diff --git a/panda/src/egg/eggBinMaker.cxx b/panda/src/egg/eggBinMaker.cxx
index 0be90afa5f..24e745a53c 100644
--- a/panda/src/egg/eggBinMaker.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/egg/eggBinMaker.cxx
@@ -135,13 +135,35 @@ collapse_group(const EggGroup *, int) {
 //     Function: EggBinMaker::get_bin_name
 //       Access: Public, Virtual
 //  Description: May be overridden in derived classes to define a name
-//               for each new bin, based on its bin number.
+//               for each new bin, based on its bin number, and a
+//               sample child.
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 string EggBinMaker::
-get_bin_name(int) {
+get_bin_name(int, const EggNode *) { 
   return string();
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: EggBinMaker::make_bin
+//       Access: Public, Virtual
+//  Description: May be overridden in derived classes to construct a
+//               new EggBin object (or some derived class, if needed),
+//               and preload some initial data into as required.
+//
+//               child is an arbitrary child of the bin, and
+//               collapse_from is the group the bin is being collapsed
+//               with, if any (implying collapse_group() returned
+//               true), or NULL if not.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+PT(EggBin) EggBinMaker::
+make_bin(int, const EggNode *, EggGroup *collapse_from) {
+  if (collapse_from == (EggGroup *)NULL) {
+    return new EggBin;
+  } else {
+    return new EggBin(*collapse_from);
+  }
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: EggBinMaker::collect_nodes
 //       Access: Private
@@ -268,8 +290,11 @@ make_bins_for_group(EggGroupNode *group, const Bins &bins) {
   }
 
   if (collapse) {
-    EggBin *bin = new EggBin(*DCAST(EggGroup, group));
-    setup_bin(bin, bins.front());
+    const Nodes &nodes = bins.front();
+    nassertv(!nodes.empty());
+    int bin_number = get_bin_number(nodes.front());
+    PT(EggBin) bin = make_bin(bin_number, nodes.front(), DCAST(EggGroup, group));
+    setup_bin(bin, nodes);
 
     EggGroupNode *parent = group->get_parent();
     parent->remove_child(group);
@@ -278,8 +303,11 @@ make_bins_for_group(EggGroupNode *group, const Bins &bins) {
   } else {
     Bins::const_iterator bi;
     for (bi = bins.begin(); bi != bins.end(); ++bi) {
-      EggBin *bin = new EggBin;
-      setup_bin(bin, *bi);
+      const Nodes &nodes = (*bi);
+      nassertv(!nodes.empty());
+      int bin_number = get_bin_number(nodes.front());
+      PT(EggBin) bin = make_bin(bin_number, nodes.front(), NULL);
+      setup_bin(bin, nodes);
 
       group->add_child(bin);
     }
@@ -299,7 +327,7 @@ setup_bin(EggBin *bin, const Nodes &nodes) {
   int bin_number = get_bin_number(nodes.front());
   bin->set_bin_number(bin_number);
 
-  string bin_name = get_bin_name(bin_number);
+  string bin_name = get_bin_name(bin_number, nodes.front());
   if (!bin_name.empty()) {
     bin->set_name(bin_name);
   }
diff --git a/panda/src/egg/eggBinMaker.h b/panda/src/egg/eggBinMaker.h
index 3e81b47f88..bbf1bb4008 100644
--- a/panda/src/egg/eggBinMaker.h
+++ b/panda/src/egg/eggBinMaker.h
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@
 //    behavior is never to collapse nodes.
 //
 //
-// virtual string get_bin_name(int bin_number);
+// virtual string get_bin_name(int bin_number, EggNode *child);
 //
 //    This function is called as each new bin is created, to
 //    optionally define a name for the new node.  If it returns the
@@ -275,7 +275,10 @@ PUBLISHED:
   collapse_group(const EggGroup *group, int bin_number);
 
   virtual string
-  get_bin_name(int bin_number);
+  get_bin_name(int bin_number, const EggNode *child);
+
+  virtual PT(EggBin) 
+  make_bin(int bin_number, const EggNode *child, EggGroup *collapse_from);
 
 private:
   // The logic is two-pass.  First, we make a scene graph traversal
diff --git a/panda/src/egg/eggPrimitive.I b/panda/src/egg/eggPrimitive.I
index 966b1ca053..c04edd5b54 100644
--- a/panda/src/egg/eggPrimitive.I
+++ b/panda/src/egg/eggPrimitive.I
@@ -72,6 +72,25 @@ INLINE EggPrimitive::
   clear();
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: EggPrimitive::get_sort_name
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Returns the name of the primitive for the purposes of
+//               sorting primitives into different groups, if there is
+//               one.
+//
+//               Presently, this is defined as the primitive name
+//               itself, unless it begins with a digit.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE string EggPrimitive::
+get_sort_name() const {
+  const string &name = get_name();
+  if (!name.empty() && !isdigit(name[0])) {
+    return name;
+  }
+  return string();
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: EggPrimitive::clear_connected_shading
 //       Access: Published
diff --git a/panda/src/egg/eggPrimitive.h b/panda/src/egg/eggPrimitive.h
index 34e1c0442d..4842c6dcdf 100644
--- a/panda/src/egg/eggPrimitive.h
+++ b/panda/src/egg/eggPrimitive.h
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ PUBLISHED:
   virtual EggRenderMode *determine_draw_order();
   virtual EggRenderMode *determine_bin();
 
