diff --git a/src/graphics/irr_driver.cpp b/src/graphics/irr_driver.cpp
index b35e5d1f6..32c07c777 100644
--- a/src/graphics/irr_driver.cpp
+++ b/src/graphics/irr_driver.cpp
@@ -224,6 +224,7 @@ void IrrDriver::initDevice()
     m_scene_manager->getParameters()
         ->setAttribute(scene::B3D_LOADER_IGNORE_MIPMAP_FLAG, true);
     m_device->getVideoDriver()->setTextureCreationFlag(video::ETCF_CREATE_MIP_MAPS,true);
+    m_device->getVideoDriver()->setTextureCreationFlag(video::ETCF_OPTIMIZED_FOR_QUALITY,true);
     m_gui_env       = m_device->getGUIEnvironment();
     m_video_driver  = m_device->getVideoDriver();        
 
@@ -231,12 +232,14 @@ void IrrDriver::initDevice()
     material2D.setFlag(video::EMF_ANTI_ALIASING, true);
     for (unsigned int n=0; n<MATERIAL_MAX_TEXTURES; n++)
     {
+        material2D.TextureLayer[n].BilinearFilter = false;
         material2D.TextureLayer[n].TrilinearFilter = true;
         //material2D.TextureLayer[n].TextureWrap = ETC_CLAMP_TO_EDGE;
         material2D.TextureLayer[n].TextureWrapU = ETC_CLAMP_TO_EDGE;
         material2D.TextureLayer[n].TextureWrapV = ETC_CLAMP_TO_EDGE;
         
-        //material2D.TextureLayer[n].LODBias = 8;
+        //material2D.TextureLayer[n].LODBias = 16;
+        material2D.UseMipMaps = true;
     }
     material2D.AntiAliasing=video::EAAM_FULL_BASIC;
     //m_video_driver->enableMaterial2D();
diff --git a/src/guiengine/skin.cpp b/src/guiengine/skin.cpp
index 4756b49c0..6ea41f452 100644
--- a/src/guiengine/skin.cpp
+++ b/src/guiengine/skin.cpp
@@ -1155,6 +1155,13 @@ void Skin::drawIconButton(const core::rect< s32 > &rect, Widget* widget, const b
     
     IconButtonWidget* icon_widget = (IconButtonWidget*) widget;
     
+    if (widget->m_type == WTYPE_MODEL_VIEW)
+    {
+        // Model view widgets don't generate mipmaps so disable material 2D
+        irr_driver->getVideoDriver()->enableMaterial2D(false);
+    }
+
+    
     if (widget->m_deactivated || ID_DEBUG)
     {
         SColor colors[] =  { SColor(100,255,255,255),
@@ -1172,6 +1179,10 @@ void Skin::drawIconButton(const core::rect< s32 > &rect, Widget* widget, const b
                                             0 /* no clipping */, 0, true /* alpha */);
     }
     
+    if (widget->m_type == WTYPE_MODEL_VIEW)
+    {
+        irr_driver->getVideoDriver()->enableMaterial2D();
+    }
 }
         
 
diff --git a/src/states_screens/race_gui.cpp b/src/states_screens/race_gui.cpp
index 197853fe6..47bed74dd 100644
--- a/src/states_screens/race_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/states_screens/race_gui.cpp
@@ -174,8 +174,14 @@ void RaceGUI::renderGlobal(float dt)
         drawGlobalMusicDescription();
     }
 
+    // minimap has no mipmaps so disable material2D
+    irr_driver->getVideoDriver()->enableMaterial2D(false);
     drawGlobalMiniMap();
+    irr_driver->getVideoDriver()->enableMaterial2D();
+    
     KartIconDisplayInfo* info = world->getKartsDisplayInfo();
+    
+    irr_driver->getVideoDriver()->enableMaterial2D(); // seems like we need to remind irrlicht from time to time to use the Material2D
     drawGlobalPlayerIcons(info);
 }   // renderGlobal
 
@@ -229,8 +235,11 @@ void RaceGUI::renderPlayerView(const Kart *kart)
 
     RaceGUI::KartIconDisplayInfo* info = World::getWorld()->getKartsDisplayInfo();
 
+    irr_driver->getVideoDriver()->enableMaterial2D(); // not sure why I need to call it again but with this, it works
     drawPowerupIcons    (kart, viewport, scaling);
+    irr_driver->getVideoDriver()->enableMaterial2D();
     drawSpeedAndEnergy  (kart, viewport, scaling);
+    irr_driver->getVideoDriver()->enableMaterial2D();
     drawRankLap         (info, kart, viewport);
 
     RaceGUIBase::renderPlayerView(kart);
diff --git a/src/states_screens/race_gui_base.cpp b/src/states_screens/race_gui_base.cpp
index 5a96865b4..a83538af7 100644
--- a/src/states_screens/race_gui_base.cpp
+++ b/src/states_screens/race_gui_base.cpp
@@ -226,6 +226,8 @@ void RaceGUIBase::drawAllMessages(const Kart* kart,
         font_height = m_small_font_max_height;
     }
     
+    irr_driver->getVideoDriver()->enableMaterial2D(); // seems like we need to remind irrlicht from time to time to use the Material2D
+    
     // The message are displayed in reverse order, so that a multi-line
     // message (addMessage("1", ...); addMessage("2",...) is displayed
     // in the right order: "1" on top of "2"
@@ -234,7 +236,7 @@ void RaceGUIBase::drawAllMessages(const Kart* kart,
     {
         TimedMessage const &msg = *i;
 
-         // less important messages were already displayed
+        // less important messages were already displayed
         if (!msg.m_important) continue;
         
         // Display only messages for all karts, or messages for this kart