diff --git a/panda/src/pnmimage/pnmImage.I b/panda/src/pnmimage/pnmImage.I
index bcd533c74c..0213df23aa 100644
--- a/panda/src/pnmimage/pnmImage.I
+++ b/panda/src/pnmimage/pnmImage.I
@@ -375,7 +375,19 @@ make_rgb() {
 //  Description: Returns the RGB color at the indicated pixel.  Each
 //               component is in the range 0..maxval.
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-INLINE const xel &PNMImage::
+INLINE xel &PNMImage::
+get_xel_val(int x, int y) {
+  nassertr(x >= 0 && x < _x_size && y >= 0 && y < _y_size, _array[0]);
+  return row(y)[x];
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: PNMImage::get_xel_val
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Returns the RGB color at the indicated pixel.  Each
+//               component is in the range 0..maxval.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE xel PNMImage::
 get_xel_val(int x, int y) const {
   nassertr(x >= 0 && x < _x_size && y >= 0 && y < _y_size, _array[0]);
   return row(y)[x];
@@ -1049,28 +1061,6 @@ blend(int x, int y, const LRGBColorf &val, float alpha) {
   blend(x, y, val[0], val[1], val[2], alpha);
 }
 
-////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-//     Function: PNMImage::Array Operator
-//       Access: Published
-//  Description: Allows the PNMImage to appear to be a 2-d array of
-//               xels.
-////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-INLINE xel *PNMImage::
-operator [] (int y) {
-  return row(y);
-}
-
-////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-//     Function: PNMImage::Array Operator
-//       Access: Published
-//  Description: Allows the PNMImage to appear to be a 2-d array of
-//               xels.
-////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-INLINE const xel *PNMImage::
-operator [] (int y) const {
-  return row(y);
-}
-
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: PNMImage::box_filter
 //       Access: Published
@@ -1160,6 +1150,157 @@ apply_exponent(float red_exponent, float green_exponent, float blue_exponent) {
   apply_exponent(red_exponent, green_exponent, blue_exponent, 1.0);
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: PNMImage::Row Constructor
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE PNMImage::Row::
+Row(PNMImage &image, int y) : _image(image), _y(y) {
+  nassertv(y >= 0 && y < _image._y_size);
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: PNMImage::Row::size
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Get the number of pixels in the row.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE size_t PNMImage::Row::
+size() const {
+  return _image.get_x_size();
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: PNMImage::Row::Array Operator
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Fetch the RGB value at the given column in the row.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE LColorf PNMImage::Row::
+operator[](int x) const {
+  return _image.get_xel_a(x, _y);
+}
+
+#ifdef HAVE_PYTHON
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: PNMImage::Row::Array Operator
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Set the pixel at the given column in the row.  If
+//               the image has no alpha channel, the alpha component
+//               is ignored.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE void PNMImage::Row::
+__setitem__(int x, const LColorf &v) {
+  _image.set_xel_a(x, _y, v);
+}
+#endif
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: PNMImage::Row::Array Operator
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Fetch the pixel at the given column in the row.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE xel &PNMImage::Row::
+get_xel_val(int x) {
+  return _image.get_xel_val(x, _y);
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: PNMImage::Row::Array Operator
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Set the pixel at the given column in the row.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE void PNMImage::Row::
+set_xel_val(int x, const xel &v) {
+  _image.set_xel_val(x, _y, v);
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: PNMImage::Row::Array Operator
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Fetch the alpha value at the given column in the row.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE xelval PNMImage::Row::
+get_alpha_val(int x) const {
+  return _image.get_alpha_val(x, _y);
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: PNMImage::Row::Array Operator
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Set the alpha value at the given column in the row.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE void PNMImage::Row::
+set_alpha_val(int x, xelval v) {
+  _image.set_alpha_val(x, _y, v);
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: PNMImage::CRow Constructor
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE PNMImage::CRow::
+CRow(const PNMImage &image, int y) : _image(image), _y(y) {
+  nassertv(y >= 0 && y < _image._y_size);
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: PNMImage::CRow::size
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Get the number of pixels in the row.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE size_t PNMImage::CRow::
+size() const {
+  return _image.get_x_size();
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: PNMImage::CRow::Array Operator
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Fetch the RGB value at the given column in the row.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE LColorf PNMImage::CRow::
+operator[](int x) const {
+  return _image.get_xel_a(x, _y);
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: PNMImage::CRow::Array Operator
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Fetch the pixel at the given column in the row.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE xel PNMImage::CRow::
+get_xel_val(int x) const {
+  return _image.get_xel_val(x, _y);
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: PNMImage::CRow::Array Operator
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Fetch the alpha value at the given column in the row.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE xelval PNMImage::CRow::
+get_alpha_val(int x) const {
+  return _image.get_alpha_val(x, _y);
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: PNMImage::Array Operator
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Allows the PNMImage to appear to be a 2-d array of
+//               xels.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE PNMImage::Row PNMImage::
+operator [] (int y) {
+  return Row(*this, y);
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: PNMImage::Array Operator
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Allows the PNMImage to appear to be a 2-d array of
+//               xels.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE PNMImage::CRow PNMImage::
+operator [] (int y) const {
+  return CRow(*this, y);
+}
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: PNMImage::get_array
diff --git a/panda/src/pnmimage/pnmImage.h b/panda/src/pnmimage/pnmImage.h
index ed5ab05a1c..b01d5ec974 100644
--- a/panda/src/pnmimage/pnmImage.h
+++ b/panda/src/pnmimage/pnmImage.h
@@ -144,7 +144,8 @@ PUBLISHED:
   // in the normalized range [0..1].  These return values in the
   // image's stored color space.
 
