diff --git a/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/BaseVolume.h b/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/BaseVolume.h
index 04d70756..4eeb5c62 100644
--- a/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/BaseVolume.h
+++ b/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/BaseVolume.h
@@ -147,9 +147,9 @@ namespace PolyVox
 		/// Gets the length of the diagonal in voxels
 		float getDiagonalLength(void) const;
 		/// Gets a voxel at the position given by <tt>x,y,z</tt> coordinates
-		VoxelType getVoxel(int32_t uXPos, int32_t uYPos, int32_t uZPos) const;
+		VoxelType getVoxel(int32_t uXPos, int32_t uYPos, int32_t uZPos, bool bPerformBoundsChecks = true) const;
 		/// Gets a voxel at the position given by a 3D vector
-		VoxelType getVoxel(const Vector3DInt32& v3dPos) const;
+		VoxelType getVoxel(const Vector3DInt32& v3dPos, bool bPerformBoundsChecks = true) const;
 		/// Gets a voxel at the position given by <tt>x,y,z</tt> coordinates
 		VoxelType getVoxelAt(int32_t uXPos, int32_t uYPos, int32_t uZPos) const;
 		/// Gets a voxel at the position given by a 3D vector
diff --git a/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/BaseVolume.inl b/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/BaseVolume.inl
index 2103726d..b4237b18 100644
--- a/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/BaseVolume.inl
+++ b/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/BaseVolume.inl
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ namespace PolyVox
 	/// \return The voxel value
 	////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 	template <typename VoxelType>
-	VoxelType BaseVolume<VoxelType>::getVoxel(int32_t /*uXPos*/, int32_t /*uYPos*/, int32_t /*uZPos*/) const
+	VoxelType BaseVolume<VoxelType>::getVoxel(int32_t /*uXPos*/, int32_t /*uYPos*/, int32_t /*uZPos*/, bool /*bPerformBoundsChecks*/) const
 	{
 		POLYVOX_THROW(not_implemented, "You should never call the base class version of this function.");
 		return VoxelType();
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ namespace PolyVox
 	/// \return The voxel value
 	////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 	template <typename VoxelType>
-	VoxelType BaseVolume<VoxelType>::getVoxel(const Vector3DInt32& /*v3dPos*/) const
+	VoxelType BaseVolume<VoxelType>::getVoxel(const Vector3DInt32& /*v3dPos*/, bool /*bPerformBoundsChecks*/) const
 	{
 		POLYVOX_THROW(not_implemented, "You should never call the base class version of this function.");
 		return VoxelType();
diff --git a/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/LargeVolume.h b/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/LargeVolume.h
index 2be3f87d..ca4a8bb4 100644
--- a/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/LargeVolume.h
+++ b/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/LargeVolume.h
@@ -266,9 +266,9 @@ namespace PolyVox
 		~LargeVolume();
 
 		/// Gets a voxel at the position given by <tt>x,y,z</tt> coordinates
-		VoxelType getVoxel(int32_t uXPos, int32_t uYPos, int32_t uZPos) const;
+		VoxelType getVoxel(int32_t uXPos, int32_t uYPos, int32_t uZPos, bool bPerformBoundsChecks = true) const;
 		/// Gets a voxel at the position given by a 3D vector
-		VoxelType getVoxel(const Vector3DInt32& v3dPos) const;
+		VoxelType getVoxel(const Vector3DInt32& v3dPos, bool bPerformBoundsChecks = true) const;
 		/// Gets a voxel at the position given by <tt>x,y,z</tt> coordinates
 		VoxelType getVoxelAt(int32_t uXPos, int32_t uYPos, int32_t uZPos) const;
 		/// Gets a voxel at the position given by a 3D vector
diff --git a/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/LargeVolume.inl b/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/LargeVolume.inl
index 76d4049a..0f2826b6 100644
--- a/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/LargeVolume.inl
+++ b/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/LargeVolume.inl
@@ -122,10 +122,17 @@ namespace PolyVox
 	/// \return The voxel value
 	////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 	template <typename VoxelType>
-	VoxelType LargeVolume<VoxelType>::getVoxel(int32_t uXPos, int32_t uYPos, int32_t uZPos) const
+	VoxelType LargeVolume<VoxelType>::getVoxel(int32_t uXPos, int32_t uYPos, int32_t uZPos, bool bPerformBoundsChecks) const
 	{
-		// PolyVox does not throw an exception when a voxel is out of range. Please see 'Error Handling' in the User Manual.
-		POLYVOX_ASSERT(this->m_regValidRegion.containsPoint(Vector3DInt32(uXPos, uYPos, uZPos)), "Position is outside valid region");
+		// If bounds checking is enabled then we validate the
+		// bounds, and throw an exception if they are violated.
+		if(bPerformBoundsChecks)
+		{
+			if(this->m_regValidRegion.containsPoint(Vector3DInt32(uXPos, uYPos, uZPos)) == false)
+			{
+				POLYVOX_THROW(std::out_of_range, "Position is outside valid region");
+			}
+		}
 