+  INLINE string get_sort_name() const;
+
   virtual Shading get_shading() const;
   INLINE void clear_connected_shading();
   INLINE Shading get_connected_shading() const;
diff --git a/panda/src/egg2pg/characterMaker.cxx b/panda/src/egg2pg/characterMaker.cxx
index edf5ea2966..eeed386a88 100644
--- a/panda/src/egg2pg/characterMaker.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/egg2pg/characterMaker.cxx
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ egg_to_index(EggNode *egg_node) const {
 //               the character's top node.
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 PandaNode *CharacterMaker::
-part_to_node(PartGroup *part) const {
+part_to_node(PartGroup *part, const string &name) const {
   PandaNode *node = _character_node;
 
   if (part->is_of_type(CharacterJoint::get_class_type())) {
@@ -166,18 +166,18 @@ part_to_node(PartGroup *part) const {
     // We should always return a GeomNode, so that all polysets
     // created at the same level will get added into the same
     // GeomNode.  Look for a child of this node.  If it doesn't have a
-    // child yet, add a GeomNode and it.  Otherwise, if it already has
-    // a child, return that.
-    if (node->is_geom_node()) {
+    // child yet, add a GeomNode and return it.  Otherwise, if it
+    // already has a child, return that.
+    if (node->is_geom_node() && node->get_name() == name) {
       return node;
     }
     for (int i = 0; i < node->get_num_children(); i++) {
       PandaNode *child = node->get_child(i);
-      if (child->is_geom_node()) {
+      if (child->is_geom_node() && child->get_name() == name) {
         return child;
       }
     }
-    PT(GeomNode) geom_node = new GeomNode("");
+    PT(GeomNode) geom_node = new GeomNode(name);
     node->add_child(geom_node);
     return geom_node;
 
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ make_qpgeometry(EggNode *egg_node) {
         is_dynamic = false;
       }
 
-      PandaNode *parent = part_to_node(egg_to_part(bin_home));
+      PandaNode *parent = part_to_node(egg_to_part(bin_home), egg_bin->get_name());
       LMatrix4d transform =
         egg_bin->get_vertex_frame() *
         bin_home->get_node_frame_inv();
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ make_qpgeometry(EggNode *egg_node) {
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 void CharacterMaker::
 make_static_primitive(EggPrimitive *egg_primitive, EggGroupNode *prim_home) {
-  PandaNode *node = part_to_node(egg_to_part(prim_home));
+  PandaNode *node = part_to_node(egg_to_part(prim_home), string());
 
   // We need this funny transform to convert from the coordinate
   // space of the original vertices to that of the new joint node.
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ make_static_primitive(EggPrimitive *egg_primitive, EggGroupNode *prim_home) {
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 void CharacterMaker::
 make_dynamic_primitive(EggPrimitive *egg_primitive, EggGroupNode *prim_home) {
-  PandaNode *node = part_to_node(egg_to_part(prim_home));
+  PandaNode *node = part_to_node(egg_to_part(prim_home), string());
 
   LMatrix4d transform =
     egg_primitive->get_vertex_frame() *
diff --git a/panda/src/egg2pg/characterMaker.h b/panda/src/egg2pg/characterMaker.h
index 6184ae2974..96704a44d5 100644
--- a/panda/src/egg2pg/characterMaker.h
+++ b/panda/src/egg2pg/characterMaker.h
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ public:
   PartGroup *egg_to_part(EggNode *egg_node) const;
   VertexTransform *egg_to_transform(EggNode *egg_node);
   int egg_to_index(EggNode *egg_node) const;
-  PandaNode *part_to_node(PartGroup *part) const;
+  PandaNode *part_to_node(PartGroup *part, const string &name) const;
 
   int create_slider(const string &name);
   VertexSlider *egg_to_slider(const string &name);
diff --git a/panda/src/egg2pg/eggBinner.cxx b/panda/src/egg2pg/eggBinner.cxx
index 270e253926..cef08d324e 100644
--- a/panda/src/egg2pg/eggBinner.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/egg2pg/eggBinner.cxx
@@ -79,6 +79,21 @@ get_bin_number(const EggNode *node) {
   return (int)BN_none;
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: EggBinner::get_bin_name
+//       Access: Public, Virtual
+//  Description: May be overridden in derived classes to define a name
+//               for each new bin, based on its bin number, and a
+//               sample child.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+string EggBinner::
+get_bin_name(int bin_number, const EggNode *child) { 
+  if (bin_number == BN_polyset) {
+    return DCAST(EggPrimitive, child)->get_sort_name();
+  }
+
+  return string();
+}
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: EggBinner::sorts_less
@@ -96,14 +111,16 @@ sorts_less(int bin_number, const EggNode *a, const EggNode *b) {
 
