diff --git a/build/library.cfg b/build/library.cfg
index 20b2a21470..b78030cb2c 100644
--- a/build/library.cfg
+++ b/build/library.cfg
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ OpenLayers.js
 [last]
 
 [exclude]
-OpenLayers/Layer/Google.js
 OpenLayers/Layer/Yahoo.js
 OpenLayers/Layer/VirtualEarth.js
 OpenLayers/Layer/WMS/Untiled.js
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers.js b/lib/OpenLayers.js
index 440660b320..8ccc8839f0 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers.js
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ if (typeof(_OPENLAYERS_SFL_) == "undefined") {
         "OpenLayers/Feature/WFS.js",
         "OpenLayers/Tile/Image.js",
         "OpenLayers/Tile/WFS.js",
-//        "OpenLayers/Layer/Google.js",
+        "OpenLayers/Layer/Google.js",
 //        "OpenLayers/Layer/VirtualEarth.js",
 //        "OpenLayers/Layer/Yahoo.js",
         "OpenLayers/Layer/HTTPRequest.js",
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Google.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Google.js
index da013bec31..023b8011f2 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Google.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Google.js
@@ -3,10 +3,6 @@
  * text of the license. */
 // @require: OpenLayers/Layer.js
 
-// load Google map control script
-// this key was generated for: http://openlayers.python-hosting.com/testing/euzuro/
-document.write("<script src='http://maps.google.com/maps?file=api&amp;v=2&amp;key=ABQIAAAAmQ3udCHPQVB_9T_edFZ7YRRRlP-tOiFgaSzksg_0w1dphL9c5BTfdJMKT91b0UJGibNcWEM0Q5-O1w'></script>");
-
 /**
  * @class
  */
@@ -58,7 +54,7 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Google.prototype = Object.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer(), {
      * @type Boolean
      */
     isBaseLayer: function() {
-        return true;
+        return (this.gmap != null);
     },
     
     /** 
@@ -95,34 +91,38 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Google.prototype = Object.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer(), {
      */
     loadGMap:function() {
         
-        // create GMap, hide nav controls
-        this.gmap = new GMap2(this.div);
-
-        // this causes the GMap to set itself to Map's center/zoom
-        this.moveTo();
-
-        // catch pans and zooms from GMap
-        GEvent.addListener(this.gmap, 
-                           "moveend", 
-                           this.catchPanZoom.bindAsEventListener(this)); 
-
-
-        // attach to the drag start and end and weŽll set a flag so that
-        //  we dont get recursivity. this is because when we call setCenter(),
-        //  it calls moveTo() on all layers
-        GEvent.addListener(this.gmap, 
-                           "dragstart", 
-                           this.dragStart.bindAsEventListener(this)); 
-
-        GEvent.addListener(this.gmap, 
-                           "dragend", 
-                           this.dragEnd.bindAsEventListener(this)); 
-
-        // catch pans and zooms from GMap
-        GEvent.addListener(this.gmap, 
-                           "drag", 
-                           this.catchPanZoom.bindAsEventListener(this)); 
-
+        //test if the gmaps library has been loaded
+        var gmapsLoaded = (typeof GMap2) != "undefined";
+        if (gmapsLoaded) {
+         
+            // create GMap, hide nav controls
+            this.gmap = new GMap2(this.div);
+    
+            // this causes the GMap to set itself to Map's center/zoom
+            this.moveTo();
+    
+            // catch pans and zooms from GMap
+            GEvent.addListener(this.gmap, 
+                               "moveend", 
+                               this.catchPanZoom.bindAsEventListener(this)); 
+    
+    
+            // attach to the drag start and end and weŽll set a flag so that
+            //  we dont get recursivity. this is because when we call setCenter(),
+            //  it calls moveTo() on all layers
+            GEvent.addListener(this.gmap, 
+                               "dragstart", 
+                               this.dragStart.bindAsEventListener(this)); 
+    
+            GEvent.addListener(this.gmap, 
+                               "dragend", 
+                               this.dragEnd.bindAsEventListener(this)); 
+    
+            // catch pans and zooms from GMap
+            GEvent.addListener(this.gmap, 
+                               "drag", 
+                               this.catchPanZoom.bindAsEventListener(this)); 
+        }
     },
 
