diff --git a/src/Main/fg_init.cxx b/src/Main/fg_init.cxx
index b2639671d..61d342588 100644
--- a/src/Main/fg_init.cxx
+++ b/src/Main/fg_init.cxx
@@ -742,14 +742,6 @@ void fgCreateSubsystems(bool duringReset) {
         globals->add_subsystem( "http", new FGHTTPClient );
     }
 
-    ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-    // Initialize the scenery management subsystem.
-    ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-
-    globals->get_scenery()->get_scene_graph()
-        ->addChild(simgear::Particles::getCommonRoot());
-    simgear::GlobalParticleCallback::setSwitch(fgGetNode("/sim/rendering/particles", true));
-
     ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     // Initialize the flight model subsystem.
     ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/src/Scenery/scenery.cxx b/src/Scenery/scenery.cxx
index f160b4267..8ec3e5703 100644
--- a/src/Scenery/scenery.cxx
+++ b/src/Scenery/scenery.cxx
@@ -327,6 +327,12 @@ void FGScenery::init() {
     interiorLOD->addChild(interior_branch.get(), 0.0, 50.0);
     aircraft_branch->addChild( interiorLOD );
     
+    // Set up the particle system as a directly accessible branch of the scene graph.
+    particles_branch = simgear::Particles::getCommonRoot();
+    particles_branch->setName("Particles");
+    scene_graph->addChild(particles_branch.get());
+    simgear::GlobalParticleCallback::setSwitch(fgGetNode("/sim/rendering/particles", true));
+
     // Initials values needed by the draw-time object loader
     sgUserDataInit( globals->get_props() );
   
@@ -341,6 +347,7 @@ void FGScenery::shutdown()
     terrain_branch = NULL;
     models_branch = NULL;
     aircraft_branch = NULL;
+    particles_branch = NULL;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/Scenery/scenery.hxx b/src/Scenery/scenery.hxx
index cc659882c..593707d14 100644
--- a/src/Scenery/scenery.hxx
+++ b/src/Scenery/scenery.hxx
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 
 #include <simgear/compiler.h>
 #include <simgear/math/SGMath.hxx>
+#include <simgear/scene/model/particles.hxx>
 #include <simgear/structure/subsystem_mgr.hxx>
 
 #include "SceneryPager.hxx"
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ class FGScenery : public SGSubsystem
     osg::ref_ptr<osg::Group> models_branch;
     osg::ref_ptr<osg::Group> aircraft_branch;
     osg::ref_ptr<osg::Group> interior_branch;
+    osg::ref_ptr<osg::Group> particles_branch;
     
     osg::ref_ptr<flightgear::SceneryPager> _pager;
     ScenerySwitchListener* _listener;
@@ -114,6 +116,7 @@ public:
     osg::Group *get_models_branch () const { return models_branch.get(); }
     osg::Group *get_aircraft_branch () const { return aircraft_branch.get(); }
     osg::Group *get_interior_branch () const { return interior_branch.get(); }
+    osg::Group *get_particles_branch () const { return particles_branch.get(); }
     
     /// Returns true if scenery is available for the given lat, lon position
     /// within a range of range_m.