diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WMS.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WMS.js
index 80f74e4228..ca1c224989 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WMS.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WMS.js
@@ -95,6 +95,9 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.WMS = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Layer.Grid, {
         var newArguments = [];
         //uppercase params
         params = OpenLayers.Util.upperCaseObject(params);
+        if (parseFloat(params.VERSION) >= 1.3 && !params.EXCEPTIONS) {
+            params.EXCEPTIONS = "INIMAGE";
+        } 
         newArguments.push(name, url, params, options);
         OpenLayers.Layer.Grid.prototype.initialize.apply(this, newArguments);
         OpenLayers.Util.applyDefaults(
diff --git a/tests/Layer/WMS.html b/tests/Layer/WMS.html
index 7b2de35e4e..50cc9ed425 100644
--- a/tests/Layer/WMS.html
+++ b/tests/Layer/WMS.html
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@
 
     function test_Layer_WMS_v13(t) {
 
-        t.plan(5);
+        t.plan(6);
 
         var lon = 5;
         var lat = 40;
@@ -468,16 +468,19 @@
 
         var url = layer.getURL(map.getExtent());
         var params = url.split("&");
-        var bbox;
+        var bbox, exceptions;
         for (var i=0, len=params.length; i<len; i++) {
             var param = params[i];
             var a = param.split('=');
+            if (a[0] === 'EXCEPTIONS') {
+                exceptions = a[1];
+            }
             if (a[0] === 'BBOX') {
                 bbox = a[1];
-                break;
             }
         }
 
+        t.eq(exceptions, "INIMAGE", "If not set, EXCEPTIONS should be INIMAGE for WMS 1.3");
         t.eq(bbox, "-5.986328125,27.9150390625,15.986328125,52.0849609375", "Axis sequence for CRS:84 is lon lat");
 
         map.destroy();