       // Different render states are binned separately.
       const EggRenderState *rsa, *rsb;
-      DCAST_INTO_R(rsa, a->get_user_data(EggRenderState::get_class_type()), false);
-      DCAST_INTO_R(rsb, b->get_user_data(EggRenderState::get_class_type()), false);
+      DCAST_INTO_R(rsa, pa->get_user_data(EggRenderState::get_class_type()), false);
+      DCAST_INTO_R(rsb, pb->get_user_data(EggRenderState::get_class_type()), false);
       int compare = rsa->compare_to(*rsb);
       if (compare != 0) {
         return (compare < 0);
       }
 
-      return false;
+      // Also, if the primitive was given a name (that does not begin
+      // with a digit), it gets binned with similar-named primitives.
+      return pa->get_sort_name() < pb->get_sort_name();
     }
 
   case BN_lod:
diff --git a/panda/src/egg2pg/eggBinner.h b/panda/src/egg2pg/eggBinner.h
index 5af327f251..9f3ac8a7fc 100644
--- a/panda/src/egg2pg/eggBinner.h
+++ b/panda/src/egg2pg/eggBinner.h
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ public:
   virtual int
   get_bin_number(const EggNode *node);
 
+  virtual string
+  get_bin_name(int bin_number, const EggNode *child);
+
   virtual bool
   sorts_less(int bin_number, const EggNode *a, const EggNode *b);
 
diff --git a/panda/src/egg2pg/eggLoader.cxx b/panda/src/egg2pg/eggLoader.cxx
index ebbe885f8b..c2c5e921a9 100644
--- a/panda/src/egg2pg/eggLoader.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/egg2pg/eggLoader.cxx
@@ -176,11 +176,19 @@ build_graph() {
   _data->get_connected_shading();
   _data->unify_attributes(true, true);
 
+  // Sequences and switches have special needs.  Make sure that
+  // primitives parented directly to a sequence or switch are sorted
+  // into sub-groups first, to prevent them being unified into a
+  // single polyset.
+  separate_switches(_data);
+
   // Then bin up the polysets and LOD nodes.
   _data->remove_invalid_primitives(true);
   EggBinner binner(*this);
   binner.make_bins(_data);
 
+  //  ((EggGroupNode *)_data)->write(cerr, 0);
+
   // Now build up the scene graph.
   _root = new ModelRoot(_data->get_egg_filename().get_basename());
   make_node(_data, _root);
@@ -1471,6 +1479,49 @@ setup_bucket(BuilderBucket &bucket, EggLoader::BakeInUVs &bake_in_uvs,
 
 
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: EggLoader::separate_switches
+//       Access: Private
+//  Description: Walks the tree recursively, looking for EggPrimitives
+//               that are children of sequence or switch nodes.  If
+//               any are found, they are moved within their own group
+//               to protect them from being flattened with their
+//               neighbors.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+void EggLoader::
+separate_switches(EggNode *egg_node) {
+  bool parent_has_switch = false;
+  if (egg_node->is_of_type(EggGroup::get_class_type())) {
+    EggGroup *egg_group = DCAST(EggGroup, egg_node);
+    parent_has_switch = egg_group->get_switch_flag();
+  }
+
+  if (egg_node->is_of_type(EggGroupNode::get_class_type())) {
+    EggGroupNode *egg_group = DCAST(EggGroupNode, egg_node);
+
+    EggGroupNode::iterator ci;
+    ci = egg_group->begin();
+    while (ci != egg_group->end()) {
+      EggGroupNode::iterator cnext;
+      cnext = ci;
+      ++cnext;
+
+      PT(EggNode) child = (*ci);
+      if (parent_has_switch && 
+          child->is_of_type(EggPrimitive::get_class_type())) {
+        // Move this child under a new node.
+        PT(EggGroup) new_group = new EggGroup(child->get_name());
+        egg_group->replace(ci, new_group.p());
+        new_group->add_child(child);
+      }
+
+      separate_switches(child);
+
+      ci = cnext;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: EggLoader::make_node
 //       Access: Private
@@ -1727,7 +1778,7 @@ make_node(EggGroup *egg_group, PandaNode *parent) {
     bool all_polysets = false;
     bool any_hidden = false;
     if (use_qpgeom) {
-      check_for_polysets(egg_group, all_polysets, any_hidden);
+      //      check_for_polysets(egg_group, all_polysets, any_hidden);
     }
 
     if (all_polysets && !any_hidden) {
diff --git a/panda/src/egg2pg/eggLoader.h b/panda/src/egg2pg/eggLoader.h
index c00ecd3460..7c4aeace84 100644
--- a/panda/src/egg2pg/eggLoader.h
+++ b/panda/src/egg2pg/eggLoader.h
@@ -130,6 +130,8 @@ private:
   void setup_bucket(BuilderBucket &bucket, BakeInUVs &bake_in_uvs,
                     PandaNode *parent, EggPrimitive *egg_prim);
 
+  void separate_switches(EggNode *egg_node);
+
   PandaNode *make_node(EggNode *egg_node, PandaNode *parent);
   PandaNode *make_node(EggBin *egg_bin, PandaNode *parent);
   PandaNode *make_polyset(EggBin *egg_bin, PandaNode *parent);