diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Format/KML.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Format/KML.js
index 5046c04c60..b00bf37b71 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Format/KML.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Format/KML.js
@@ -32,19 +32,21 @@ OpenLayers.Format.KML = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Format.XML, {
     
     /** 
      * APIProperty: placemarksDesc
-     * {String} Name of the placemarks.  Default is "No description available."
+     * {String} Name of the placemarks.  Default is "No description available".
      */
     placemarksDesc: "No description available",
     
     /** 
      * APIProperty: foldersName
-     * {String} Name of the folders.  Default is "OpenLayers export."
+     * {String} Name of the folders.  Default is "OpenLayers export".
+     *          If set to null, no name element will be created.
      */
     foldersName: "OpenLayers export",
     
     /** 
      * APIProperty: foldersDesc
      * {String} Description of the folders. Default is "Exported on [date]."
+     *          If set to null, no description element will be created.
      */
     foldersDesc: "Exported on " + new Date(),
     
@@ -983,21 +985,25 @@ OpenLayers.Format.KML = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Format.XML, {
      * {DOMElement}
      */
     createFolderXML: function() {
-        // Folder name
-        var folderName = this.createElementNS(this.kmlns, "name");
-        var folderNameText = this.createTextNode(this.foldersName); 
-        folderName.appendChild(folderNameText);
-
-        // Folder description
-        var folderDesc = this.createElementNS(this.kmlns, "description");        
-        var folderDescText = this.createTextNode(this.foldersDesc); 
-        folderDesc.appendChild(folderDescText);
-
         // Folder
         var folder = this.createElementNS(this.kmlns, "Folder");
-        folder.appendChild(folderName);
-        folder.appendChild(folderDesc);
-        
+
+        // Folder name
+        if (this.foldersName) {
+            var folderName = this.createElementNS(this.kmlns, "name");
+            var folderNameText = this.createTextNode(this.foldersName); 
+            folderName.appendChild(folderNameText);
+            folder.appendChild(folderName);
+        }
+
+        // Folder description
+        if (this.foldersDesc) {
+            var folderDesc = this.createElementNS(this.kmlns, "description");        
+            var folderDescText = this.createTextNode(this.foldersDesc); 
+            folderDesc.appendChild(folderDescText);
+            folder.appendChild(folderDesc);
+        }
+
         return folder;
     },
 
diff --git a/tests/Format/KML.html b/tests/Format/KML.html
index 3b871475ae..6f8d0973c5 100644
--- a/tests/Format/KML.html
+++ b/tests/Format/KML.html
@@ -66,9 +66,9 @@
         t.plan(1);
         var kmlExpected = this.test_content;
         var options = {
-            folderName: "OpenLayers export",
+            foldersName: "OpenLayers export",
             foldersDesc: "Vector geometries from OpenLayers"
-        }
+        };
 
         var format = new OpenLayers.Format.KML(options);
         var features = format.read(kmlExpected);
@@ -76,6 +76,20 @@
         var kmlOut = kmlOut.replace(/<\?[^>]*\?>/, ''); // Remove XML Prolog
         t.eq(kmlOut, kmlExpected, "correctly writes an KML doc string");
     }
+
+    function test_Format_KML_write_noNameDesc(t) {
+        t.plan(1);
+        var format = new OpenLayers.Format.KML({
+            foldersName: null,
+            foldersDesc: null
+        });
+        var geom = new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(0, 0)
+        var feature = new OpenLayers.Feature.Vector(geom);
+        feature.id = 42;
+        var kmlOut = format.write(feature);
+        var expected = '<kml xmlns="http://earth.google.com/kml/2.0"><Folder><Placemark><name>42</name><description>No description available</description><Point><coordinates>0,0</coordinates></Point></Placemark></Folder></kml>'
+        t.eq(kmlOut, expected, "null foldersName or foldersDesc don't create elements");
+    }
     
     function test_Format_KML_write_multis(t) {
         /**