diff --git a/panda/src/display/standardMunger.cxx b/panda/src/display/standardMunger.cxx
index 9ce9c8ca11..6f62c68bef 100644
--- a/panda/src/display/standardMunger.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/display/standardMunger.cxx
@@ -96,8 +96,8 @@ munge_data_impl(const qpGeomVertexData *data) {
     if (palette != (TransformBlendPalette *)NULL &&
         palette->get_max_simultaneous_transforms() <= 
         _gsg->get_max_vertex_transforms()) {
-      if (palette->get_num_transforms() <= 
-          _gsg->get_max_vertex_transform_indices()) {
+      if (matrix_palette && 
+          palette->get_num_transforms() <= _gsg->get_max_vertex_transform_indices()) {
 
         if (palette->get_num_transforms() == palette->get_max_simultaneous_transforms()) {
           // We can support an indexed palette, but since that won't
diff --git a/panda/src/dxgsg8/dxGeomMunger8.cxx b/panda/src/dxgsg8/dxGeomMunger8.cxx
index ddfe110b91..aa56e54217 100644
--- a/panda/src/dxgsg8/dxGeomMunger8.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/dxgsg8/dxGeomMunger8.cxx
@@ -80,6 +80,14 @@ munge_format_impl(const qpGeomVertexFormat *orig,
         (InternalName::get_transform_index(), 1,
          qpGeomVertexColumn::NT_packed_dcba, qpGeomVertexColumn::C_index);
     }                                    
+
+    // Make sure the old weights and indices are removed, just in
+    // case.
+    new_format->remove_column(InternalName::get_transform_weight());
+    new_format->remove_column(InternalName::get_transform_index());
+
+    // And we don't need the transform_blend table any more.
+    new_format->remove_column(InternalName::get_transform_blend());
   }
 
   if (normal_type != (const qpGeomVertexColumn *)NULL) {
@@ -112,8 +120,8 @@ munge_format_impl(const qpGeomVertexFormat *orig,
     return orig;
   }
 
-  // Use the new format; make sure the DX8-friendly array is first in
-  // the list.
+  // Use the new format; make sure the FVF-style array we just built
+  // up is first in the list.
   new_format->insert_array(0, new_array_format);
   return qpGeomVertexFormat::register_format(new_format);
 }
diff --git a/panda/src/dxgsg8/dxGraphicsStateGuardian8.cxx b/panda/src/dxgsg8/dxGraphicsStateGuardian8.cxx
index bec866e283..2a228620b7 100644
--- a/panda/src/dxgsg8/dxGraphicsStateGuardian8.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/dxgsg8/dxGraphicsStateGuardian8.cxx
@@ -2688,8 +2688,8 @@ begin_draw_primitives(const qpGeom *geom, const qpGeomMunger *munger,
   } else {
     // We're not using vertex blending.
     if (_vertex_blending_enabled) {
-      _pD3DDevice->SetRenderState(D3DRS_VERTEXBLEND, D3DVBF_DISABLE);
       _pD3DDevice->SetRenderState(D3DRS_INDEXEDVERTEXBLENDENABLE, FALSE);
+      _pD3DDevice->SetRenderState(D3DRS_VERTEXBLEND, D3DVBF_DISABLE);
       _vertex_blending_enabled = false;
     }
 
@@ -2797,8 +2797,8 @@ end_draw_primitives() {
   // Turn off vertex blending--it seems to cause problems if we leave
   // it on.
   if (_vertex_blending_enabled) {
-    _pD3DDevice->SetRenderState(D3DRS_VERTEXBLEND, D3DVBF_DISABLE);
     _pD3DDevice->SetRenderState(D3DRS_INDEXEDVERTEXBLENDENABLE, FALSE);
+    _pD3DDevice->SetRenderState(D3DRS_VERTEXBLEND, D3DVBF_DISABLE);
     _vertex_blending_enabled = false;
   }
 }
diff --git a/panda/src/gobj/config_gobj.cxx b/panda/src/gobj/config_gobj.cxx
index 52ec9460ea..31a62a7f05 100644
--- a/panda/src/gobj/config_gobj.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/gobj/config_gobj.cxx
@@ -129,6 +129,19 @@ ConfigVariableBool hardware_animated_vertices
           "necessary on your computer's bus.  However, in some cases it "
           "may actually reduce performance."));
 
+ConfigVariableBool matrix_palette
+("matrix-palette", false,
+ PRC_DESC("Set this true to allow the use of the matrix palette when "
+          "animating vertices in hardware (if hardware-animated-vertices "
+          "is also true).  The matrix palette is not supported by all "
+          "devices, but if it is, using it can allow animation of more "
+          "sophisticated meshes in hardware, and it can also improve the "
+          "performance of animating some simpler meshes.  Without "
+          "this option, certain meshes will have to be animated in "
+          "software.  However, this option is not enabled by default, "
+          "because its support seems to be buggy in certain drivers "
+          "(ATI FireGL T2 8.103 in particular.)"));
+
 ConfigVariableBool use_qpgeom
 ("use-qpgeom", false,
  PRC_DESC("A temporary variable while the experimental Geom rewrite is "
diff --git a/panda/src/gobj/config_gobj.h b/panda/src/gobj/config_gobj.h
index b581d79bad..6cb112eec7 100644
--- a/panda/src/gobj/config_gobj.h
+++ b/panda/src/gobj/config_gobj.h
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ extern EXPCL_PANDA ConfigVariableBool retained_mode;
 extern EXPCL_PANDA ConfigVariableBool vertex_buffers;
 extern EXPCL_PANDA ConfigVariableBool display_lists;
 extern EXPCL_PANDA ConfigVariableBool hardware_animated_vertices;
+extern EXPCL_PANDA ConfigVariableBool matrix_palette;
 
 extern EXPCL_PANDA ConfigVariableBool use_qpgeom;
 
diff --git a/panda/src/gobj/qpgeomVertexData.cxx b/panda/src/gobj/qpgeomVertexData.cxx
index 13ca6b0312..9d8ef52347 100644
--- a/panda/src/gobj/qpgeomVertexData.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/gobj/qpgeomVertexData.cxx
@@ -763,6 +763,9 @@ replace_column(const InternalName *name, int num_components,
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 void qpGeomVertexData::
 output(ostream &out) const {
+  if (!get_name().empty()) {
+    out << get_name() << " ";
+  }
   out << get_num_vertices() << ": " << *get_format();
 }
 
@@ -773,6 +776,9 @@ output(ostream &out) const {
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 void qpGeomVertexData::
 write(ostream &out, int indent_level) const {
+  if (!get_name().empty()) {
+    indent(out, indent_level) << get_name() << "\n";
+  }
   _format->write_with_data(out, indent_level, this);
   if (get_transform_blend_palette() != (TransformBlendPalette *)NULL) {
     indent(out, indent_level)
diff --git a/panda/src/gobj/qpgeomVertexFormat.cxx b/panda/src/gobj/qpgeomVertexFormat.cxx
index b6b084e80c..f096a24894 100644
--- a/panda/src/gobj/qpgeomVertexFormat.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/gobj/qpgeomVertexFormat.cxx
@@ -397,6 +397,11 @@ write(ostream &out, int indent_level) const {
       << "Array " << i << ":\n";
     _arrays[i]->write(out, indent_level + 2);
   }
+
+  if (_animation.get_animation_type() != qpGeomVertexAnimationSpec::AT_none) {
+    indent(out, indent_level)
+      << "anim " << _animation;
+  }
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////