     /** 
@@ -161,13 +161,17 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Google.prototype = Object.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer(), {
      *
      * @returns An OpenLayers.LonLat which is the passed-in view port
      *          OpenLayers.Pixel, translated into lon/lat by GMAPS
+     *          If gmap is not loaded, returns null.
      * @type OpenLayers.LonLat
      */
     getLonLatFromViewPortPx: function (viewPortPx) {
-        var gPoint = this.getGPointFromOLPixel(viewPortPx);
-        var gLatLng = this.gmap.fromContainerPixelToLatLng(gPoint)
-        
-        return this.getOLLonLatFromGLatLng(gLatLng);
+        var lonlat = null;
+        if (this.gmap != null) {
+            var gPoint = this.getGPointFromOLPixel(viewPortPx);
+            var gLatLng = this.gmap.fromContainerPixelToLatLng(gPoint)
+            lonlat = this.getOLLonLatFromGLatLng(gLatLng);
+        }
+        return lonlat;
     },
 
  
@@ -176,16 +180,21 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Google.prototype = Object.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer(), {
      *
      * @returns An OpenLayers.Pixel which is the passed-in OpenLayers.LonLat, 
      *          translated into view port pixels BY GMAPS
+     *          If gmap is not loaded, returns null.
      * @type OpenLayers.Pixel
      */
-    getViewPortPxFromLonLat: function (lonlat) {    
-        var gLatLng = this.getGLatLngFromOLLonLat(lonlat);
-
-        // note we use special hacked function here, 
-        // because GMaps doesnt give it to us
-        var gPoint = this.fromLatLngToContainerPixel(gLatLng);
-
-        return this.getOLPixelFromGPoint(gPoint);
+    getViewPortPxFromLonLat: function (lonlat) {
+        var viewPortPx = null;
+        if (this.gmap != null) {
+            var gLatLng = this.getGLatLngFromOLLonLat(lonlat);
+        
+            // note we use special hacked function here, 
+            // because GMaps doesnt give it to us
+            var gPoint = this.fromLatLngToContainerPixel(gLatLng);
+        
+            viewPortPx = this.getOLPixelFromGPoint(gPoint);
+        }
+        return viewPortPx;
     },
 
     /** Hacked function because GMAPS does not give us 
@@ -217,26 +226,36 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Google.prototype = Object.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer(), {
     /**
      * @param {OpenLayers.Bounds} bounds
      *
-     * @return {int}
+     * @returns Corresponding zoom level for a specified Bounds. 
+     *          If gmap is not loaded, returns null.
+     * @type int
      */
     getZoomForExtent: function (bounds) {
-        var gBounds = this.getGLatLngBoundsFromOLBounds(bounds);
-        var gZoom = this.gmap.getBoundsZoomLevel(gBounds);
-
-        return this.getOLZoomFromGZoom(gZoom);
+        var zoom = null;
+        if (this.gmap != null) {
+            var gBounds = this.getGLatLngBoundsFromOLBounds(bounds);
+            var gZoom = this.gmap.getBoundsZoomLevel(gBounds);
+            zoom = this.getOLZoomFromGZoom(gZoom);
+        }
+        return zoom;
     },
 
     /**
      * @returns A Bounds object which represents the lon/lat bounds of the 
      *          current viewPort.
+     *          If gmap is not loaded, returns null
      * @type OpenLayers.Bounds
      */
     getExtent: function () {
-        if (this.gmap.getCenter() == null) {
-            this.moveTo();
+        var extent = null;
+        if (this.gmap != null) {
+            if (this.gmap.getCenter() == null) {
+                this.moveTo();
+            }
+            var gLatLngBounds = this.gmap.getBounds();
+            extent = this.getOLBoundsFromGLatLngBounds(gLatLngBounds);
         }
-        var gLatLngBounds = this.gmap.getBounds();
-        return this.getOLBoundsFromGLatLngBounds(gLatLngBounds);
+        return extent;
     },
     
   /********************************************************/