-  INLINE const xel &get_xel_val(int x, int y) const;
+  INLINE xel &get_xel_val(int x, int y);
+  INLINE xel get_xel_val(int x, int y) const;
   INLINE void set_xel_val(int x, int y, const xel &value);
   INLINE void set_xel_val(int x, int y, xelval r, xelval g, xelval b);
   INLINE void set_xel_val(int x, int y, xelval gray);
@@ -203,13 +204,6 @@ PUBLISHED:
   INLINE void blend(int x, int y, const LRGBColorf &val, float alpha);
   void blend(int x, int y, float r, float g, float b, float alpha);
 
-  // If you're used to the NetPBM library and like working with a 2-d
-  // array of xels, and using the PNM macros to access their components,
-  // you may treat the PNMImage as such directly.
-
-  INLINE xel *operator [] (int y);
-  INLINE const xel *operator [] (int y) const;
-
   void copy_sub_image(const PNMImage &copy, int xto, int yto,
                       int xfrom = 0, int yfrom = 0,
                       int x_size = -1, int y_size = -1);
@@ -281,6 +275,49 @@ PUBLISHED:
 
   void do_fill_distance(int xi, int yi, int d);
 
+PUBLISHED:
+  // Provides an accessor for reading or writing the contents of one row
+  // of the image in-place.
+  class EXPCL_PANDA_PNMIMAGE Row {
+  PUBLISHED:
+    INLINE size_t size() const;
+    INLINE LColorf operator[](int x) const;
+#ifdef HAVE_PYTHON
+    INLINE void __setitem__(int x, const LColorf &v);
+#endif
+    INLINE xel &get_xel_val(int x);
+    INLINE void set_xel_val(int x, const xel &v);
+    INLINE xelval get_alpha_val(int x) const;
+    INLINE void set_alpha_val(int x, xelval v);
+
+  public:
+    INLINE Row(PNMImage &image, int y);
+
+  private:
+    PNMImage &_image;
+    int _y;
+  };
+
+  // Provides an accessor for reading the contents of one row of the
+  // image in-place.
+  class EXPCL_PANDA_PNMIMAGE CRow {
+  PUBLISHED:
+    INLINE size_t size() const;
+    INLINE LColorf operator[](int x) const;
+    INLINE xel get_xel_val(int x) const;
+    INLINE xelval get_alpha_val(int x) const;
+
+  public:
+    INLINE CRow(const PNMImage &image, int y);
+
+  private:
+    const PNMImage &_image;
+    int _y;
+  };
+
+  INLINE Row operator [] (int y);
+  INLINE CRow operator [] (int y) const;
+
 public:
   // Know what you are doing if you access the underlying data arrays
   // directly.
@@ -331,6 +368,8 @@ PUBLISHED:
   void operator *= (const LColorf &other);
 
 private:
+  friend class Row;
+
   xel *_array;
   xelval *_alpha;
   float _default_rc, _default_gc, _default_bc;
diff --git a/panda/src/pnmimage/pnmimage_base.h b/panda/src/pnmimage/pnmimage_base.h
index 9adea47dd9..b75e6b0b74 100644
--- a/panda/src/pnmimage/pnmimage_base.h
+++ b/panda/src/pnmimage/pnmimage_base.h
@@ -59,6 +59,12 @@ PUBLISHED:
   void operator *= (const double mult)
     { r *= mult; g *= mult; b *= mult; }
 
+#ifdef HAVE_PYTHON
+  void output(ostream &out) {
+    out << "pixel(r=" << r << ", g=" << g << ", b=" << b << ")";
+  }
+#endif
+
   gray r, g, b;
 };