diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Format/WMC.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Format/WMC.js
index 2bdafb652c..f48abed6c7 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Format/WMC.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Format/WMC.js
@@ -87,10 +87,16 @@ OpenLayers.Format.WMC = OpenLayers.Class({
         }
         var context = this.parser.read(data, options);
         var map;
-        if(options.map instanceof OpenLayers.Map) {
-            map = this.mergeContextToMap(context, options.map);
+        if(options.map) {
+            this.context = context;
+            if(options.map instanceof OpenLayers.Map) {
+                map = this.mergeContextToMap(context, options.map);
+            } else {
+                map = this.contextToMap(context, options.map);
+            }
         } else {
-            map = this.contextToMap(context, options.map);
+            // not documented as part of the API, provided as a non-API option
+            map = context;
         }
         return map;
     },