diff --git a/include/qertypes.h b/include/qertypes.h
index 50dec5f2..b3631d88 100644
--- a/include/qertypes.h
+++ b/include/qertypes.h
@@ -874,6 +874,8 @@ typedef struct
 	// set to true after OpenGL has been initialized and extensions have been tested
 	bool m_bOpenGLReady;
 
+	// set this to true and any new brushes will be detail by default (else they are structural)
+	bool m_bMakeDetail;
 } QEGlobals_t;
 
 #endif // _QERTYPES_H_
diff --git a/install/bitmaps/toggle_detail.png b/install/bitmaps/toggle_detail.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e91acc51
Binary files /dev/null and b/install/bitmaps/toggle_detail.png differ
diff --git a/install/bitmaps/toggle_struct.png b/install/bitmaps/toggle_struct.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c773aa5c
Binary files /dev/null and b/install/bitmaps/toggle_struct.png differ
diff --git a/radiant/mainframe.cpp b/radiant/mainframe.cpp
index 805bc6e8..72c9e028 100644
--- a/radiant/mainframe.cpp
+++ b/radiant/mainframe.cpp
@@ -690,6 +690,7 @@ gint HandleCommand( GtkWidget *widget, gpointer data ){
 		  case ID_SELECT_SNAPTOGRID: g_pParentWnd->OnSnapToGrid(); break;
 		  case ID_SELECT_ALL: g_pParentWnd->OnSelectAll(); break;
 		  case ID_SELECTION_INVERT: g_pParentWnd->OnSelectionInvert(); break;
+		  case ID_TOGGLE_DETAIL: g_pParentWnd->OnToggleDetail(); break;
 		  }}
 
 	return TRUE;
@@ -1756,6 +1757,11 @@ void MainFrame::create_main_toolbar( GtkWidget *window, GtkWidget *vbox ){
 		g_object_set_data( G_OBJECT( window ), "tb_view_clipper", w );
 	}
 
+	w = gtk_toolbar_append_element( GTK_TOOLBAR( toolbar ), GTK_TOOLBAR_CHILD_TOGGLEBUTTON, NULL,
+										"", _( "Make Detail Brushes" ), "", new_image_icon("toggle_struct.png"),
+										GTK_SIGNAL_FUNC( HandleCommand ), GINT_TO_POINTER( ID_TOGGLE_DETAIL ) );
+		g_object_set_data( G_OBJECT( window ), "tb_toggle_detail", w );
+
 	gtk_toolbar_append_space( GTK_TOOLBAR( toolbar ) );
 
 	w = gtk_toolbar_append_item( GTK_TOOLBAR( toolbar ), "", _( "Change views" ), "",
@@ -5454,6 +5460,31 @@ void MainFrame::OnClipSelected(){
 	}
 }
 
+void MainFrame::OnToggleDetail(){
+	GtkWidget *w = GTK_WIDGET( g_object_get_data( G_OBJECT( m_pWidget ), "tb_toggle_detail" ) );
+	g_bIgnoreCommands++;
+	
+	if ( g_qeglobals.m_bMakeDetail == TRUE ) {
+		g_qeglobals.m_bMakeDetail = FALSE;
+		Sys_Printf( "Structural Brush mode activated\n" );
+
+		gtk_toggle_button_set_active( GTK_TOGGLE_BUTTON( w ), FALSE );
+		gtk_button_set_image( GTK_BUTTON( w ),new_image_icon( "toggle_struct.png" ) );
+		
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		g_qeglobals.m_bMakeDetail = TRUE;
+		Sys_Printf( "Detail Brush mode activated\n" );
+
+		gtk_toggle_button_set_active( GTK_TOGGLE_BUTTON( w ), TRUE );
+		gtk_button_set_image( GTK_BUTTON( w ), new_image_icon( "toggle_detail.png" ) );
+
+	}
+
+	g_bIgnoreCommands--;
+}
+
 void MainFrame::OnSplitSelected(){
 	if ( m_pActiveXY ) {
 		Undo_Start( "split selected" );
diff --git a/radiant/mainframe.h b/radiant/mainframe.h
index f0b14d17..73f8ccee 100644
--- a/radiant/mainframe.h
+++ b/radiant/mainframe.h
@@ -427,6 +427,8 @@ struct SKeyInfo
 #define ID_TEXTUREWINDOW_SCALEUP        40321
 #define ID_TEXTUREWINDOW_SCALEDOWN      40322
 
+#define ID_TOGGLE_DETAIL				40323
+
 class CSynapseClientRadiant : public CSynapseClient
 {
 public:
@@ -695,6 +697,7 @@ void OnHelp();
 void OnHelpLinks();
 void OnHelpBugreport();
 void OnViewClipper();
+void OnToggleDetail();
 void OnCameraAngledown();
 void OnCameraAngleup();
 void OnCameraBack( bool keydown );
diff --git a/radiant/xywindow.cpp b/radiant/xywindow.cpp
index d0d2e6fd..560eb8fe 100644
--- a/radiant/xywindow.cpp
+++ b/radiant/xywindow.cpp
@@ -1595,7 +1595,7 @@ void XYWnd::NewBrushDrag( int x, int y ){
 			maxs[i] = temp;
 		}
 	}
-
+	
 	// Caulk the new brush
 	if ( g_PrefsDlg.m_bCaulkNewBrushes == TRUE ) {
 		texdef_t tex;
@@ -1605,16 +1605,28 @@ void XYWnd::NewBrushDrag( int x, int y ){
 		tex.scale[0] = g_PrefsDlg.m_fDefTextureScale;
 		tex.scale[1] = g_PrefsDlg.m_fDefTextureScale;
 		tex.flags = shad->getFlags();
-
+		
 		n = Brush_Create( mins, maxs, &tex );
 	} else {
 		n = Brush_Create( mins, maxs, &g_qeglobals.d_texturewin.texdef );
 	}
-
+	
 	if ( !n ) {
 		return;
 	}
 
+	// structural or detail?
+	face_t *f;
+		
+	for ( f = n->brush_faces ; f ; f = f->next ) {
+		if ( g_qeglobals.m_bMakeDetail == TRUE ) {
+			f->texdef.contents |= CONTENTS_DETAIL;
+		} else {
+			f->texdef.contents &= ~CONTENTS_DETAIL;
+		}
+	}
+	//
+
 	vec3_t vSize;
 	VectorSubtract( maxs, mins, vSize );
 	g_strStatus.Format( "Size X:: %.1f  Y:: %.1f  Z:: %.1f", vSize[0], vSize[1], vSize[2] );