diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/r300/r300_state.c b/src/gallium/drivers/r300/r3
index 0ad8a1f..d5b7c9b 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/r300/r300_state.c
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/r300/r300_state.c
@@ -1297,6 +1297,22 @@ static void r300_set_fragment_sampler_views(struct pipe_context* pipe,
             real_num_views++;
     }
 
+    uint32_t occupancy_checker = 0;
+    for (i = 0; i < count; i++) {
+        if (state->sampler_views[i]) {
+            if (&state->sampler_views[i]->base == views[i]) {
+                // this sampler won't be changed, remember its occupied region
+                uint32_t region = (state->sampler_views[i]->texcache_region) >> 27;
+                occupancy_checker |= 1<<region;
+                if (region == 0 && real_num_views > 1) {
+                    //XXX happens with oceans in googleearth and sporadically in ut2004
+                    fprintf(stderr, "trouble ahead\n");
+                    //TODO mark this sampler to be changed in the next for(){}
+                }
+                //TODO also mark the regions that point to the same cache area
+            }
+        }
+    }
     for (i = 0; i < count; i++) {
         if (&state->sampler_views[i]->base != views[i]) {
             pipe_sampler_view_reference(
@@ -1317,12 +1333,73 @@ static void r300_set_fragment_sampler_views(struct pipe_context* pipe,
                 r300_mark_atom_dirty(r300, &r300->fs_rc_constant_state);
             }
 
-            state->sampler_views[i]->texcache_region =
-                r300_assign_texture_cache_region(view_index, real_num_views);
+            // don't allow assignment of occupied region
+            //TODO move here the commentary from r300_assign_texture_cache_region()
+            unsigned region = real_num_views;
+            while (region < 32 && occupancy_checker & 1<<region) {
+                region++;
+            }
+            if (region == 32) {
+                fprintf(stderr, "every cache region occupied already???\n");
+                region = 0; // XXX
+            }
+            if (region == 1) region = 0;
+            state->sampler_views[i]->texcache_region = R300_TX_CACHE(region);
+            occupancy_checker |= 1<<region;
+            //TODO also mark the regions that point to the same cache area
+
             view_index++;
         }
     }