diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Handler/Path.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Handler/Path.js
index 2dd07bbe8b..cdc286b12c 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Handler/Path.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Handler/Path.js
@@ -79,13 +79,14 @@ OpenLayers.Handler.Path = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Handler.Point, {
      *     feature.
      */
     createFeature: function(pixel) {
-        if(!pixel) {
-            pixel = new OpenLayers.Pixel(-50, -50);
+        var geometry;
+        if(pixel) {
+            var lonlat = this.map.getLonLatFromPixel(pixel);
+            geometry = new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(lonlat.lon, lonlat.lat);
+        } else {
+            geometry = new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point();
         }
-        var lonlat = this.control.map.getLonLatFromPixel(pixel);
-        this.point = new OpenLayers.Feature.Vector(
-            new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(lonlat.lon, lonlat.lat)
-        );
+        this.point = new OpenLayers.Feature.Vector(geometry);
         this.line = new OpenLayers.Feature.Vector(
             new OpenLayers.Geometry.LineString([this.point.geometry])
         );
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Handler/Polygon.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Handler/Polygon.js
index 0692def33f..3a57d28186 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Handler/Polygon.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Handler/Polygon.js
@@ -75,13 +75,14 @@ OpenLayers.Handler.Polygon = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Handler.Path, {
      *     feature.
      */
     createFeature: function(pixel) {
-        if(!pixel) {
-            pixel = new OpenLayers.Pixel(-50, -50);
+        var geometry;
+        if(pixel) {
+            var lonlat = this.map.getLonLatFromPixel(pixel);
+            geometry = new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(lonlat.lon, lonlat.lat);
+        } else {
+            geometry = new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point();
         }
-        var lonlat = this.control.map.getLonLatFromPixel(pixel);
-        this.point = new OpenLayers.Feature.Vector(
-            new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(lonlat.lon, lonlat.lat)
-        );
+        this.point = new OpenLayers.Feature.Vector(geometry);
         this.line = new OpenLayers.Feature.Vector(
             new OpenLayers.Geometry.LinearRing([this.point.geometry])
         );
diff --git a/tests/Handler/Path.html b/tests/Handler/Path.html
index 8eb17e6470..4429d5ace2 100644
--- a/tests/Handler/Path.html
+++ b/tests/Handler/Path.html
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
              "activate adds the line feature to the layer");
         t.eq(log.length, 1,
              "activate calls \"create\" once");
-        t.geom_eq(log[0].geometry, handler.point.geometry,
+        t.ok(log[0].geometry == handler.point.geometry,
                   "\"create\" called with expected geometry");
         t.ok(log[0].feature == handler.line,
              "\"create\" called with expected feature");
@@ -78,6 +78,32 @@
         map.destroy();
     }
 
+    // See: http://trac.osgeo.org/openlayers/ticket/3179
+    function test_activate_before_map_is_centered(t) {
+        t.plan(1);
+        var map = new OpenLayers.Map('map', {
+            resolutions: [1]
+        });
+        var layer = new OpenLayers.Layer.Vector("foo", {
+            maxExtent: new OpenLayers.Bounds(-10, -10, 10, 10),
+            isBaseLayer: true
+        });
+        map.addLayer(layer);
+        var control = new OpenLayers.Control();
+        var handler = new OpenLayers.Handler.Path(control, {});
+        control.handler = handler;
+        map.addControl(control);
+
+        var error;
+        try {
+            handler.activate();
+            error = false;
+        } catch(err) {
+            error = true;
+        }
+        t.ok(!error, "no error on activate");
+    }
+
     function test_bounds(t) {
         t.plan(2);
         var geometry;
@@ -159,8 +185,8 @@
         t.eq(logs.length, 1, "[activate] called back");
         log = logs.shift();
         t.eq(log.type, "create", "[activate] create called");
-        t.geom_eq(log.args[0], new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(-200, 125),
-                  "[activate] correct point");
+        t.ok(isNaN(log.args[0].x) && isNaN(log.args[0].y),
+                  "[activate] initial point");
         t.ok(log.args[1] == handler.line,
              "[activate] correct feature");
         // mouse move
@@ -260,8 +286,8 @@
         );
         log = logs.shift();
         t.eq(log.type, "create", "[dblclick] create called");
-        t.geom_eq(log.args[0], new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(-200, 125),
-                  "[dblclick] correct point");
+        t.ok(isNaN(log.args[0].x) && isNaN(log.args[0].y),
+                  "[dblclick] initial point");
         t.ok(log.args[1] == handler.line,
              "[dblclick] correct feature");
         // cancel
@@ -269,16 +295,13 @@
         t.eq(logs.length, 2, "[cancel] called back");
         log = logs.shift();
         t.eq(log.type, "cancel", "[cancel] canced called");
-        t.geom_eq(log.args[0],
-            new OpenLayers.Geometry.LineString([
-                new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(-200, 125)
-            ]),
-            "[cancel] correct linestring"
+        t.ok(isNaN(log.args[0].components[0].x) && isNaN(log.args[0].components[0].y),
+            "[cancel] initial linestring"
         );
         log = logs.shift();
         t.eq(log.type, "create", "[cancel] create called");
-        t.geom_eq(log.args[0], new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(-200, 125),
-                  "[cancel] correct point");
+        t.ok(isNaN(log.args[0].x) && isNaN(log.args[0].y),
+                  "[cancel] initial point");
  
