diff --git a/vtm-gdx/src/org/oscim/gdx/GdxAssets.java b/vtm-gdx/src/org/oscim/gdx/GdxAssets.java
index aad9abf2..ce8146d5 100644
--- a/vtm-gdx/src/org/oscim/gdx/GdxAssets.java
+++ b/vtm-gdx/src/org/oscim/gdx/GdxAssets.java
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Copyright 2013 Hannes Janetzek
+ * Copyright 2016 devemux86
  *
  * This file is part of the OpenScienceMap project (http://www.opensciencemap.org).
  *
@@ -21,10 +22,14 @@ import com.badlogic.gdx.files.FileHandle;
 import com.badlogic.gdx.utils.GdxRuntimeException;
 
 import org.oscim.backend.AssetAdapter;
+import org.slf4j.Logger;
+import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
 import java.io.InputStream;
 
 public class GdxAssets extends AssetAdapter {
+    private static final Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(GdxAssets.class);
+
     static String pathPrefix = "";
 
     private GdxAssets(String path) {
@@ -40,7 +45,7 @@ public class GdxAssets extends AssetAdapter {
         try {
             return file.read();
         } catch (GdxRuntimeException e) {
-            e.printStackTrace();
+            log.debug(e.getMessage());
             return null;
         }
     }
diff --git a/vtm/src/org/oscim/layers/tile/vector/labeling/LabelPlacement.java b/vtm/src/org/oscim/layers/tile/vector/labeling/LabelPlacement.java
index f208ead3..3d33aba9 100644
--- a/vtm/src/org/oscim/layers/tile/vector/labeling/LabelPlacement.java
+++ b/vtm/src/org/oscim/layers/tile/vector/labeling/LabelPlacement.java
@@ -1,3 +1,19 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2016 devemux86
+ *
+ * This file is part of the OpenScienceMap project (http://www.opensciencemap.org).
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+ * terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free Software
+ * Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+ * WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A
+ * PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along with
+ * this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
 package org.oscim.layers.tile.vector.labeling;
 
 import org.oscim.core.MapPosition;
@@ -448,7 +464,7 @@ public class LabelPlacement {
                 continue;
 
             for (SymbolItem ti : ld.symbols) {
-                if (ti.texRegion == null)
+                if (ti.bitmap == null && ti.texRegion == null)
                     continue;
 
                 int x = (int) ((dx + ti.x) * scale);
@@ -458,7 +474,10 @@ public class LabelPlacement {
                     continue;
 
                 SymbolItem s = SymbolItem.pool.get();
-                s.texRegion = ti.texRegion;
+                if (ti.bitmap != null)
+                    s.bitmap = ti.bitmap;
+                else
+                    s.texRegion = ti.texRegion;
                 s.x = x;
                 s.y = y;
                 s.billboard = true;
diff --git a/vtm/src/org/oscim/layers/tile/vector/labeling/LabelTileLoaderHook.java b/vtm/src/org/oscim/layers/tile/vector/labeling/LabelTileLoaderHook.java
index 297f4c17..88282388 100644
--- a/vtm/src/org/oscim/layers/tile/vector/labeling/LabelTileLoaderHook.java
+++ b/vtm/src/org/oscim/layers/tile/vector/labeling/LabelTileLoaderHook.java
@@ -1,3 +1,19 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2016 devemux86
+ *
+ * This file is part of the OpenScienceMap project (http://www.opensciencemap.org).
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+ * terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free Software
+ * Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+ * WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A
+ * PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along with
+ * this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
 package org.oscim.layers.tile.vector.labeling;
 
 import org.oscim.core.MapElement;
@@ -84,7 +100,7 @@ public class LabelTileLoaderHook implements TileLoaderThemeHook {
         } else if ((element.type == POINT) && (style instanceof SymbolStyle)) {
             SymbolStyle symbol = (SymbolStyle) style;
 
-            if (symbol.texture == null)
+            if (symbol.bitmap == null && symbol.texture == null)
                 return false;
 
             LabelTileData ld = get(tile);
@@ -93,7 +109,10 @@ public class LabelTileLoaderHook implements TileLoaderThemeHook {
                 PointF p = element.getPoint(i);
 
