diff --git a/source/blender/editors/object/object_add.c b/source/blender/editors/object/object_add.c
index bc577f6ee29..02dcb559843 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/object/object_add.c
+++ b/source/blender/editors/object/object_add.c
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@
 #include "BKE_displist.h"
 #include "BKE_effect.h"
 #include "BKE_group.h"
+#include "BKE_image.h"
 #include "BKE_lamp.h"
 #include "BKE_lattice.h"
 #include "BKE_library.h"
@@ -735,6 +736,79 @@ void OBJECT_OT_empty_add(wmOperatorType *ot)
 	ED_object_add_generic_props(ot, FALSE);
 }
 
+static int empty_drop_named_image_invoke(bContext *C, wmOperator *op, wmEvent *event)
+{
+	Base *base = NULL;
+	Image *ima = NULL;
+	Object *ob = NULL;
+
+	/* check image input variables */
+	if (RNA_struct_property_is_set(op->ptr, "filepath")) {
+		char path[FILE_MAX];
+
+		RNA_string_get(op->ptr, "filepath", path);
+		ima = BKE_image_load_exists(path);
+	}
+	else if (RNA_struct_property_is_set(op->ptr, "name")) {
+		char name[MAX_ID_NAME - 2];
+
+		RNA_string_get(op->ptr, "name", name);
+		ima = (Image *)BKE_libblock_find_name(ID_IM, name);
+	}
+
+	if (ima == NULL) {
+		BKE_report(op->reports, RPT_ERROR, "Not an image");
+		return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
+	}
+
+	base = ED_view3d_give_base_under_cursor(C, event->mval);
+
+	/* if empty under cursor, then set object */
+	if (base && base->object->type == OB_EMPTY) {
+		ob = base->object;
+		WM_event_add_notifier(C, NC_SCENE | ND_OB_ACTIVE, CTX_data_scene(C));
+	}
+	else {
+		/* add new empty */
+		unsigned int layer;
+		float loc[3], rot[3];
+
+		if (!ED_object_add_generic_get_opts(C, op, loc, rot, NULL, &layer, NULL))
+			return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
+
+		ob = ED_object_add_type(C, OB_EMPTY, loc, rot, FALSE, layer);
+		ob->empty_drawtype = OB_EMPTY_IMAGE;
+	}
+
+	ob->data = ima;
+
+ 	return OPERATOR_FINISHED;
+}
+
+void OBJECT_OT_drop_named_image(wmOperatorType *ot)
+{
+	PropertyRNA *prop;
+
+	/* identifiers */
+	ot->name = "Add Empty Image/Drop Image To Empty";
+	ot->description = "Add an empty image type to scene with data";
+	ot->idname = "OBJECT_OT_drop_named_image";
+
+	/* api callbacks */
+	ot->invoke = empty_drop_named_image_invoke;
+	ot->poll = ED_operator_objectmode;
+
+	/* flags */
+	ot->flag = OPTYPE_REGISTER | OPTYPE_UNDO;
+
+	/* properties */
+	prop = RNA_def_string(ot->srna, "filepath", "", FILE_MAX, "Filepath", "Path to image file");
+	RNA_def_property_flag(prop, PROP_HIDDEN | PROP_SKIP_SAVE);
+	prop = RNA_def_string(ot->srna, "name", "", MAX_ID_NAME - 2, "Name", "Image name to assign");
+	RNA_def_property_flag(prop, PROP_HIDDEN | PROP_SKIP_SAVE);
+	ED_object_add_generic_props(ot, FALSE);
+}
+
 /********************* Add Lamp Operator ********************/
 
 static const char *get_lamp_defname(int type)
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/object/object_intern.h b/source/blender/editors/object/object_intern.h
index 4523ac098d6..a302aa65fd0 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/object/object_intern.h
+++ b/source/blender/editors/object/object_intern.h
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ void OBJECT_OT_metaball_add(struct wmOperatorType *ot);
 void OBJECT_OT_text_add(struct wmOperatorType *ot);
 void OBJECT_OT_armature_add(struct wmOperatorType *ot);
 void OBJECT_OT_empty_add(struct wmOperatorType *ot);
+void OBJECT_OT_drop_named_image(struct wmOperatorType *ot);
 void OBJECT_OT_lamp_add(struct wmOperatorType *ot);
 void OBJECT_OT_effector_add(struct wmOperatorType *ot);
 void OBJECT_OT_camera_add(struct wmOperatorType *ot);
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/object/object_ops.c b/source/blender/editors/object/object_ops.c
index bf408d6dbe4..e5aaaffade8 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/object/object_ops.c
+++ b/source/blender/editors/object/object_ops.c
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ void ED_operatortypes_object(void)
 	WM_operatortype_append(OBJECT_OT_text_add);
 	WM_operatortype_append(OBJECT_OT_armature_add);
 	WM_operatortype_append(OBJECT_OT_empty_add);
+	WM_operatortype_append(OBJECT_OT_drop_named_image);
 	WM_operatortype_append(OBJECT_OT_lamp_add);
 	WM_operatortype_append(OBJECT_OT_camera_add);
 	WM_operatortype_append(OBJECT_OT_speaker_add);
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/space_view3d/drawobject.c b/source/blender/editors/space_view3d/drawobject.c
index 6dd3ecca244..5d669974711 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/space_view3d/drawobject.c
+++ b/source/blender/editors/space_view3d/drawobject.c
@@ -619,16 +619,17 @@ static void draw_empty_image(Object *ob, const short dflag, const unsigned char
 
