diff --git a/code/FindInstancesProcess.cpp b/code/FindInstancesProcess.cpp
index c1a145a47..47038faab 100644
--- a/code/FindInstancesProcess.cpp
+++ b/code/FindInstancesProcess.cpp
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ void FindInstancesProcess::Execute( aiScene* pScene)
 			aiMesh* inst = pScene->mMeshes[i];
 			hashes[i] = GetMeshHash(inst);
 
-			for (int a = i-1; a > 0; --a) {
+			for (int a = i-1; a >= 0; --a) {
 				if (hashes[i] == hashes[a])
 				{
 					aiMesh* orig = pScene->mMeshes[a];
@@ -253,6 +253,7 @@ void FindInstancesProcess::Execute( aiScene* pScene)
 					// Delete the instanced mesh, we don't need it anymore
 					delete inst;
 					pScene->mMeshes[i] = NULL;
+					break;
 				}
 			}
 
diff --git a/code/ObjFileImporter.cpp b/code/ObjFileImporter.cpp
index 3c0aa77c6..6b702d5dc 100644
--- a/code/ObjFileImporter.cpp
+++ b/code/ObjFileImporter.cpp
@@ -443,6 +443,9 @@ void ObjFileImporter::createMaterial(const ObjFile::Model* pModel, const ObjFile
 		}
 		mat->AddProperty<int>( &sm, 1, AI_MATKEY_SHADING_MODEL);
 
+		// multiplying the specular exponent with 2 seems to yield better results
+		pCurrentMaterial->shineness *= 4.f;
+
 		// Adding material colors
 		mat->AddProperty( &pCurrentMaterial->ambient, 1, AI_MATKEY_COLOR_AMBIENT );
 		mat->AddProperty( &pCurrentMaterial->diffuse, 1, AI_MATKEY_COLOR_DIFFUSE );
diff --git a/tools/assimp_view/Display.cpp b/tools/assimp_view/Display.cpp
index 7ed7df98d..6f90d57d9 100644
--- a/tools/assimp_view/Display.cpp
+++ b/tools/assimp_view/Display.cpp
@@ -280,6 +280,7 @@ int CDisplay::ReplaceCurrentTexture(const char* szPath)
 
 			// special handling here 
 			if (pcMesh->piNormalTexture && pcMesh->piNormalTexture != piTexture)	{
+				piTexture->AddRef();
 				pcMesh->piNormalTexture->Release();
 				pcMesh->piNormalTexture = piTexture;
 				CMaterialManager::Instance().HMtoNMIfNecessary(pcMesh->piNormalTexture,&pcMesh->piNormalTexture,true);
@@ -302,9 +303,9 @@ int CDisplay::ReplaceCurrentTexture(const char* szPath)
 			*tex = piTexture;
 			m_pcCurrentTexture->piTexture = tex;
 
-			if (!pcMesh->bSharedFX){
+			//if (!pcMesh->bSharedFX){
 				pcMesh->piEffect->SetTexture(tex_string,piTexture);
-			}
+			//}
 		}
 	}
 	// now update the material itself
diff --git a/tools/assimp_view/Material.cpp b/tools/assimp_view/Material.cpp
index af6c6143f..cde8d38b6 100644
--- a/tools/assimp_view/Material.cpp
+++ b/tools/assimp_view/Material.cpp
@@ -456,6 +456,7 @@ void CMaterialManager::DeleteMaterial(AssetHelper::MeshHelper* pcIn)
 		pcIn->piLightmapTexture->Release();
 		pcIn->piLightmapTexture = NULL;
 	}
+	pcIn->piEffect = NULL;
 }
 //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void CMaterialManager::HMtoNMIfNecessary(
diff --git a/tools/assimp_view/Normals.cpp b/tools/assimp_view/Normals.cpp
index 387007074..44e441163 100644
--- a/tools/assimp_view/Normals.cpp
+++ b/tools/assimp_view/Normals.cpp
@@ -103,6 +103,10 @@ void AssetHelper::FlipNormalsInt()
 	for (unsigned int i = 0; i < this->pcScene->mNumMeshes;++i)
 	{
 		aiMesh* pcMesh = this->pcScene->mMeshes[i];
+	
+		if (!pcMesh->mNormals)
+			continue;
+
 		for (unsigned int a = 0; a < pcMesh->mNumVertices;++a){
 			pcMesh->mNormals[a] *= -1.0f;
 		}