                 SymbolItem it = SymbolItem.pool.get();
-                it.set(p.x, p.y, symbol.texture, true);
+                if (symbol.bitmap != null)
+                    it.set(p.x, p.y, symbol.bitmap, true);
+                else
+                    it.set(p.x, p.y, symbol.texture, true);
                 ld.symbols.push(it);
             }
         }
diff --git a/vtm/src/org/oscim/renderer/bucket/SymbolBucket.java b/vtm/src/org/oscim/renderer/bucket/SymbolBucket.java
index 7833d995..e8d1ff4f 100644
--- a/vtm/src/org/oscim/renderer/bucket/SymbolBucket.java
+++ b/vtm/src/org/oscim/renderer/bucket/SymbolBucket.java
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Copyright 2012 Hannes Janetzek
+ * Copyright 2016 devemux86
  *
  * This file is part of the OpenScienceMap project (http://www.opensciencemap.org).
  *
@@ -79,8 +80,9 @@ public final class SymbolBucket extends TextureBucket {
             int x = 0;
             int y = 0;
 
+            // FIXME Use simultaneously TextureAtlas and external symbols
             if (it.texRegion != null) {
-                /* FIXME this work only with one TextureAtlas per SymbolLayer */
+                /* FIXME This work only with one TextureAtlas per SymbolBucket */
                 if (textures == null) {
                     /* clone TextureItem to use same texID with
                      * multiple TextureItem */
diff --git a/vtm/src/org/oscim/theme/XmlThemeBuilder.java b/vtm/src/org/oscim/theme/XmlThemeBuilder.java
index a1ef55b0..82d14c2e 100644
--- a/vtm/src/org/oscim/theme/XmlThemeBuilder.java
+++ b/vtm/src/org/oscim/theme/XmlThemeBuilder.java
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.Locale;
 import java.util.Stack;
 
 import static java.lang.Boolean.parseBoolean;
@@ -234,7 +235,8 @@ public class XmlThemeBuilder extends DefaultHandler {
             } else if ("symbol".equals(localName)) {
                 checkState(localName, Element.RENDERING_INSTRUCTION);
                 SymbolStyle symbol = createSymbol(localName, attributes);
-                mCurrentRule.addStyle(symbol);
+                if (symbol != null)
+                    mCurrentRule.addStyle(symbol);
 
             } else if ("outline".equals(localName)) {
                 checkState(localName, Element.RENDERING_INSTRUCTION);
@@ -825,6 +827,16 @@ public class XmlThemeBuilder extends DefaultHandler {
 
         validateExists("src", src, elementName);
 
+        if (src.toLowerCase(Locale.ENGLISH).endsWith(".png")) {
+            try {
+                Bitmap bitmap = CanvasAdapter.getBitmapAsset(src);
+                if (bitmap != null)
+                    return new SymbolStyle(bitmap);
+            } catch (Exception e) {
+                log.debug(e.getMessage());
+            }
+            return null;
+        }
         return new SymbolStyle(getAtlasRegion(src));
     }
 
diff --git a/vtm/src/org/oscim/theme/styles/SymbolStyle.java b/vtm/src/org/oscim/theme/styles/SymbolStyle.java
index 2fbe812c..a5f8ea85 100644
--- a/vtm/src/org/oscim/theme/styles/SymbolStyle.java
+++ b/vtm/src/org/oscim/theme/styles/SymbolStyle.java
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * Copyright 2010, 2011, 2012 mapsforge.org
  * Copyright 2013 Hannes Janetzek
+ * Copyright 2016 devemux86
  *
  * This file is part of the OpenScienceMap project (http://www.opensciencemap.org).
  *
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@
  */
 package org.oscim.theme.styles;
 
+import org.oscim.backend.canvas.Bitmap;
 import org.oscim.renderer.atlas.TextureRegion;
 
 /**
@@ -24,7 +26,12 @@ import org.oscim.renderer.atlas.TextureRegion;
  */
 public final class SymbolStyle extends RenderStyle {
 
-    public final TextureRegion texture;
+    public Bitmap bitmap;
+    public TextureRegion texture;
+
+    public SymbolStyle(Bitmap symbol) {
+        this.bitmap = symbol;
+    }
 
     public SymbolStyle(TextureRegion symbol) {
         this.texture = symbol;
@@ -32,6 +39,8 @@ public final class SymbolStyle extends RenderStyle {
 
     @Override
     public void dispose() {
+        if (bitmap != null)
+            bitmap.recycle();
     }
 
     @Override