diff --git a/release/scripts/startup/bl_ui/space_userpref.py b/release/scripts/startup/bl_ui/space_userpref.py
index 2e9448cca27..7804a1a3c93 100644
--- a/release/scripts/startup/bl_ui/space_userpref.py
+++ b/release/scripts/startup/bl_ui/space_userpref.py
@@ -438,6 +438,8 @@ class USERPREF_PT_system(bpy.types.Panel):
         col.label(text="OpenGL:")
         col.prop(system, "gl_clip_alpha", slider=True)
         col.prop(system, "use_mipmaps")
+        col.label(text="Anisotropic Filtering")
+        col.prop(system, "anisotropic_filter", text="")
         col.prop(system, "use_vertex_buffer_objects")
         #Anti-aliasing is disabled as it breaks broder/lasso select
         #col.prop(system, "use_antialiasing")
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/interface/resources.c b/source/blender/editors/interface/resources.c
index 6527e0140b8..3f825762d74 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/interface/resources.c
+++ b/source/blender/editors/interface/resources.c
@@ -1580,6 +1580,8 @@ void init_userdef_do_versions(void)
 		U.dragthreshold= 5;
 	if (U.widget_unit==0)
 		U.widget_unit= (U.dpi * 20 + 36)/72;
+	if (U.anisotropic_filter <= 0)
+		U.anisotropic_filter = 1;
 
 	/* funny name, but it is GE stuff, moves userdef stuff to engine */
 // XXX	space_set_commmandline_options();
diff --git a/source/blender/gpu/GPU_draw.h b/source/blender/gpu/GPU_draw.h
index 18a6f1ba73d..d75b8db2c4e 100644
--- a/source/blender/gpu/GPU_draw.h
+++ b/source/blender/gpu/GPU_draw.h
@@ -112,6 +112,11 @@ void GPU_set_mipmap(int mipmap);
 void GPU_set_linear_mipmap(int linear);
 void GPU_paint_set_mipmap(int mipmap);
 
+/* Anisotropic filtering settings
+ * - these will free textures on changes */
+void GPU_set_anisotropic(float value);
+float GPU_get_anisotropic(void);
+
 /* Image updates and free
  * - these deal with images bound as opengl textures */
 
diff --git a/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_draw.c b/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_draw.c
index 7dfbc52819e..87d25ac850a 100644
--- a/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_draw.c
+++ b/source/blender/gpu/intern/gpu_draw.c
@@ -246,8 +246,9 @@ static struct GPUTextureState {
 	int domipmap, linearmipmap;
 
 	int alphamode;
+	float anisotropic;
 	MTFace *lasttface;
-} GTS = {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, NULL, NULL, 1, 0, -1, NULL};
+} GTS = {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, NULL, NULL, 1, 0, -1, 1.f, NULL};
 
 /* Mipmap settings */
 
@@ -292,6 +293,26 @@ static GLenum gpu_get_mipmap_filter(int mag)
 	}
 }
 
+/* Anisotropic filtering settings */
+void GPU_set_anisotropic(float value)
+{
+	if (GTS.anisotropic != value)
+	{
+		GPU_free_images();
+
+		/* Clamp value to the maximum value the graphics card supports */
+		if (value > GL_MAX_TEXTURE_MAX_ANISOTROPY_EXT)
+			value = GL_MAX_TEXTURE_MAX_ANISOTROPY_EXT;
+
+		GTS.anisotropic = value;
+	}
+}
+
+float GPU_get_anisotropic()
+{
+	return GTS.anisotropic;
+}
+
 /* Set OpenGL state for an MTFace */
 
 static void gpu_make_repbind(Image *ima)
@@ -559,6 +580,8 @@ int GPU_verify_image(Image *ima, ImageUser *iuser, int tftile, int compare, int
 		ima->tpageflag |= IMA_MIPMAP_COMPLETE;
 	}
 
+	if (GLEW_EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic)
+		glTexParameterf(GL_TEXTURE_2D, GL_TEXTURE_MAX_ANISOTROPY_EXT, GPU_get_anisotropic());
 	/* set to modulate with vertex color */
 	glTexEnvi(GL_TEXTURE_ENV, GL_TEXTURE_ENV_MODE, GL_MODULATE);
 		
diff --git a/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_userdef_types.h b/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_userdef_types.h
index 907710ae4cd..ae57cf3f80b 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_userdef_types.h
+++ b/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_userdef_types.h
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ typedef struct UserDef {
 	short scrcastwait;		/* milliseconds between screencast snapshots */
 	
 	short widget_unit;		/* defaults to 20 for 72 DPI setting */
-	short pad[3];			
+	short anisotropic_filter;
 
 	char versemaster[160];
 	char verseuser[160];
@@ -385,7 +385,6 @@ typedef struct UserDef {
 	short autokey_flag;		/* flags for autokeying */
 	
 	short text_render, pad9;		/*options for text rendering*/
-	float pad10;
 
 	struct ColorBand coba_weight;	/* from texture.h */
 
diff --git a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_userdef.c b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_userdef.c
index 14af5ed7a3f..cf371fbf9bc 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_userdef.c
+++ b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_userdef.c
@@ -117,6 +117,12 @@ static void rna_userdef_mipmap_update(Main *bmain, Scene *scene, PointerRNA *ptr
 	rna_userdef_update(bmain, scene, ptr);
 }
 
+static void rna_userdef_anisotropic_update(Main *bmain, Scene *scene, PointerRNA *ptr)
+{
+	GPU_set_anisotropic(U.anisotropic_filter);
+	rna_userdef_update(bmain, scene, ptr);
+}
+
 static void rna_userdef_gl_texture_limit_update(Main *bmain, Scene *scene, PointerRNA *ptr)
 {
 	GPU_free_images();
@@ -2346,6 +2352,14 @@ static void rna_def_userdef_system(BlenderRNA *brna)
 		{128, "CLAMP_128", 0, "128", ""},
 		{0, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL}};
 
