diff --git a/components/shader/shadervisitor.cpp b/components/shader/shadervisitor.cpp
index 92bdac7b7..a05988f61 100644
--- a/components/shader/shadervisitor.cpp
+++ b/components/shader/shadervisitor.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ namespace Shader
         , mColorMaterial(false)
         , mVertexColorMode(GL_AMBIENT_AND_DIFFUSE)
         , mMaterialOverridden(false)
+        , mNormalHeight(false)
         , mTexStageRequiringTangents(-1)
     {
     }
@@ -120,6 +121,12 @@ namespace Shader
                         if ((texName.empty() || !isTextureNameRecognized(texName)) && unit == 0)
                             texName = "diffuseMap";
 
+                        if (texName == "normalHeightMap")
+                        {
+                            mRequirements.back().mNormalHeight = true;
+                            texName = "normalMap";
+                        }
+
                         if (!texName.empty())
                         {
                             mRequirements.back().mTextures[unit] = texName;
@@ -133,9 +140,9 @@ namespace Shader
                                 writableStateSet->setTextureMode(unit, GL_TEXTURE_2D, osg::StateAttribute::ON);
                                 normalMap = texture;
                             }
-                            if (texName == "diffuseMap")
+                            else if (texName == "diffuseMap")
                                 diffuseMap = texture;
-                            if (texName == "specularMap")
+                            else if (texName == "specularMap")
                                 specularMap = texture;
                         }
                         else
@@ -147,10 +154,28 @@ namespace Shader
             if (mAutoUseNormalMaps && diffuseMap != NULL && normalMap == NULL)
             {
                 std::string normalMap = diffuseMap->getImage(0)->getFileName();
-                boost::replace_last(normalMap, ".", mNormalMapPattern + ".");
-                if (mImageManager.getVFS()->exists(normalMap))
+
+                osg::ref_ptr<osg::Image> image;
+                bool normalHeight = false;
+                std::string normalHeightMap = normalMap;
+                boost::replace_last(normalHeightMap, ".", mNormalHeightMapPattern + ".");
+                if (mImageManager.getVFS()->exists(normalHeightMap))
+                {
+                    image = mImageManager.getImage(normalHeightMap);
+                    normalHeight = true;
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    boost::replace_last(normalMap, ".", mNormalMapPattern + ".");
+                    if (mImageManager.getVFS()->exists(normalMap))
+                    {
+                        image = mImageManager.getImage(normalMap);
+                    }
+                }
+
+                if (image)
                 {
-                    osg::ref_ptr<osg::Texture2D> normalMapTex (new osg::Texture2D(mImageManager.getImage(normalMap)));
+                    osg::ref_ptr<osg::Texture2D> normalMapTex (new osg::Texture2D(image));
                     normalMapTex->setWrap(osg::Texture::WRAP_S, diffuseMap->getWrap(osg::Texture::WRAP_S));
                     normalMapTex->setWrap(osg::Texture::WRAP_T, diffuseMap->getWrap(osg::Texture::WRAP_T));
                     normalMapTex->setFilter(osg::Texture::MIN_FILTER, diffuseMap->getFilter(osg::Texture::MIN_FILTER));
@@ -165,6 +190,7 @@ namespace Shader
                     mRequirements.back().mTextures[unit] = "normalMap";
                     mRequirements.back().mTexStageRequiringTangents = unit;
                     mRequirements.back().mShaderRequired = true;
+                    mRequirements.back().mNormalHeight = normalHeight;
                 }
             }
             if (mAutoUseSpecularMaps && diffuseMap != NULL && specularMap == NULL)
diff --git a/components/shader/shadervisitor.hpp b/components/shader/shadervisitor.hpp
index 682a9c60f..8f4597ff3 100644
--- a/components/shader/shadervisitor.hpp
+++ b/components/shader/shadervisitor.hpp
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ namespace Shader
         void setAutoUseNormalMaps(bool use);
 
         void setNormalMapPattern(const std::string& pattern);
+        void setNormalHeightMapPattern(const std::string& pattern);
 
         void setAutoUseSpecularMaps(bool use);
 
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ namespace Shader
 
         bool mAutoUseNormalMaps;
         std::string mNormalMapPattern;
+        std::string mNormalHeightMapPattern;
 
         bool mAutoUseSpecularMaps;
         std::string mSpecularMapPattern;
@@ -83,6 +85,7 @@ namespace Shader
             // osg::Material::ColorMode
             int mVertexColorMode;
             bool mMaterialOverridden;
+            bool mNormalHeight; // true if normal map has height info in alpha channel
 
             // -1 == no tangents required
             int mTexStageRequiringTangents;