diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/HTTPRequest.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/HTTPRequest.js
index 5fd2492162..b1ef76f2e2 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/HTTPRequest.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/HTTPRequest.js
@@ -177,20 +177,25 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.HTTPRequest.prototype =
                     OpenLayers.Util.getResolutionFromScale(this.minScale, 
                                                            this.units);
             } else if (this.maxResolution == "auto") {
-                var maxExtent = this.getMaxExtent();
                 var viewSize = this.map.getSize();
-                var wRes = maxExtent.getWidth() / viewSize.w;
-                var hRes = maxExtent.getHeight()/ viewSize.h;
+                var wRes = this.maxExtent.getWidth() / viewSize.w;
+                var hRes = this.maxExtent.getHeight()/ viewSize.h;
                 this.maxResolution = Math.max(wRes, hRes);
             } 
 
-            // determine numZoomLevels
-            
+            // determine minResolution
             if (this.maxScale != null) {           
                 this.minResolution = 
                     OpenLayers.Util.getResolutionFromScale(this.maxScale);
-            }
+            } else if ((this.minResolution == "auto") && 
+                       (this.minExtent != null)){
+                var viewSize = this.map.getSize();
+                var wRes = this.minExtent.getWidth() / viewSize.w;
+                var hRes = this.minExtent.getHeight()/ viewSize.h;
+                this.minResolution = Math.max(wRes, hRes);
+            } 
 
+            // determine numZoomLevels
             if (this.minResolution != null) {
                 var ratio = this.maxResolution / this.minResolution;
                 this.numZoomLevels =