diff --git a/src/graphics/material.cpp b/src/graphics/material.cpp
index 0537954e7..9f2b477fd 100644
--- a/src/graphics/material.cpp
+++ b/src/graphics/material.cpp
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ Material::Material(const XMLNode *node, int index)
     node->get("slowdown-time",    &m_slowdown_time     );
     node->get("anisotropic",      &m_anisotropic       );
     node->get("backface-culling", &m_backface_culling  );
+    node->get("disable-z-write",  &m_disable_z_write   );
     std::string s("");
     node->get("graphical-effect", &s                   );
     if(s=="water")
@@ -149,6 +150,7 @@ void Material::init(unsigned int index)
     m_ignore                    = false;
     m_resetter                  = false;
     m_add                       = false;
+    m_disable_z_write           = false;
     m_max_speed_fraction        = 1.0f;
     m_slowdown_time             = 1.0f;
     m_sfx_name                  = "";
@@ -362,6 +364,11 @@ void  Material::setMaterialProperties(video::SMaterial *m) const
         modes++;
     }
     
+    if (m_disable_z_write)
+    {
+        m->ZWriteEnable = false;
+    }
+    
     if (modes > 1)
     {
         std::cerr << "[Material::setMaterialProperties] More than one main mode set for " << m_texname.c_str() << "\n";
diff --git a/src/graphics/material.hpp b/src/graphics/material.hpp
index b21cb8277..f6682c27b 100644
--- a/src/graphics/material.hpp
+++ b/src/graphics/material.hpp
@@ -75,6 +75,9 @@ private:
     /** Whether to use anisotropic filtering for this texture */
     bool             m_anisotropic;
     
+    /** Set to true to disable writing to the Z buffer. Usually to be used with alpha blending */
+    bool             m_disable_z_write;
+    
     /** True if lightmapping is enabled for this material. */
     bool             m_lightmap;
     float            m_friction;