diff --git a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeDesc.cxx b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeDesc.cxx
index 7eb04a2b74..29c4a4da29 100755
--- a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeDesc.cxx
+++ b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeDesc.cxx
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include "mayaNodeDesc.h"
 #include "mayaNodeTree.h"
 #include "mayaBlendDesc.h"
+#include "mayaToEggConverter.h"
 #include "maya_funcs.h"
 #include "config_mayaegg.h"
 
@@ -88,14 +89,24 @@ MayaNodeDesc::
 //               some Maya instance.
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 void MayaNodeDesc::
-from_dag_path(const MDagPath &dag_path) {
+from_dag_path(const MDagPath &dag_path, MayaToEggConverter *converter) {
   MStatus status;
 
   if (_dag_path == (MDagPath *)NULL) {
     _dag_path = new MDagPath(dag_path);
 
-    if (_dag_path->hasFn(MFn::kJoint)) {
-      // This node is a joint.
+    string name;
+    MFnDagNode dag_node(dag_path, &status);
+    if (!status) {
+      status.perror("MFnDagNode constructor");
+    } else {
+      name = dag_node.name().asChar();
+      cerr << "node " << name << "\n";
+    }
+
+    if (_dag_path->hasFn(MFn::kJoint) || converter->force_joint(name)) {
+      // This node is a joint, or the user specifically asked to treat
+      // it like a joint.
       _joint_type = JT_joint;
       if (_parent != (MayaNodeDesc *)NULL) {
         _parent->mark_joint_parent();
diff --git a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeDesc.h b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeDesc.h
index ecac53a8e7..81f48ae4b5 100755
--- a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeDesc.h
+++ b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeDesc.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include <maya/MFnDagNode.h>
 #include "post_maya_include.h"
 
+class MayaToEggConverter;
 class MayaNodeTree;
 class EggGroup;
 class EggTable;
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ public:
                MayaNodeDesc *parent = NULL, const string &name = string());
   ~MayaNodeDesc();
 
-  void from_dag_path(const MDagPath &dag_path);
+  void from_dag_path(const MDagPath &dag_path, MayaToEggConverter *converter);
   bool has_dag_path() const;
   const MDagPath &get_dag_path() const;
 
diff --git a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeTree.cxx b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeTree.cxx
index 1ebfe90c6d..9533906104 100755
--- a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeTree.cxx
+++ b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeTree.cxx
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ MayaNodeTree(MayaToEggConverter *converter) :
 MayaNodeDesc *MayaNodeTree::
 build_node(const MDagPath &dag_path) {
   MayaNodeDesc *node_desc = r_build_node(dag_path.fullPathName().asChar());
-  node_desc->from_dag_path(dag_path);
+  node_desc->from_dag_path(dag_path, _converter);
   return node_desc;
 }
 
diff --git a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaToEggConverter.cxx b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaToEggConverter.cxx
index 40e27a0824..7ebdd3ced0 100644
--- a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaToEggConverter.cxx
+++ b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaToEggConverter.cxx
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ MayaToEggConverter(const MayaToEggConverter &copy) :
   _from_selection(copy._from_selection),
   _subsets(copy._subsets),
   _ignore_sliders(copy._ignore_sliders),
+  _force_joints(copy._force_joints),
   _tree(this),
   _maya(copy._maya),
   _polygon_output(copy._polygon_output),
@@ -284,6 +285,52 @@ ignore_slider(const string &name) const {
   return false;
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: MayaToEggConverter::clear_force_joints
+//       Access: Public
+//  Description: Empties the list of force_joints added via
+//               add_force_joint().  No joints will be forced.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+void MayaToEggConverter::
+clear_force_joints() {
+  _force_joints.clear();
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: MayaToEggConverter::add_force_joint
+//       Access: Public
+//  Description: Adds a name pattern to the list of force_joints.
+//
+//               Any DAG node that matches a name on the list will be
+//               treated as if it were a joint during the conversion
+//               process; it will receive animation and position
+//               information.  Normally, a true Maya joint, as well as
+//               any DAG nodes whose transforms are animated, will
+//               automatically be flagged as a Panda joint.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+void MayaToEggConverter::
+add_force_joint(const GlobPattern &glob) {
+  _force_joints.push_back(glob);
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: MayaToEggConverter::force_joint
+//       Access: Public
+//  Description: Returns true if the indicated name is on the list of
+//               DAG nodes to treat as a joint, false otherwise.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+bool MayaToEggConverter::
+force_joint(const string &name) const {
+  Globs::const_iterator gi;
+  for (gi = _force_joints.begin(); gi != _force_joints.end(); ++gi) {
+    if ((*gi).matches(name)) {
+      return true;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return false;
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: MayaToEggConverter::set_from_selection
 //       Access: Public
diff --git a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaToEggConverter.h b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaToEggConverter.h
index 0df4b6ae2c..7e84cabe7f 100644
--- a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaToEggConverter.h
+++ b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaToEggConverter.h
@@ -84,6 +84,10 @@ public:
   void add_ignore_slider(const GlobPattern &glob);
   bool ignore_slider(const string &name) const;
 
+  void clear_force_joints();
+  void add_force_joint(const GlobPattern &glob);
+  bool force_joint(const string &name) const;
+
   void set_from_selection(bool from_selection);
 
   bool convert_maya();
@@ -144,6 +148,7 @@ private:
   typedef pvector<GlobPattern> Globs;
   Globs _subsets;
   Globs _ignore_sliders;
+  Globs _force_joints;
 
   MayaNodeTree _tree;
 
diff --git a/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaToEgg.cxx b/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaToEgg.cxx
index 86968dec41..7b21e13523 100644
--- a/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaToEgg.cxx
+++ b/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaToEgg.cxx
@@ -103,6 +103,13 @@ MayaToEgg() :
      "as needed.",
      &MayaToEgg::dispatch_vector_string, NULL, &_ignore_sliders);
 
+  add_option
+    ("force-joint", "name", 0,
+     "Specifies the name of a DAG node that maya2egg "
+     "should treat as a joint, even if it does not appear to be a Maya joint "
+     "and does not appear to be animated.",
+     &MayaToEgg::dispatch_vector_string, NULL, &_force_joints);
+
   add_option
     ("v", "", 0,
      "Increase verbosity.  More v's means more verbose.",
@@ -174,6 +181,13 @@ run() {
     }
   }
 
+  if (!_force_joints.empty()) {
+    converter.clear_force_joints();
+    for (si = _force_joints.begin(); si != _force_joints.end(); ++si) {
+      converter.add_force_joint(GlobPattern(*si));
+    }
+  }
+
   // Copy in the path and animation parameters.
   apply_parameters(converter);
 
diff --git a/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaToEgg.h b/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaToEgg.h
index 3eccab52a0..50a83971bc 100644
--- a/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaToEgg.h
+++ b/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaToEgg.h
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ protected:
   MayaToEggConverter::TransformType _transform_type;
   vector_string _subsets;
   vector_string _ignore_sliders;
+  vector_string _force_joints;
 };
 
 #endif