diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Geometry/LinearRing.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Geometry/LinearRing.js
index 127c739486..21b5375654 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Geometry/LinearRing.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Geometry/LinearRing.js
@@ -198,23 +198,26 @@ OpenLayers.Geometry.LinearRing = OpenLayers.Class(
             } else if (len > 2) {
                 var sumX = 0.0;
                 var sumY = 0.0;
-                var averX = 0.0;
-                var averY = 0.0;
-                for (var i = 0; i < len; i++) {
-                    averX += this.components[i].x;
-                    averY += this.components[i].y;
-                }
-                averX = averX / len;
-                averY = averY / len;
-                for (var i = 0; i < len - 1; i++) {
-                    var b = this.components[i];
-                    var c = this.components[i+1];
-                    sumX += (b.x + c.x - 2 * averX) * ((b.x - averX) * (c.y - averY) - (c.x - averX) * (b.y - averY));
-                    sumY += (b.y + c.y - 2 * averY) * ((b.x - averX) * (c.y - averY) - (c.x - averX) * (b.y - averY));
-                }
+                var x0 = this.components[0].x;
+                var y0 = this.components[0].y;
                 var area = -1 * this.getArea();
-                var x = averX + sumX / (6 * area);
-                var y = averY + sumY / (6 * area);
+                if (area != 0) {
+                    for (var i = 0; i < len - 1; i++) {
+                        var b = this.components[i];
+                        var c = this.components[i+1];
+                        sumX += (b.x + c.x - 2 * x0) * ((b.x - x0) * (c.y - y0) - (c.x - x0) * (b.y - y0));
+                        sumY += (b.y + c.y - 2 * y0) * ((b.x - x0) * (c.y - y0) - (c.x - x0) * (b.y - y0));
+                    }
+                    var x = x0 + sumX / (6 * area);
+                    var y = y0 + sumY / (6 * area);
+                } else {
+                    for (var i = 0; i < len - 1; i++) {
+                        sumX += this.components[i].x;
+                        sumY += this.components[i].y;
+                    }
+                    var x = sumX / (len - 1);
+                    var y = sumY / (len - 1);
+                }
                 return new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(x, y);
             } else {
                 return null;