 		const int32_t blockX = uXPos >> m_uBlockSideLengthPower;
 		const int32_t blockY = uYPos >> m_uBlockSideLengthPower;
@@ -145,9 +152,9 @@ namespace PolyVox
 	/// \return The voxel value
 	////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 	template <typename VoxelType>
-	VoxelType LargeVolume<VoxelType>::getVoxel(const Vector3DInt32& v3dPos) const
+	VoxelType LargeVolume<VoxelType>::getVoxel(const Vector3DInt32& v3dPos, bool bPerformBoundsChecks) const
 	{
-		return getVoxel(v3dPos.getX(), v3dPos.getY(), v3dPos.getZ());
+		return getVoxel(v3dPos.getX(), v3dPos.getY(), v3dPos.getZ(), bPerformBoundsChecks);
 	}
 
 	////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/RawVolume.h b/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/RawVolume.h
index e4549e1f..f50087a7 100644
--- a/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/RawVolume.h
+++ b/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/RawVolume.h
@@ -116,9 +116,9 @@ namespace PolyVox
 		~RawVolume();
 
 		/// Gets a voxel at the position given by <tt>x,y,z</tt> coordinates
-		VoxelType getVoxel(int32_t uXPos, int32_t uYPos, int32_t uZPos) const;
+		VoxelType getVoxel(int32_t uXPos, int32_t uYPos, int32_t uZPos, bool bPerformBoundsChecks = true) const;
 		/// Gets a voxel at the position given by a 3D vector
-		VoxelType getVoxel(const Vector3DInt32& v3dPos) const;
+		VoxelType getVoxel(const Vector3DInt32& v3dPos, bool bPerformBoundsChecks = true) const;
 		/// Gets a voxel at the position given by <tt>x,y,z</tt> coordinates
 		VoxelType getVoxelAt(int32_t uXPos, int32_t uYPos, int32_t uZPos) const;
 		/// Gets a voxel at the position given by a 3D vector
diff --git a/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/RawVolume.inl b/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/RawVolume.inl
index c6face08..668ad929 100644
--- a/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/RawVolume.inl
+++ b/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/RawVolume.inl
@@ -80,10 +80,17 @@ namespace PolyVox
 	/// \return The voxel value
 	////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 	template <typename VoxelType>
-	VoxelType RawVolume<VoxelType>::getVoxel(int32_t uXPos, int32_t uYPos, int32_t uZPos) const
+	VoxelType RawVolume<VoxelType>::getVoxel(int32_t uXPos, int32_t uYPos, int32_t uZPos, bool bPerformBoundsChecks) const
 	{
-		// PolyVox does not throw an exception when a voxel is out of range. Please see 'Error Handling' in the User Manual.
-		POLYVOX_ASSERT(this->m_regValidRegion.containsPoint(Vector3DInt32(uXPos, uYPos, uZPos)), "Position is outside valid region");
+		// If bounds checking is enabled then we validate the
+		// bounds, and throw an exception if they are violated.
+		if(bPerformBoundsChecks)
+		{
+			if(this->m_regValidRegion.containsPoint(Vector3DInt32(uXPos, uYPos, uZPos)) == false)
+			{
+				POLYVOX_THROW(std::out_of_range, "Position is outside valid region");
+			}
+		}
 
