diff --git a/direct/src/showbase/OnScreenDebug.py b/direct/src/showbase/OnScreenDebug.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..42b1cf5426
--- /dev/null
+++ b/direct/src/showbase/OnScreenDebug.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+
+
+from PandaModules import *
+
+import OnscreenText
+import DirectUtil
+
+class OnScreenDebug:
+    def __init__(self):
+        fontPath = config.GetString("on-screen-debug-font", "cmtt12")
+        fontScale = config.GetFloat("on-screen-debug-font-scale", 0.05)
+        font = loader.loadFont(fontPath)
+        if not font.isValid():
+            print "failed to load OnScreenDebug font", fontPath
+            font = TextNode.getDefaultFont()
+        self.onScreenText = OnscreenText.OnscreenText(
+                pos = (-1.0, 0.9), bg=Vec4(1,1,1,0.85),
+                scale = (fontScale, fontScale, 0.0), align = TextNode.ALeft,
+                mayChange = 1, font = font)
+        # Make sure readout is never lit or drawn in wireframe
+        DirectUtil.useDirectRenderStyle(self.onScreenText)
+        self.frame = 0
+        self.text = ""
+        self.data = {}
+
+    def render(self):
+        self.onScreenText.clearText()
+        for k, v in self.data.items():
+            if v[0] == self.frame:
+                # It was updated this frame (key equals value):
+                #isNew = " is"
+                isNew = "="
+            else:
+                # This data is not for the current 
+                # frame (key roughly equals value):
+                #isNew = "was"
+                isNew = "~"
+            self.onScreenText.appendText("%20s %s %-44s\n"%(k, isNew, v[1]))
+        self.onScreenText.appendText(self.text)
+        self.frame += 1
+
+    def clear(self):
+        self.text = ""
+        self.onScreenText.clearText()
+
+    def add(self, key, value):
+        self.data[key] = (self.frame, value)
+        return 1 # to allow assert(onScreenDebug.add("foo", bar))
+
+    def remove(self, key):
+        del self.data[key]
+
+    def append(self, text):
+        self.text += text