diff --git a/src/Main/fg_io.cxx b/src/Main/fg_io.cxx
index 45934a1da..981a6f9e3 100644
--- a/src/Main/fg_io.cxx
+++ b/src/Main/fg_io.cxx
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
 #include <Network/nmea.hxx>
 #include <Network/pve.hxx>
 #include <Network/rul.hxx>
+#include <Network/joyclient.hxx>
 
 #include <Time/timestamp.hxx>
 
@@ -86,6 +87,9 @@ static FGProtocol *parse_port_config( const string& config )
     } else if ( protocol == "rul" ) {
 	FGRUL *rul = new FGRUL;
 	io = rul;
+    } else if ( protocol == "joyclient" ) {
+	FGJoyClient *joyclient = new FGJoyClient;
+	io = joyclient;
     } else {
 	return NULL;
     }
diff --git a/src/Main/main.cxx b/src/Main/main.cxx
index 01ef96ee2..f1d9ad8f6 100644
--- a/src/Main/main.cxx
+++ b/src/Main/main.cxx
@@ -1292,10 +1292,6 @@ int main( int argc, char **argv ) {
     _control87(MCW_EM, MCW_EM);  /* defined in float.h */
 #endif
 
-    // Initialize ssg (from plib).  Needs to come before we do any
-    // other ssg related stuff
-    ssgInit();
-
     // set default log levels
     fglog().setLogLevels( FG_ALL, FG_INFO );
 
@@ -1324,10 +1320,14 @@ int main( int argc, char **argv ) {
 
     // Initialize the various GLUT Event Handlers.
     if( !fgGlutInitEvents() ) {
-	FG_LOG( FG_GENERAL, FG_ALERT, 
-		"GLUT event handler initialization failed ..." );
-	exit(-1);
+ 	FG_LOG( FG_GENERAL, FG_ALERT, 
+ 		"GLUT event handler initialization failed ..." );
+ 	exit(-1);
     }
+ 
+    // Initialize ssg (from plib).  Needs to come before we do any
+    // other ssg stuff, but after opengl/glut has been initialized.
+    ssgInit();
 
     // Initialize the user interface (we need to do this before
     // passing off control to glut and before fgInitGeneral to get our
diff --git a/src/Main/options.cxx b/src/Main/options.cxx
index 1a6a5a7e0..d63ab83f5 100644
--- a/src/Main/options.cxx
+++ b/src/Main/options.cxx
@@ -767,6 +767,8 @@ int fgOPTIONS::parse_option( const string& arg ) {
 	parse_channel( "pve", arg.substr(6) );
     } else if ( arg.find( "--rul=" ) != string::npos ) {
 	parse_channel( "rul", arg.substr(6) );
+    } else if ( arg.find( "--joyclient=" ) != string::npos ) {
+	parse_channel( "joyclient", arg.substr(12) );
 #ifdef FG_NETWORK_OLK
     } else if ( arg == "--disable-network-olk" ) {
 	network_olk = false;