diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Protocol/WFS/v1.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Protocol/WFS/v1.js
index 98258c54f5..7c8445cafb 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Protocol/WFS/v1.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Protocol/WFS/v1.js
@@ -183,6 +183,18 @@ OpenLayers.Protocol.WFS.v1 = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Protocol, {
 
         return response;
     },
+
+    /**
+     * APIMethod: setFeatureType
+     * Change the feature type on the fly.
+     *
+     * Parameters:
+     * featureType - {String} Local (without prefix) feature typeName.
+     */
+    setFeatureType: function(featureType) {
+        this.featureType = featureType;
+        this.format.featureType = featureType;
+    },
     
     /**
      * Method: handleRead
diff --git a/tests/Protocol/WFS.html b/tests/Protocol/WFS.html
index 5aa3cbca04..2945e5052d 100644
--- a/tests/Protocol/WFS.html
+++ b/tests/Protocol/WFS.html
@@ -24,6 +24,22 @@
              "initialize returns instance of custom versioned protocol")
     }
 
+    function test_setFeatureType(t) {
+        t.plan(4);
+        var protocol = new OpenLayers.Protocol.WFS({
+            url: "http://some.url.org",
+            featureNS: "http://namespace.org",
+            featureType: "type"
+        });
+        t.eq(protocol.featureType, "type", "featureType set correctly by constructor");
+        t.eq(protocol.format.featureType, "type", "featureType correctly set on format by constructor");
+        // change the feature type on the fly
+        protocol.setFeatureType("foo");
+        t.eq(protocol.featureType, "foo", "featureType changed correctly by setFeatureType");
+        t.eq(protocol.format.featureType, "foo", "featureType correctly changed on format by setFeatureType");
+        protocol.destroy();
+    }
+
     function test_read(t) {
         t.plan(7);