 	if ((dflag & DRAW_CONSTCOLOR) == 0) {
 		glColor3ubv(ob_wire_col);
-
-		/* Calculate the outline vertex positions */
-		glBegin(GL_LINE_LOOP);
-		glVertex2f(ofs_x, ofs_y);
-		glVertex2f(ofs_x + ima_x, ofs_y);
-		glVertex2f(ofs_x + ima_x, ofs_y + ima_y);
-		glVertex2f(ofs_x, ofs_y + ima_y);
-		glEnd();
 	}
 
+	/* Calculate the outline vertex positions */
+	glBegin(GL_LINE_LOOP);
+	glVertex2f(ofs_x, ofs_y);
+	glVertex2f(ofs_x + ima_x, ofs_y);
+	glVertex2f(ofs_x + ima_x, ofs_y + ima_y);
+	glVertex2f(ofs_x, ofs_y + ima_y);
+	glEnd();
+
+
 	/* Reset GL settings */
 	glMatrixMode(GL_MODELVIEW);
 	glPopMatrix();
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/space_view3d/space_view3d.c b/source/blender/editors/space_view3d/space_view3d.c
index 658196a1bd4..2ed1ec694d8 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/space_view3d/space_view3d.c
+++ b/source/blender/editors/space_view3d/space_view3d.c
@@ -514,20 +514,22 @@ static int view3d_ima_drop_poll(bContext *UNUSED(C), wmDrag *drag, wmEvent *UNUS
 }
 
 
-static int view3d_ima_bg_drop_poll(bContext *C, wmDrag *drag, wmEvent *event)
+static int view3d_ima_empty_drop_poll(bContext *C, wmDrag *drag, wmEvent *event)
 {
-	if (ED_view3d_give_base_under_cursor(C, event->mval) ) {
-		return 0;
-	}
-	return view3d_ima_drop_poll(C, drag, event);
+	Base *base = ED_view3d_give_base_under_cursor(C, event->mval);
+
+	if (!base || (base && base->object->type == OB_EMPTY))
+		return view3d_ima_drop_poll(C, drag, event);
+	return 0;
 }
 
-static int view3d_ima_ob_drop_poll(bContext *C, wmDrag *drag, wmEvent *event)
+static int view3d_ima_mesh_drop_poll(bContext *C, wmDrag *drag, wmEvent *event)
 {
-	if (ED_view3d_give_base_under_cursor(C, event->mval) ) {
-		return view3d_ima_drop_poll(C, drag, event);
-	}
-	return 0;
+	Base *base = ED_view3d_give_base_under_cursor(C, event->mval);
+
+	if (base && base->object->type == OB_MESH)
+ 		return view3d_ima_drop_poll(C, drag, event);
+ 	return 0;
 }
 
 static void view3d_ob_drop_copy(wmDrag *drag, wmDropBox *drop)
@@ -570,8 +572,8 @@ static void view3d_dropboxes(void)
 	
 	WM_dropbox_add(lb, "OBJECT_OT_add_named", view3d_ob_drop_poll, view3d_ob_drop_copy);
 	WM_dropbox_add(lb, "OBJECT_OT_drop_named_material", view3d_mat_drop_poll, view3d_id_drop_copy);
-	WM_dropbox_add(lb, "MESH_OT_drop_named_image", view3d_ima_ob_drop_poll, view3d_id_path_drop_copy);
-	WM_dropbox_add(lb, "VIEW3D_OT_background_image_add", view3d_ima_bg_drop_poll, view3d_id_path_drop_copy);
+	WM_dropbox_add(lb, "MESH_OT_drop_named_image", view3d_ima_mesh_drop_poll, view3d_id_path_drop_copy);
+	WM_dropbox_add(lb, "OBJECT_OT_drop_named_image", view3d_ima_empty_drop_poll, view3d_id_path_drop_copy);
 	WM_dropbox_add(lb, "OBJECT_OT_group_instance_add", view3d_group_drop_poll, view3d_group_drop_copy);
 }