         map.destroy();
     }
diff --git a/tests/Handler/Polygon.html b/tests/Handler/Polygon.html
index 860c664a43..a8d0310854 100644
--- a/tests/Handler/Polygon.html
+++ b/tests/Handler/Polygon.html
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
              "activate adds the polygin feature to the layer");
         t.eq(log.length, 1,
              "activate calls \"create\" once");
-        t.geom_eq(log[0].geometry, handler.point.geometry,
+        t.ok(log[0].geometry == handler.point.geometry,
                   "\"create\" called with expected geometry");
         t.ok(log[0].feature == handler.polygon,
              "\"create\" called with expected feature");
@@ -80,6 +80,32 @@
         map.destroy();
     }
 
+    // See: http://trac.osgeo.org/openlayers/ticket/3179
+    function test_activate_before_map_is_centered(t) {
+        t.plan(1);
+        var map = new OpenLayers.Map('map', {
+            resolutions: [1]
+        });
+        var layer = new OpenLayers.Layer.Vector("foo", {
+            maxExtent: new OpenLayers.Bounds(-10, -10, 10, 10),
+            isBaseLayer: true
+        });
+        map.addLayer(layer);
+        var control = new OpenLayers.Control();
+        var handler = new OpenLayers.Handler.Polygon(control, {});
+        control.handler = handler;
+        map.addControl(control);
+
+        var error;
+        try {
+            handler.activate();
+            error = false;
+        } catch(err) {
+            error = true;
+        }
+        t.ok(!error, "no error on activate");
+    }
+
     function test_bounds_stopDown_true(t) {
         t.plan(2);
         var map = new OpenLayers.Map('map');
@@ -157,8 +183,8 @@
         t.eq(logs.length, 1, "[activate] called back");
         log = logs.shift();
         t.eq(log.type, "create", "[activate] create called");
-        t.geom_eq(log.args[0], new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(-200, 125),
-                  "[activate] correct point");
+        t.ok(isNaN(log.args[0].x) && isNaN(log.args[0].y),
+                  "[activate] initial point");
         t.ok(log.args[1] == handler.polygon,
              "[activate] correct feature");
         handler.mousemove(
@@ -279,8 +305,8 @@
         );
         log = logs.shift();
         t.eq(log.type, "create", "[dblclick] create called");
-        t.geom_eq(log.args[0], new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(-200, 125),
-                  "[dblclick] correct point");
+        t.ok(isNaN(log.args[0].x) && isNaN(log.args[0].y),
+                  "[dblclick] initial point");
         t.ok(log.args[1] == handler.polygon,
              "[dblclick] correct feature");
         // cancel
@@ -290,8 +316,8 @@
         t.eq(log.type, "cancel", "[cancel] canced called");
         log = logs.shift();
         t.eq(log.type, "create", "[cancel] create called");
-        t.geom_eq(log.args[0], new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(-200, 125),
-                  "[cancel] correct point");
+        t.ok(isNaN(log.args[0].x) && isNaN(log.args[0].y),
+                  "[cancel] initial point");
 
         map.destroy();
     }