void EffectCullVisitor::apply(osg::Geode& node)
     if (_collectLights && ( eg->getNodeMask() & MODELLIGHT_BIT ) ) {
         _lightList.push_back( eg );
     }
-    Effect *effect;
-    if (_effectOverride) {
-        effect = _effectOverride;
-    } else {
-        effect = eg->getEffect();
-        if (!effect) {
-            CullVisitor::apply(node);
-            return;
-        }
-    }
+    Effect* effect = eg->getEffect();
     Technique* technique = 0;
-    if (!(technique = effect->chooseTechnique(&getRenderInfo()))) {
+    if (!effect) {
+        CullVisitor::apply(node);
+        return;
+    } else if (!(technique = effect->chooseTechnique(&getRenderInfo(), _effScheme))) {
         return;
     }
     // push the node's state.
diff --git a/simgear/scene/material/EffectCullVisitor.hxx b/simgear/scene/material/EffectCullVisitor.hxx
index ef93baa3..340ce7c7 100644
--- a/simgear/scene/material/EffectCullVisitor.hxx
+++ b/simgear/scene/material/EffectCullVisitor.hxx
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class EffectGeode;
 class EffectCullVisitor : public osgUtil::CullVisitor
 {
 public:
-    EffectCullVisitor(bool collectLights = false, Effect *effectOverride = 0);
+    EffectCullVisitor(bool collectLights = false, const std::string &effScheme = "");
     EffectCullVisitor(const EffectCullVisitor&);
     virtual osgUtil::CullVisitor* clone() const;
     using osgUtil::CullVisitor::apply;
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ private:
     std::map<std::string,osg::ref_ptr<osg::Texture2D> > _bufferList;
     std::vector<osg::ref_ptr<EffectGeode> > _lightList;
     bool _collectLights;
-    osg::ref_ptr<Effect> _effectOverride;
+    std::string _effScheme;
 };
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/simgear/scene/material/Technique.hxx b/simgear/scene/material/Technique.hxx
index b2895cd1..6cca0a05 100644
--- a/simgear/scene/material/Technique.hxx
+++ b/simgear/scene/material/Technique.hxx
@@ -98,6 +98,8 @@ public:
     void setGLExtensionsPred(float glVersion,
                              const std::vector<std::string>& extensions);
     void refreshValidity();
+    const std::string &getScheme() const { return _scheme; }
+    void setScheme(const std::string &scheme) { _scheme = scheme; }
 protected:
     // Validity of technique in a graphics context.
     struct ContextInfo : public osg::Referenced
@@ -117,6 +119,7 @@ protected:
     osg::ref_ptr<osg::StateSet> _shadowingStateSet;
     SGSharedPtr<SGExpressionb> _validExpression;
     int _contextIdLocation;
+    std::string _scheme;
 };
 
 class TechniquePredParser : public expression::ExpressionParser
diff --git a/simgear/scene/viewer/Compositor.cxx b/simgear/scene/viewer/Compositor.cxx
index a86385b6..8d3bd9b7 100644
--- a/simgear/scene/viewer/Compositor.cxx
+++ b/simgear/scene/viewer/Compositor.cxx
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ Compositor::addPass(Pass *pass)
         identifier = sceneView->getCullVisitor()->getIdentifier();
 
         sceneView->setCullVisitor(
-            new EffectCullVisitor(false, pass->effect_override));
+            new EffectCullVisitor(false, pass->effect_scheme));
         sceneView->getCullVisitor()->setIdentifier(identifier.get());
 
         identifier = sceneView->getCullVisitorLeft()->getIdentifier();
diff --git a/simgear/scene/viewer/CompositorPass.cxx b/simgear/scene/viewer/CompositorPass.cxx
index df28dfdf..939cc7b6 100644
--- a/simgear/scene/viewer/CompositorPass.cxx
+++ b/simgear/scene/viewer/CompositorPass.cxx
@@ -67,10 +67,7 @@ PassBuilder::build(Compositor *compositor, const SGPropertyNode *root,
                << " has no name. It won't be addressable by name!");
     }
     pass->type = root->getStringValue("type");
-
-    std::string eff_override_file = root->getStringValue("effect-override");
-    if (!eff_override_file.empty())
-        pass->effect_override = makeEffect(eff_override_file, true, options);
+    pass->effect_scheme = root->getStringValue("effect-scheme");
 
     osg::Camera *camera = new Camera;
     pass->camera = camera;
diff --git a/simgear/scene/viewer/CompositorPass.hxx b/simgear/scene/viewer/CompositorPass.hxx
index 09fe86f1..d8e26fa8 100644
--- a/simgear/scene/viewer/CompositorPass.hxx
+++ b/simgear/scene/viewer/CompositorPass.hxx
@@ -57,9 +57,8 @@ struct Pass : public osg::Referenced {
     int                              render_order;
     std::string                      name;
     std::string                      type;
+    std::string                      effect_scheme;
     osg::ref_ptr<osg::Camera>        camera;
-    /** If null, there is no effect override for this pass. */
-    osg::ref_ptr<Effect>             effect_override;
     bool                             useMastersSceneData;
     osg::Node::NodeMask              cull_mask;
     /** Whether the cull mask is ANDed with the view master camera cull mask. */