diff --git a/irr/include/ISceneNode.h b/irr/include/ISceneNode.h
index 897cfb350..c80ff4b48 100644
--- a/irr/include/ISceneNode.h
+++ b/irr/include/ISceneNode.h
@@ -310,7 +310,11 @@ public:
 	\return The material at that index. */
 	virtual video::SMaterial &getMaterial(u32 num)
 	{
-		return video::IdentityMaterial;
+		// We return a default material since a reference can't be null,
+		// but note that writing to this is a mistake either by a child class
+		// or the caller, because getMaterialCount() is zero.
+		// Doing so will helpfully cause a segfault.
+		return const_cast<video::SMaterial&>(video::IdentityMaterial);
 	}
 
 	//! Get amount of materials used by this scene node.
diff --git a/irr/include/SMaterial.h b/irr/include/SMaterial.h
index 3bbc6e946..d48328a31 100644
--- a/irr/include/SMaterial.h
+++ b/irr/include/SMaterial.h
@@ -472,7 +472,7 @@ public:
 };
 
 //! global const identity Material
-IRRLICHT_API extern SMaterial IdentityMaterial;
+IRRLICHT_API extern const SMaterial IdentityMaterial;
 
 } // end namespace video
 } // end namespace irr
diff --git a/irr/src/Irrlicht.cpp b/irr/src/Irrlicht.cpp
index b1818eb55..2e80088ab 100644
--- a/irr/src/Irrlicht.cpp
+++ b/irr/src/Irrlicht.cpp
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ const matrix4 IdentityMatrix(matrix4::EM4CONST_IDENTITY);
 
 namespace video
 {
-SMaterial IdentityMaterial;
+const SMaterial IdentityMaterial;
 
 extern "C" IRRLICHT_API bool IRRCALLCONV isDriverSupported(E_DRIVER_TYPE driver)
 {