diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer.js
index 8e3cb58141..e29e95b43f 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer.js
@@ -1287,6 +1287,11 @@ OpenLayers.Layer = OpenLayers.Class({
             var childNodes = this.div.childNodes;
             for(var i = 0, len = childNodes.length; i < len; ++i) {
                 var element = childNodes[i].lastChild || childNodes[i];
+                if (element.nodeName.toLowerCase() === "iframe") {
+                    // changing opacity on IFrame elements does not work, so
+                    // we set it on the parent
+                    element = element.parentNode;
+                }
                 OpenLayers.Util.modifyDOMElement(element, null, null, null, 
                                                  null, null, null, opacity);
             }