diff --git a/engine/src/terrain/com/jme3/terrain/Terrain.java b/engine/src/terrain/com/jme3/terrain/Terrain.java
index 9b7fbbb69..35e914014 100644
--- a/engine/src/terrain/com/jme3/terrain/Terrain.java
+++ b/engine/src/terrain/com/jme3/terrain/Terrain.java
@@ -152,6 +152,14 @@ public interface Terrain {
      */
     public void generateEntropy(ProgressMonitor monitor);
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the material that this terrain uses.
+     * If it uses many materials, just return the one you think is best.
+     * For TerrainQuads this is sufficient. For TerrainGrid you want to call
+     * getMaterial(Vector3f) instead.
+     */
+    public Material getMaterial();
+    
     /**
      * Returns the material that this terrain uses.
      * Terrain can have different materials in different locations.
diff --git a/engine/src/terrain/com/jme3/terrain/geomipmap/TerrainQuad.java b/engine/src/terrain/com/jme3/terrain/geomipmap/TerrainQuad.java
index 6973c4e9a..80760107d 100644
--- a/engine/src/terrain/com/jme3/terrain/geomipmap/TerrainQuad.java
+++ b/engine/src/terrain/com/jme3/terrain/geomipmap/TerrainQuad.java
@@ -378,6 +378,10 @@ public class TerrainQuad extends Node implements Terrain {
         return (getParent() != null && !(getParent() instanceof TerrainQuad) );
     }
 
+    public Material getMaterial() {
+        return getMaterial(null);
+    }
+    
     public Material getMaterial(Vector3f worldLocation) {
         // get the material from one of the children. They all share the same material
         if (children != null) {
diff --git a/engine/src/test/jme3test/terrain/TerrainGridAlphaMapTest.java b/engine/src/test/jme3test/terrain/TerrainGridAlphaMapTest.java
index db4397ffc..6491b97c2 100644
--- a/engine/src/test/jme3test/terrain/TerrainGridAlphaMapTest.java
+++ b/engine/src/test/jme3test/terrain/TerrainGridAlphaMapTest.java
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ public class TerrainGridAlphaMapTest extends SimpleApplication {
                 } catch (Exception e) {
                     alpha = assetManager.loadTexture("TerrainAlphaTest/alpha_default.png");
                 }
-                quad.getMaterial(null).setTexture("AlphaMap", alpha);
+                quad.getMaterial().setTexture("AlphaMap", alpha);
                 if (usePhysics) {
                     quad.addControl(new RigidBodyControl(new HeightfieldCollisionShape(quad.getHeightMap(), terrain.getLocalScale()), 0));
                     bulletAppState.getPhysicsSpace().add(quad);
diff --git a/sdk/jme3-terrain-editor/src/com/jme3/gde/terraineditor/TerrainEditorController.java b/sdk/jme3-terrain-editor/src/com/jme3/gde/terraineditor/TerrainEditorController.java
index 6523adaa4..79be45e2e 100644
--- a/sdk/jme3-terrain-editor/src/com/jme3/gde/terraineditor/TerrainEditorController.java
+++ b/sdk/jme3-terrain-editor/src/com/jme3/gde/terraineditor/TerrainEditorController.java
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ public class TerrainEditorController implements NodeListener {
             if (terrain == null)
                 return 1f;
             MatParam matParam = null;
-            matParam = terrain.getMaterial(null).getParam("DiffuseMap_"+layer+"_scale");
+            matParam = terrain.getMaterial().getParam("DiffuseMap_"+layer+"_scale");
             if (matParam == null)
                 return -1f;
             return (Float) matParam.getValue();
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ public class TerrainEditorController implements NodeListener {
             Terrain terrain = (Terrain) getTerrain(null);
             if (terrain == null)
                 return;
-            terrain.getMaterial(null).setFloat("DiffuseMap_"+layer+"_scale", scale);
+            terrain.getMaterial().setFloat("DiffuseMap_"+layer+"_scale", scale);
             setNeedsSave(true);
         } else {
             try {
@@ -397,9 +397,9 @@ public class TerrainEditorController implements NodeListener {
                 return null;
             MatParam matParam = null;
             if (layer == 0)
-                matParam = terrain.getMaterial(null).getParam("DiffuseMap");
+                matParam = terrain.getMaterial().getParam("DiffuseMap");
             else
-                matParam = terrain.getMaterial(null).getParam("DiffuseMap_"+layer);
+                matParam = terrain.getMaterial().getParam("DiffuseMap_"+layer);
 
