diff --git a/src/objectliterals.jsdoc b/src/objectliterals.jsdoc
index ad0878ce80..fa584f9332 100644
--- a/src/objectliterals.jsdoc
+++ b/src/objectliterals.jsdoc
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@
 /**
  * Object literal with config options for the map.
  * @typedef {Object} ol.MapOptions
- * @property {Array.<ol.control.Control>|undefined} controls Controls initially
- *     added to the map.
+ * @property {ol.Collection|Array.<ol.control.Control>|undefined} controls
+ *     Controls initially added to the map.
  * @property {ol.Collection|undefined} interactions Interactions.
  * @property {Array.<ol.layer.Layer>|ol.Collection|undefined} layers Layers.
  * @property {ol.RendererHint|undefined} renderer Renderer.
diff --git a/src/ol/control/controldefaults.js b/src/ol/control/controldefaults.js
index af50c5c524..0d8c818b62 100644
--- a/src/ol/control/controldefaults.js
+++ b/src/ol/control/controldefaults.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 goog.provide('ol.control.defaults');
 
-goog.require('goog.array');
+goog.require('ol.Collection');
 goog.require('ol.control.Attribution');
 goog.require('ol.control.Logo');
 goog.require('ol.control.Zoom');
@@ -9,14 +9,13 @@ goog.require('ol.control.Zoom');
 /**
  * @param {ol.control.DefaultsOptions=} opt_options Defaults options.
  * @param {Array.<ol.control.Control>=} opt_controls Additional controls.
- * @return {Array.<ol.control.Control>} Controls.
+ * @return {ol.Collection} Controls.
  */
 ol.control.defaults = function(opt_options, opt_controls) {
 
   var options = goog.isDef(opt_options) ? opt_options : {};
 
-  /** @type {Array.<ol.control.Control>} */
-  var controls = [];
+  var controls = new ol.Collection();
 
   var attributionControl = goog.isDef(options.attribution) ?
       options.attribution : true;
@@ -43,7 +42,7 @@ ol.control.defaults = function(opt_options, opt_controls) {
   }
 
   if (goog.isDef(opt_controls)) {
-    goog.array.extend(controls, opt_controls);
+    controls.extend(opt_controls);
   }
 
   return controls;
diff --git a/src/ol/map.exports b/src/ol/map.exports
index 8523ff1658..71fe519081 100644
--- a/src/ol/map.exports
+++ b/src/ol/map.exports
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 @exportClass ol.Map ol.MapOptions
+@exportProperty ol.Map.prototype.addControl
 @exportProperty ol.Map.prototype.addLayer
 @exportProperty ol.Map.prototype.addPreRenderFunction
 @exportProperty ol.Map.prototype.addPreRenderFunctions
@@ -6,6 +7,7 @@
 @exportProperty ol.Map.prototype.getFeatures
 @exportProperty ol.Map.prototype.getInteractions
 @exportProperty ol.Map.prototype.getRenderer
+@exportProperty ol.Map.prototype.removeControl
 @exportProperty ol.Map.prototype.removeLayer
 @exportProperty ol.Map.prototype.updateSize
 
diff --git a/src/ol/map.js b/src/ol/map.js
index c1864078e5..eb8632d0f6 100644
--- a/src/ol/map.js
+++ b/src/ol/map.js
@@ -247,6 +247,12 @@ ol.Map = function(options) {
       this.handleBrowserEvent, false, this);
   this.registerDisposable(mouseWheelHandler);
 
+  /**
+   * @type {ol.Collection}
+   * @private
+   */
+  this.controls_ = optionsInternal.controls;
+
   /**
    * @type {ol.Collection}
    * @private
@@ -320,20 +326,30 @@ ol.Map = function(options) {
   // is "defined" already.
   this.setValues(optionsInternal.values);
 
-  if (goog.isDef(optionsInternal.controls)) {
-    goog.array.forEach(optionsInternal.controls,
-        /**
-         * @param {ol.control.Control} control Control.
-         */
-        function(control) {
-          control.setMap(this);
-        }, this);
-  }
+  this.controls_.forEach(
+      /**
+       * @param {ol.control.Control} control Control.
+       */
+      function(control) {
+        control.setMap(this);
+      }, this);
 
 };
 goog.inherits(ol.Map, ol.Object);
 
 
+/**
+ * Add the given control to the map.
+ * @param {ol.control.Control} control Control.
+ */
+ol.Map.prototype.addControl = function(control) {
+  var controls = this.getControls();
+  goog.asserts.assert(goog.isDef(controls));
+  controls.push(control);
+  control.setMap(this);
+};
+
+
 /**
  * Adds the given layer to the top of this map.
  * @param {ol.layer.Layer} layer Layer.
@@ -434,6 +450,14 @@ ol.Map.prototype.getCoordinateFromPixel = function(pixel) {
 };
 
 
+/**
+ * @return {ol.Collection} Controls.
+ */
+ol.Map.prototype.getControls = function() {
+  return this.controls_;
+};
+
+
 /**
  * Get feature information for a pixel on the map.
  *
@@ -797,6 +821,23 @@ ol.Map.prototype.requestRenderFrame = function() {
 };
 
 
+/**
+ * Remove the given control from the map.
+ * @param {ol.control.Control} control Control.
+ * @return {ol.control.Control|undefined} The removed control of undefined
+ *     if the control was not found.
+ */
+ol.Map.prototype.removeControl = function(control) {
+  var controls = this.getControls();
+  goog.asserts.assert(goog.isDef(controls));
+  if (goog.isDef(controls.remove(control))) {
+    control.setMap(null);
+    return control;
+  }
+  return undefined;
+};
+
+
 /**
  * Removes the given layer from the map.
  * @param {ol.layer.Layer} layer Layer.
@@ -997,7 +1038,7 @@ ol.Map.prototype.withFrozenRendering = function(f, opt_obj) {
 
 
 /**
- * @typedef {{controls: Array.<ol.control.Control>,
+ * @typedef {{controls: ol.Collection,
  *            interactions: ol.Collection,
  *            rendererConstructor:
  *                function(new: ol.renderer.Map, Element, ol.Map),
@@ -1074,8 +1115,17 @@ ol.Map.createOptionsInternal = function(options) {
     }
   }
 
-  var controls = goog.isDef(options.controls) ?
-      options.controls : ol.control.defaults();
+  var controls;
+  if (goog.isDef(options.controls)) {
+    if (goog.isArray(options.controls)) {
+      controls = new ol.Collection(goog.array.clone(options.controls));
+    } else {
+      goog.asserts.assertInstanceof(options.controls, ol.Collection);
+      controls = options.controls;
+    }
+  } else {
+    controls = ol.control.defaults();
+  }
 
   var interactions = goog.isDef(options.interactions) ?
       options.interactions : ol.interaction.defaults();