diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Marker.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Marker.js
index c43e7a057f..08b5f70a7d 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Marker.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Marker.js
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ OpenLayers.Marker.prototype = {
     initialize: function(lonlat, icon) {
         this.lonlat = lonlat;
 
-        this.icon = (icon) ? icon : this.defaultIcon();
+        this.icon = (icon) ? icon : OpenLayers.Marker.defaultIcon();
 
         this.image = OpenLayers.Util.createAlphaImageDiv(null,
                                                  null,
@@ -62,18 +62,21 @@ OpenLayers.Marker.prototype = {
         }
     },
 
-    /** 
-     * @returns A default OpenLayers.Icon to use for a marker
-     * @type OpenLayers.Icon
-     */
-    defaultIcon: function() {
-        var url = OpenLayers.Util.getImagesLocation() + "marker.png";
-        var size = new OpenLayers.Size(21, 25);
-        var offset = new OpenLayers.Pixel(-(size.w/2), -size.h);
-
-        return new OpenLayers.Icon(url, size, offset);        
-    },
-    
     /** @final @type String */
     CLASS_NAME: "OpenLayers.Marker"
-}
+};
+
+
+/** 
+ * @returns A default OpenLayers.Icon to use for a marker
+ * @type OpenLayers.Icon
+ */
+OpenLayers.Marker.defaultIcon = function() {
+    var url = OpenLayers.Util.getImagesLocation() + "marker.png";
+    var size = new OpenLayers.Size(21, 25);
+    var offset = new OpenLayers.Pixel(-(size.w/2), -size.h);
+
+    return new OpenLayers.Icon(url, size, offset);        
+};
+    
+