diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/VML.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/VML.js
index bad2036853..c4d5fedee0 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/VML.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/VML.js
@@ -196,28 +196,31 @@ OpenLayers.Renderer.VML = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Renderer.Elements, {
         } else {
             if (!fill) {
                 fill = this.createNode('v:fill', node.id + "_fill");
+            }
 
-                if (style.fillOpacity) {
-                    fill.setAttribute("opacity", style.fillOpacity);
+            if (style.fillOpacity) {
+                fill.setAttribute("opacity", style.fillOpacity);
+            }
+
+            if (node._geometryClass == "OpenLayers.Geometry.Point" &&
+                    style.externalGraphic) {
+
+                // override fillOpacity
+                if (style.graphicOpacity) {
+                    fill.setAttribute("opacity", style.graphicOpacity);
                 }
-
-                if (node._geometryClass == "OpenLayers.Geometry.Point" &&
-                        style.externalGraphic) {
-
-                    // override fillOpacity
-                    if (style.graphicOpacity) {
-                        fill.setAttribute("opacity", style.graphicOpacity);
-                    }
-                    
-                    fill.setAttribute("src", style.externalGraphic);
-                    fill.setAttribute("type", "frame");
-                    node.style.flip = "y";
-                    
-                    if (!(style.graphicWidth && style.graphicHeight)) {
-                      fill.aspect = "atmost";
-                    }
+                
+                fill.setAttribute("src", style.externalGraphic);
+                fill.setAttribute("type", "frame");
+                node.style.flip = "y";
+                
+                if (!(style.graphicWidth && style.graphicHeight)) {
+                  fill.aspect = "atmost";
+                }
+                
+                if (fill.parentNode != node) {
+                    node.appendChild(fill);
                 }
-                node.appendChild(fill);
             }
         }