diff --git a/direct/src/gui/Sign.py b/direct/src/gui/Sign.py
index 1354bf0bc4..8b942a9274 100644
--- a/direct/src/gui/Sign.py
+++ b/direct/src/gui/Sign.py
@@ -2,15 +2,30 @@ from ShowBaseGlobal import *
 from DirectObject import *
 import GuiSign
 import GuiManager
+import GuiLabel
 
 guiMgr = GuiManager.GuiManager.getPtr(base.win, base.mak.node(), base.renderGui.node())
 
+font = (loader.loadModelOnce("phase_3/models/fonts/ttf-comic")).node()
+
 class Sign(DirectObject):
 
-    def __init__(self, name, label):
+    def __init__(self, name, label=None):
         self.name = name
-        self.label = label
-        self.sign = GuiSign.GuiSign(name, label)
+        # label in this case means GuiLabel
+        if not label:
+            self.label = GuiLabel.GuiLabel.makeSimpleTextLabel(self.name, font)
+            self.label.setForegroundColor(1., 0., 0., 1.)
+            self.label.setBackgroundColor(1., 1., 1., 0.)
+            self.label.thaw()
+        elif (type(label) == type('')):
+            self.label = GuiLabel.GuiLabel.makeSimpleTextLabel(label, font)
+            self.label.setForegroundColor(1., 0., 0., 1.)
+            self.label.setBackgroundColor(1., 1., 1., 0.)
+            self.label.thaw()
+        else:
+            self.label = label
+        self.sign = GuiSign.GuiSign(self.name, self.label)
         self.setScale(0.1)
         self.managed = 0
 	return None
diff --git a/direct/src/showbase/ShowBaseGlobal.py b/direct/src/showbase/ShowBaseGlobal.py
index 30a5df4df3..8642fd7419 100644
--- a/direct/src/showbase/ShowBaseGlobal.py
+++ b/direct/src/showbase/ShowBaseGlobal.py
@@ -17,4 +17,4 @@ __builtin__.tkroot = base.tkroot
 __builtin__.taskMgr = base.taskMgr
 __builtin__.eventMgr = base.eventMgr
 __builtin__.messenger = base.messenger
-
+__builtin__.config = base.config
diff --git a/panda/src/gui/guiLabel.cxx b/panda/src/gui/guiLabel.cxx
index 02f84a12fc..1b832a86d2 100644
--- a/panda/src/gui/guiLabel.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/gui/guiLabel.cxx
@@ -235,6 +235,10 @@ GuiLabel* GuiLabel::make_model_label(Node* geom, float w, float h) {
   ret->_internal = new RenderRelation(ret->_geom, geom);
   ret->_internal->set_transition(
 				new ColorTransition(Colorf(ret->_foreground)));
+  gui_cat->debug() << "created model label 0x" << (void*)ret 
+		   << " from node 0x" << (void*)geom
+		   << ", set _type(" << (int)(ret->_type) << ") to MODEL("
+		   << (int)MODEL << ")" << endl;
   return ret;
 }
 
@@ -468,3 +472,42 @@ int GuiLabel::set_draw_order(int order) {
   this->thaw();
   return ret;
 }
+
+void GuiLabel::write(ostream& os) const {
+  os << "GuiLabel: (0x" << (void*)this << ")" << endl;
+  os << "  refcount = " << this->get_ref_count() << endl;
+  os << "  _type = ";
+  switch (this->_type) {
+  case NONE:
+    os << "NONE";
+    break;
+  case SIMPLE_TEXTURE:
+    os << "SIMPLE_TEXTURE";
+    break;
+  case SIMPLE_TEXT:
+    os << "SIMPLE_TEXT";
+    break;
+  case SIMPLE_CARD:
+    os << "SIMPLE_CARD";
+    break;
+  case MODEL:
+    os << "MODEL";
+    break;
+  default:
+    os << "bad";
+  }
+  os << endl << "  _geom = 0x" << (void*)(this->_geom.p()) << endl;
+  os << "  _arc = 0x" << (void*)(this->_arc) << endl;
+  os << "  _tex = 0x" << (void*)(this->_tex.p()) << endl;
+  os << "  _internal = 0x" << (void*)(this->_internal) << endl;
+  os << "  _gset = 0x" << (void*)(this->_gset) << endl;
+  os << "  _scale = " << this->_scale << endl;
+  os << "  _pos = " << this->_pos << endl;
+  os << "  _foreground = " << this->_foreground << endl;
+  if (_have_background)
+    os << "  _background = " << this->_background << endl;
+  if (_have_width)
+    os << "  _width = " << this->_width << endl;
+  if (_have_height)
+    os << "  _height = " << this->_height << endl;
+}
diff --git a/panda/src/gui/guiLabel.h b/panda/src/gui/guiLabel.h
index 0b9ea1bbf7..4ed16c26ff 100644
--- a/panda/src/gui/guiLabel.h
+++ b/panda/src/gui/guiLabel.h
@@ -102,6 +102,8 @@ PUBLISHED:
   INLINE void set_priority(GuiLabel*, const PriorityType);
   int set_draw_order(int);
 
+  void write(ostream&) const;
+
 public:
   // type interface
   static TypeHandle get_class_type(void) {