diff --git a/direct/src/showbase/BufferViewer.py b/direct/src/showbase/BufferViewer.py
index 06beed9e1f..aa9425a926 100644
--- a/direct/src/showbase/BufferViewer.py
+++ b/direct/src/showbase/BufferViewer.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ class BufferViewer(DirectObject):
         self.exclude = "none"
         self.cullbin = "fixed"
         self.cullsort = 10000
+        self.renderParent = render2d
         self.cards = []
         self.cardindex = 0
         self.cardmaker = CardMaker("cubemaker")
@@ -172,6 +173,12 @@ class BufferViewer(DirectObject):
         self.cullsort = sort
         self.dirty = 1
 
+    def setRenderParent(self, renderParent):
+        """Set the scene graph root to which the output cards should
+        be parented.  The default is render2d. """
+        self.renderParent = renderParent
+        self.dirty = 1
+
     def analyzeTextureSet(self, x, set):
         """Access: private.  Converts a list of GraphicsObject,
         GraphicsEngine, and Texture into a table of Textures."""
@@ -398,7 +405,7 @@ class BufferViewer(DirectObject):
                     placer.setPos(posx, 0, posy)
                     placer.setScale(fsizex*0.5, 1.0, fsizey*0.5)
                     placer.setBin(self.cullbin, self.cullsort)
-                    placer.reparentTo(render2d)
+                    placer.reparentTo(self.renderParent)
                     frame.instanceTo(placer)
                     cards[index].reparentTo(placer)
                     cards[index] = placer
diff --git a/direct/src/showbase/ShowBase.py b/direct/src/showbase/ShowBase.py
index b8249865bc..2ce7103cb6 100644
--- a/direct/src/showbase/ShowBase.py
+++ b/direct/src/showbase/ShowBase.py
@@ -343,6 +343,8 @@ class ShowBase(DirectObject.DirectObject):
         # Offscreen buffer viewing utility.
         # This needs to be allocated even if the viewer is off.
         self.bufferViewer = BufferViewer()
+        if self.wantRender2dp:
+            self.bufferViewer.setRenderParent(self.render2dp)
 
         if self.windowType != 'none':
             self.__doStartDirect()
@@ -923,7 +925,6 @@ class ShowBase(DirectObject.DirectObject):
         self.a2dpBottomLeft.setPos(self.a2dpLeft, 0, self.a2dpBottom)
         self.a2dpBottomRight.setPos(self.a2dpRight, 0, self.a2dpBottom)
 
-
     def getAspectRatio(self, win = None):
         # Returns the actual aspect ratio of the indicated (or main
         # window), or the default aspect ratio if there is not yet a