 		const Vector3DInt32& v3dLowerCorner = this->m_regValidRegion.getLowerCorner();
 		int32_t iLocalXPos = uXPos - v3dLowerCorner.getX();
@@ -103,9 +110,9 @@ namespace PolyVox
 	/// \return The voxel value
 	////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 	template <typename VoxelType>
-	VoxelType RawVolume<VoxelType>::getVoxel(const Vector3DInt32& v3dPos) const
+	VoxelType RawVolume<VoxelType>::getVoxel(const Vector3DInt32& v3dPos, bool bPerformBoundsChecks) const
 	{
-		return getVoxel(v3dPos.getX(), v3dPos.getY(), v3dPos.getZ());
+		return getVoxel(v3dPos.getX(), v3dPos.getY(), v3dPos.getZ(), bPerformBoundsChecks);
 	}
 
 	////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/SimpleVolume.h b/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/SimpleVolume.h
index 8ce2083e..7b4b11b0 100644
--- a/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/SimpleVolume.h
+++ b/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/SimpleVolume.h
@@ -155,9 +155,9 @@ namespace PolyVox
 		~SimpleVolume();
 
 		/// Gets a voxel at the position given by <tt>x,y,z</tt> coordinates
-		VoxelType getVoxel(int32_t uXPos, int32_t uYPos, int32_t uZPos) const;
+		VoxelType getVoxel(int32_t uXPos, int32_t uYPos, int32_t uZPos, bool bPerformBoundsChecks = true) const;
 		/// Gets a voxel at the position given by a 3D vector
-		VoxelType getVoxel(const Vector3DInt32& v3dPos) const;
+		VoxelType getVoxel(const Vector3DInt32& v3dPos, bool bPerformBoundsChecks = true) const;
 		/// Gets a voxel at the position given by <tt>x,y,z</tt> coordinates
 		VoxelType getVoxelAt(int32_t uXPos, int32_t uYPos, int32_t uZPos) const;
 		/// Gets a voxel at the position given by a 3D vector
diff --git a/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/SimpleVolume.inl b/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/SimpleVolume.inl
index 573f3c83..13fdfae9 100644
--- a/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/SimpleVolume.inl
+++ b/library/PolyVoxCore/include/PolyVoxCore/SimpleVolume.inl
@@ -80,10 +80,17 @@ namespace PolyVox
 	/// \return The voxel value
 	////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 	template <typename VoxelType>
-	VoxelType SimpleVolume<VoxelType>::getVoxel(int32_t uXPos, int32_t uYPos, int32_t uZPos) const
+	VoxelType SimpleVolume<VoxelType>::getVoxel(int32_t uXPos, int32_t uYPos, int32_t uZPos, bool bPerformBoundsChecks) const
 	{
-		// PolyVox does not throw an exception when a voxel is out of range. Please see 'Error Handling' in the User Manual.
-		POLYVOX_ASSERT(this->m_regValidRegion.containsPoint(Vector3DInt32(uXPos, uYPos, uZPos)), "Position is outside valid region");
+		// If bounds checking is enabled then we validate the
+		// bounds, and throw an exception if they are violated.
+		if(bPerformBoundsChecks)
+		{
+			if(this->m_regValidRegion.containsPoint(Vector3DInt32(uXPos, uYPos, uZPos)) == false)
+			{
+				POLYVOX_THROW(std::out_of_range, "Position is outside valid region");
+			}
+		}
 
 		const int32_t blockX = uXPos >> m_uBlockSideLengthPower;
 		const int32_t blockY = uYPos >> m_uBlockSideLengthPower;
@@ -103,9 +110,9 @@ namespace PolyVox
 	/// \return The voxel value
 	////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 	template <typename VoxelType>
-	VoxelType SimpleVolume<VoxelType>::getVoxel(const Vector3DInt32& v3dPos) const
+	VoxelType SimpleVolume<VoxelType>::getVoxel(const Vector3DInt32& v3dPos, bool bPerformBoundsChecks) const
 	{
-		return getVoxel(v3dPos.getX(), v3dPos.getY(), v3dPos.getZ());
+		return getVoxel(v3dPos.getX(), v3dPos.getY(), v3dPos.getZ(), bPerformBoundsChecks);
 	}
 
 	////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////