diff --git a/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.I b/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.I
index 0e27baf36b..a9943eb504 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.I
+++ b/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.I
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ NodePath(const string &top_node_name) :
 {
   PandaNode *top_node = new PandaNode(top_node_name);
   _head = top_node->get_generic_component(false);
+  _backup_key = 0;
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ NodePath(PandaNode *node) :
   if (node != (PandaNode *)NULL) {
     _head = node->get_generic_component(false);
   }
+  _backup_key = 0;
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -100,6 +102,7 @@ NodePath(const NodePath &parent, PandaNode *child_node) :
   if (_head != (NodePathComponent *)NULL) {
     _error_type = ET_ok;
   }
+  _backup_key = 0;
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -110,6 +113,7 @@ NodePath(const NodePath &parent, PandaNode *child_node) :
 INLINE NodePath::
 NodePath(const NodePath &copy) :
   _head(copy._head),
+  _backup_key(copy._backup_key),
   _error_type(copy._error_type)
 {
 }
@@ -122,6 +126,7 @@ NodePath(const NodePath &copy) :
 INLINE void NodePath::
 operator = (const NodePath &copy) {
   _head = copy._head;
+  _backup_key = copy._backup_key;
   _error_type = copy._error_type;
 }
 
@@ -266,7 +271,7 @@ node() const {
 INLINE int NodePath::
 get_key() const {
   if (is_empty()) {
-    return 0;
+    return _backup_key;
   }
   return _head->get_key();
 }
diff --git a/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.cxx b/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.cxx
index a3c9bafd11..98e4af8cd0 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.cxx
@@ -473,7 +473,16 @@ remove_node() {
     PandaNode::detach(_head);
   }
 
-  (*this) = NodePath::removed();
+  if (is_empty() || _head->has_key()) {
+    // Preserve the key we had on the node before we removed it.
+    int key = get_key();
+    (*this) = NodePath::removed();
+    _backup_key = key;
+
+  } else {
+    // We didn't have a key; just clear the NodePath.
+    (*this) = NodePath::removed();
+  }
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.h b/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.h
index 5b2f2ac8e5..5e881dc739 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.h
+++ b/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.h
@@ -111,8 +111,13 @@ class GlobPattern;
 //    +h    Do return hidden nodes.
 //    -s    Do not return stashed nodes unless explicitly referenced with @@.
 //    +s    Return stashed nodes even without any explicit @@ characters.
+//    -i    Node name comparisons are not case insensitive: case must match
+//          exactly.
+//    +i    Node name comparisons are case insensitive: case is not important.
+//          This affects matches against the node name only; node type
+//          and tag strings are always case sensitive.
 //
-// The default flags are +h-s.
+// The default flags are +h-s-i.
 //
 
 
@@ -630,6 +635,7 @@ private:
                        GraphicsStateGuardianBase *gsg, bool do_retained_mode);
 
   PT(NodePathComponent) _head;
+  int _backup_key;
   ErrorType _error_type;
   static int _max_search_depth;
 
diff --git a/panda/src/pgraph/nodePathComponent.I b/panda/src/pgraph/nodePathComponent.I
index 817a201c65..ea58494db6 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraph/nodePathComponent.I
+++ b/panda/src/pgraph/nodePathComponent.I
@@ -105,6 +105,20 @@ get_node() const {
   return _node;
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: NodePathComponent::has_key
+//       Access: Public
+//  Description: Returns true if the key for this component has
+//               already been generated, false otherwise.  Even if
+//               this returns false, calling get_key() will still
+//               return a valid key; that will simply cause the key to
+//               be generated on-the-fly.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE bool NodePathComponent::
+has_key() const {
+  return (_key != 0);
+}
+
 INLINE ostream &operator << (ostream &out, const NodePathComponent &comp) {
   comp.output(out);
   return out;
diff --git a/panda/src/pgraph/nodePathComponent.h b/panda/src/pgraph/nodePathComponent.h
index 9fff260a93..78280542d4 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraph/nodePathComponent.h
+++ b/panda/src/pgraph/nodePathComponent.h
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ public:
   INLINE ~NodePathComponent();
   
   INLINE PandaNode *get_node() const;
+  INLINE bool has_key() const;
   int get_key() const;
   bool is_top_node() const;