diff --git a/src/gui/state_manager.cpp b/src/gui/state_manager.cpp
index 0183a90e2..d12930654 100644
--- a/src/gui/state_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/state_manager.cpp
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ namespace StateManager
             w2->addLabel("MiniBjorn");
             
             GUIEngine::ModelViewWidget* w3 = dynamic_cast<GUIEngine::ModelViewWidget*>
-            (GUIEngine::getCurrentScreen()->getWidget("modelview"));
+                                            (GUIEngine::getCurrentScreen()->getWidget("modelview"));
             
             assert( w3 != NULL );
             
@@ -125,6 +125,9 @@ namespace StateManager
                                                 (GUIEngine::getCurrentScreen()->getWidget("difficulty"));
             assert( w != NULL );
             w->setSelection(user_config->getDefaultDifficulty());
+            
+            // TODO - if user arrived to this screen by pressing esc from teh enxt, the behaviour below might be incorrect
+            // it would be better to restore previously set settings.
             race_manager->setDifficulty( (RaceManager::Difficulty)user_config->getDefaultDifficulty() );
         }
         else if(name == "difficulty")
diff --git a/src/gui/widget.cpp b/src/gui/widget.cpp
index bfa371e72..92583e34c 100644
--- a/src/gui/widget.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/widget.cpp
@@ -985,7 +985,10 @@ void ModelViewWidget::add()
 {
     rect<s32> widget_size = rect<s32>(x, y, x + w, y + h);
     stringw  message = m_properties[PROP_TEXT].c_str();
-    m_element = GUIEngine::getGUIEnv()->addMeshViewer(widget_size, NULL, ++id_counter);
+    
+    
+    IGUIMeshViewer* mesh_view = GUIEngine::getGUIEnv()->addMeshViewer(widget_size, NULL, ++id_counter);
+    m_element = mesh_view;
     
     id = m_element->getID();
     m_element->setTabOrder(id);
@@ -995,6 +998,12 @@ void ModelViewWidget::add()
 void ModelViewWidget::setModel(SAnimatedMesh* mesh)
 {
     ((IGUIMeshViewer*)m_element)->setMesh( mesh );
+    
+    video::SMaterial mat = mesh->getMeshBuffer(0)->getMaterial(); //mesh_view->getMaterial();
+    mat.setFlag(EMF_LIGHTING , false);
+    //mat.setFlag(EMF_GOURAUD_SHADING, false);
+    //mat.setFlag(EMF_NORMALIZE_NORMALS, true);
+    ((IGUIMeshViewer*)m_element)->setMaterial(mat);
 }
 
 #if 0
diff --git a/src/input/input_manager.cpp b/src/input/input_manager.cpp
index a3e6e6f12..810c27337 100644
--- a/src/input/input_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/input/input_manager.cpp
@@ -300,12 +300,10 @@ void InputManager::input(Input::InputType type, int id0, int id1, int id2,
     // menu navigation. TODO : enable navigation with gamepads
     if(!StateManager::isGameState())
     {
+        irr::SEvent::SKeyInput evt;
+        
         if(type == Input::IT_KEYBOARD)
         {
-            irr::SEvent::SKeyInput evt;
-            
-            // std::cout << id0 << std::endl;
-            
             if(id0 == SDLK_RETURN)
                 evt.Key = irr::KEY_RETURN;
             else if(id0 == SDLK_UP)
@@ -318,15 +316,37 @@ void InputManager::input(Input::InputType type, int id0, int id1, int id2,
                 evt.Key = irr::KEY_LEFT;
             else
                 return; // only those keys are accepted in menus for now.
-            
-            evt.PressedDown = value > MAX_VALUE/2;
-            
-            irr::SEvent wrapper;
-            wrapper.KeyInput = evt;
-            wrapper.EventType = EET_KEY_INPUT_EVENT;
-            
-            GUIEngine::getDevice()->postEventFromUser(wrapper);
         }
+        else // allow menu navigation with gamepads and other devices too
+        {
+            int player;
+            PlayerAction action;
+            
+            const bool action_found = m_device_manager->mapInputToPlayerAndAction( type, id0, id1, id2, value, &player, &action );
+            if(!action_found) return;
+            
+            if(action == PA_FIRE || action == PA_NITRO)
+                evt.Key = irr::KEY_RETURN;
+            else if(action == PA_ACCEL)
+                evt.Key = irr::KEY_UP;
+            else if(action == PA_BRAKE)
+                evt.Key = irr::KEY_DOWN;
+            else if(action == PA_RIGHT)
+                evt.Key = irr::KEY_RIGHT;            
+            else if(action == PA_LEFT)
+                evt.Key = irr::KEY_LEFT;
+            else
+                return; // only those bindings are accepted in menus for now.
+        }
+        
+        // send event to irrLicht
+        evt.PressedDown = value > MAX_VALUE/2;
+        
+        irr::SEvent wrapper;
+        wrapper.KeyInput = evt;
+        wrapper.EventType = EET_KEY_INPUT_EVENT;
+        
+        GUIEngine::getDevice()->postEventFromUser(wrapper);
         
     }
     // in-game event handling