diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/SVG.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/SVG.js
index f3630f8c47..640447ebbf 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/SVG.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/SVG.js
@@ -291,23 +291,28 @@ OpenLayers.Renderer.SVG = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Renderer.Elements, {
                 var href = "#" + id;
                 pos = this.getPosition(node);
                 widthFactor = this.symbolSize[id] / size;
-                // Only set the href if it is different from the current one.
-                // This is a workaround for strange rendering behavior in FF3.
-                if (node.getAttributeNS(this.xlinkns, "href") != href) {
-                    node.setAttributeNS(this.xlinkns, "href", href);
-                } else if (size != parseFloat(node.getAttributeNS(null, "width"))) {
-                    // hide the element (and force a reflow so it really gets
-                    // hidden. This workaround is needed for Safari.
-                    node.style.visibility = "hidden";
-                    this.container.scrollLeft = this.container.scrollLeft;
+                
+                // remove the node from the dom before we modify it. This
+                // prevents various rendering issues in Safari and FF
+                var parent = node.parentNode;
+                var nextSibling = node.nextSibling;
+                if(parent) {
+                    parent.removeChild(node);
                 }
+                
+                node.setAttributeNS(this.xlinkns, "href", href);
                 node.setAttributeNS(null, "width", size);
                 node.setAttributeNS(null, "height", size);
                 node.setAttributeNS(null, "x", pos.x - offset);
                 node.setAttributeNS(null, "y", pos.y - offset);
-                // set the visibility back to normal (after the Safari
-                // workaround above)
-                node.style.visibility = "";
+                
+                // now that the node has all its new properties, insert it
+                // back into the dom where it was
+                if(nextSibling) {
+                    parent.insertBefore(node, nextSibling);
+                } else if(parent) {
+                    parent.appendChild(node);
+                }
             } else {
                 node.setAttributeNS(null, "r", style.pointRadius);
             }