             if (matParam == null || matParam.getValue() == null) {
                 return null;
@@ -430,11 +430,11 @@ public class TerrainEditorController implements NodeListener {
             return null;
         MatParam matParam = null;
         if (alphaLayer == 0)
-            matParam = terrain.getMaterial(null).getParam("AlphaMap");
+            matParam = terrain.getMaterial().getParam("AlphaMap");
         else if(alphaLayer == 1)
-            matParam = terrain.getMaterial(null).getParam("AlphaMap_1");
+            matParam = terrain.getMaterial().getParam("AlphaMap_1");
         else if(alphaLayer == 2)
-            matParam = terrain.getMaterial(null).getParam("AlphaMap_2");
+            matParam = terrain.getMaterial().getParam("AlphaMap_2");
         
         if (matParam == null || matParam.getValue() == null) {
             return null;
@@ -471,9 +471,9 @@ public class TerrainEditorController implements NodeListener {
             if (terrain == null)
                 return;
             if (layer == 0)
-                terrain.getMaterial(null).setTexture("DiffuseMap", texture);
+                terrain.getMaterial().setTexture("DiffuseMap", texture);
             else
-                terrain.getMaterial(null).setTexture("DiffuseMap_"+layer, texture);
+                terrain.getMaterial().setTexture("DiffuseMap_"+layer, texture);
 
             setNeedsSave(true);
         } else {
@@ -522,9 +522,9 @@ public class TerrainEditorController implements NodeListener {
         if (terrain == null)
             return;
         if (layer == 0)
-            terrain.getMaterial(null).clearParam("DiffuseMap");
+            terrain.getMaterial().clearParam("DiffuseMap");
         else
-            terrain.getMaterial(null).clearParam("DiffuseMap_"+layer);
+            terrain.getMaterial().clearParam("DiffuseMap_"+layer);
 
         setNeedsSave(true);
     }
@@ -535,9 +535,9 @@ public class TerrainEditorController implements NodeListener {
         if (terrain == null)
             return;
         if (layer == 0)
-            terrain.getMaterial(null).clearParam("NormalMap");
+            terrain.getMaterial().clearParam("NormalMap");
         else
-            terrain.getMaterial(null).clearParam("NormalMap_"+layer);
+            terrain.getMaterial().clearParam("NormalMap_"+layer);
 
         setNeedsSave(true);
     }
@@ -553,9 +553,9 @@ public class TerrainEditorController implements NodeListener {
                 return null;
             MatParam matParam = null;
             if (layer == 0)
-                matParam = terrain.getMaterial(null).getParam("NormalMap");
+                matParam = terrain.getMaterial().getParam("NormalMap");
             else
-                matParam = terrain.getMaterial(null).getParam("NormalMap_"+layer);
+                matParam = terrain.getMaterial().getParam("NormalMap_"+layer);
 
             if (matParam == null || matParam.getValue() == null) {
                 return null;
@@ -616,18 +616,18 @@ public class TerrainEditorController implements NodeListener {
             if (texture == null) {
                 // remove the texture if it is null
                 if (layer == 0)
-                    terrain.getMaterial(null).clearParam("NormalMap");
+                    terrain.getMaterial().clearParam("NormalMap");
                 else
-                    terrain.getMaterial(null).clearParam("NormalMap_"+layer);
+                    terrain.getMaterial().clearParam("NormalMap_"+layer);
                 return;
             }
 
             texture.setWrap(WrapMode.Repeat);
 
             if (layer == 0)
-                terrain.getMaterial(null).setTexture("NormalMap", texture);
+                terrain.getMaterial().setTexture("NormalMap", texture);
             else
-                terrain.getMaterial(null).setTexture("NormalMap_"+layer, texture);
+                terrain.getMaterial().setTexture("NormalMap_"+layer, texture);
 
             setNeedsSave(true);
         } else {
@@ -957,7 +957,7 @@ public class TerrainEditorController implements NodeListener {
             Terrain terrain = (Terrain) getTerrain(null);
             if (terrain == null)
                 return false;
-            MatParam param = terrain.getMaterial(null).getParam("useTriPlanarMapping");
+            MatParam param = terrain.getMaterial().getParam("useTriPlanarMapping");
             if (param != null)
                 return (Boolean)param.getValue();
 
@@ -992,7 +992,7 @@ public class TerrainEditorController implements NodeListener {
             Terrain terrain = (Terrain) getTerrain(null);
             if (terrain == null)
                 return;
-            terrain.getMaterial(null).setBoolean("useTriPlanarMapping", enabled);
+            terrain.getMaterial().setBoolean("useTriPlanarMapping", enabled);
 
             float size = terrain.getTerrainSize();