+	static EnumPropertyItem anisotropic_items[]  ={
+		{1, "FILTER_0", 0, "Off", ""},
+		{2, "FILTER_2", 0, "2x", ""},
+		{4, "FILTER_4", 0, "4x", ""},
+		{8, "FILTER_8", 0, "8x", ""},
+		{16, "FILTER_16", 0, "16x", ""},
+		{0, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL}};
+
 	static EnumPropertyItem audio_mixing_samples_items[] = {
 		{256, "SAMPLES_256", 0, "256", "Set audio mixing buffer size to 256 samples"},
 		{512, "SAMPLES_512", 0, "512", "Set audio mixing buffer size to 512 samples"},
@@ -2568,6 +2582,13 @@ static void rna_def_userdef_system(BlenderRNA *brna)
 	prop= RNA_def_property(srna, "use_antialiasing", PROP_BOOLEAN, PROP_NONE);
 	RNA_def_property_boolean_negative_sdna(prop, NULL, "gameflags", USER_DISABLE_AA);
 	RNA_def_property_ui_text(prop, "Anti-aliasing", "Use anti-aliasing for the 3D view (may impact redraw performance)");
+
+	prop= RNA_def_property(srna, "anisotropic_filter", PROP_ENUM, PROP_NONE);
+	RNA_def_property_enum_sdna(prop, NULL, "anisotropic_filter");
+	RNA_def_property_enum_items(prop, anisotropic_items);
+	RNA_def_property_enum_default(prop, 1);
+	RNA_def_property_ui_text(prop, "Anisotropic Filter", "The quality of the anisotropic filtering (values greater than 1.0 enable anisotropic filtering)");
+	RNA_def_property_update(prop, 0, "rna_userdef_anisotropic_update");
 	
 	prop= RNA_def_property(srna, "gl_texture_limit", PROP_ENUM, PROP_NONE);
 	RNA_def_property_enum_sdna(prop, NULL, "glreslimit");
diff --git a/source/blender/windowmanager/intern/wm_init_exit.c b/source/blender/windowmanager/intern/wm_init_exit.c
index 2a733bf28a9..c61db1d653e 100644
--- a/source/blender/windowmanager/intern/wm_init_exit.c
+++ b/source/blender/windowmanager/intern/wm_init_exit.c
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ void WM_init(bContext *C, int argc, const char **argv)
 	if (!G.background) {
 		GPU_extensions_init();
 		GPU_set_mipmap(!(U.gameflags & USER_DISABLE_MIPMAP));
+		GPU_set_anisotropic(U.anisotropic_filter);
 	
 		UI_init();
 	}
diff --git a/source/gameengine/GamePlayer/ghost/GPG_ghost.cpp b/source/gameengine/GamePlayer/ghost/GPG_ghost.cpp
index 121f38eef02..31e4b223ff2 100644
--- a/source/gameengine/GamePlayer/ghost/GPG_ghost.cpp
+++ b/source/gameengine/GamePlayer/ghost/GPG_ghost.cpp
@@ -450,6 +450,9 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 	U.audioformat = 0x24;
 	U.audiochannels = 2;
 
+	// XXX this one too
+	U.anisotropic_filter = 2;
+
 	sound_init_once();
 
 	/* if running blenderplayer the last argument can't be parsed since it has to be the filename. */
@@ -705,6 +708,8 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 		{
 			GPU_set_mipmap(0);
 		}
+
+		GPU_set_anisotropic(U.anisotropic_filter);
 		
 		// Create the system
 		if (GHOST_ISystem::createSystem() == GHOST_kSuccess)
diff --git a/source/gameengine/Ketsji/BL_Texture.cpp b/source/gameengine/Ketsji/BL_Texture.cpp
index d2438a66367..a306e059442 100644
--- a/source/gameengine/Ketsji/BL_Texture.cpp
+++ b/source/gameengine/Ketsji/BL_Texture.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #define spit(x) std::cout << x << std::endl;
 
 #include "MEM_guardedalloc.h"
+#include "GPU_draw.h"
 
 extern "C" {
 	// envmaps
@@ -175,6 +176,8 @@ void BL_Texture::InitGLTex(unsigned int *pix,int x,int y,bool mipmap)
 		glTexImage2D( GL_TEXTURE_2D, 0, GL_RGBA, x, y, 0, GL_RGBA, GL_UNSIGNED_BYTE, pix );
 	}
 
+	if (GLEW_EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic)
+		glTexParameterf(GL_TEXTURE_2D, GL_TEXTURE_MAX_ANISOTROPY_EXT, GPU_get_anisotropic());
 	glTexEnvi(GL_TEXTURE_ENV, GL_TEXTURE_ENV_MODE, GL_MODULATE);
 }
 
@@ -199,6 +202,9 @@ void BL_Texture::InitNonPow2Tex(unsigned int *pix,int x,int y,bool mipmap)
 		glTexParameteri(GL_TEXTURE_2D, GL_TEXTURE_MAG_FILTER, GL_LINEAR);
 		glTexImage2D( GL_TEXTURE_2D, 0, GL_RGBA, nx, ny, 0, GL_RGBA, GL_UNSIGNED_BYTE, newPixels );
 	}
+
+	if (GLEW_EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic)
+		glTexParameterf(GL_TEXTURE_2D, GL_TEXTURE_MAX_ANISOTROPY_EXT, GPU_get_anisotropic());
 	glTexEnvi(GL_TEXTURE_ENV, GL_TEXTURE_ENV_MODE, GL_MODULATE);
 	free(newPixels);
 }