diff --git a/OpenSim/Region/Application/OpenSimBase.cs b/OpenSim/Region/Application/OpenSimBase.cs
index eb18e83753..b80d17d74c 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Region/Application/OpenSimBase.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Region/Application/OpenSimBase.cs
@@ -347,14 +347,6 @@ namespace OpenSim
             // Prims have to be loaded after module configuration since some modules may be invoked during the load
             scene.LoadPrimsFromStorage(regionInfo.originRegionID);
             
-            // moved these here as the map texture has to be created after the modules are initialized
-            // and has to happen before the region is registered with the grid.
-            IWorldMapModule mapModule = scene.RequestModuleInterface<IWorldMapModule>();
-            if (mapModule != null)
-                mapModule.GenerateMaptile();
-            else
-                m_log.WarnFormat("[STARTUP]: No map module available to generate map tile");
-            
             // TODO : Try setting resource for region xstats here on scene
             MainServer.Instance.AddStreamHandler(new Region.Framework.Scenes.RegionStatsHandler(regionInfo)); 
             
diff --git a/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/Scene.cs b/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/Scene.cs
index 18705a8121..2890ecdfc6 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/Scene.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/Scene.cs
@@ -396,6 +396,9 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Framework.Scenes
         private double m_rootReprioritizationDistance = 10.0;
         private double m_childReprioritizationDistance = 20.0;
 
+        private Timer m_mapGenerationTimer = new Timer();
+        bool m_generateMaptiles = false;
+
         #endregion
 
         #region Properties
@@ -646,6 +649,29 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Framework.Scenes
                 }
 
                 m_strictAccessControl = startupConfig.GetBoolean("StrictAccessControl", m_strictAccessControl);
+
+                m_generateMaptiles = startupConfig.GetBoolean("GenerateMaptiles", true);
+                if (m_generateMaptiles)
+                {
+                    int maptileRefresh = startupConfig.GetInt("MaptileRefresh", 0);
+                    if (maptileRefresh != 0)
+                    {
+                        m_mapGenerationTimer.Interval = maptileRefresh * 1000;
+                        m_mapGenerationTimer.Elapsed += RegenerateMaptile;
+                        m_mapGenerationTimer.AutoReset = true;
+                        m_mapGenerationTimer.Start();
+                    }
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    string tile = startupConfig.GetString("MaptileStaticUUID", UUID.Zero.ToString());
+                    UUID tileID;
+
+                    if (UUID.TryParse(tile, out tileID))
+                    {
+                        RegionInfo.RegionSettings.TerrainImageID = tileID;
+                    }
+                }
             }
             catch
             {
@@ -1662,16 +1688,21 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Framework.Scenes
 
             m_sceneGridService.SetScene(this);
 
-            // These two 'commands' *must be* next to each other or sim rebooting fails.
-            //m_sceneGridService.RegisterRegion(m_interregionCommsOut, RegionInfo);
-
-            GridRegion region = new GridRegion(RegionInfo);
-            string error = GridService.RegisterRegion(RegionInfo.ScopeID, region);
-            if (error != String.Empty)
+            // If we generate maptiles internally at all, the maptile generator
+            // will register the region. If not, do it here
+            if (m_generateMaptiles)
             {
-                throw new Exception(error);
+                RegenerateMaptile(null, null);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                GridRegion region = new GridRegion(RegionInfo);
+                string error = GridService.RegisterRegion(RegionInfo.ScopeID, region);
+                if (error != String.Empty)
+                {
+                    throw new Exception(error);
+                }
             }
-
         }
 
         #endregion
@@ -4878,5 +4909,19 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Framework.Scenes
 
             return offsets.ToArray();
         }
+
+        public void RegenerateMaptile(object sender, ElapsedEventArgs e)
+        {
+            IWorldMapModule mapModule = RequestModuleInterface<IWorldMapModule>();
+            if (mapModule != null)
+            {
+                mapModule.GenerateMaptile();
+
+                string error = GridService.RegisterRegion(RegionInfo.ScopeID, new GridRegion(RegionInfo));
+
+                if (error != String.Empty)
+                    throw new Exception(error);
+            }
+        }
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/bin/OpenSim.ini.example b/bin/OpenSim.ini.example
index 3dc8f23a5e..1ac484505e 100644
--- a/bin/OpenSim.ini.example
+++ b/bin/OpenSim.ini.example
@@ -222,6 +222,12 @@
 
     ;WorldMapModule = "WorldMap"
     ;MapImageModule = "MapImageModule"
+    ; Set to false to not generate any maptiles
+    ;GenerateMaptiles = "true"
+    ; Refreah (in seconds) the map tile periodically
+    ;MaptileRefresh = 0
+    ; If not generating maptiles, use this static texture asset ID
+    ;MaptileStaticUUID = "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000"
 
     ; ##
     ; ## EMAIL MODULE