diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Tile.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Tile.js
index eca7c0bca1..d2754e1774 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Tile.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Tile.js
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@
 OpenLayers.Tile = Class.create();
 OpenLayers.Tile.prototype = {
     
+    /** @type String */
+    id: null,
+    
     /** @type OpenLayers.Layer */
     layer: null,
     
@@ -45,6 +48,9 @@ OpenLayers.Tile.prototype = {
             this.bounds = bounds;
             this.url = url;
             this.size = size;
+
+            //give the tile a unique id based on its BBOX.
+            this.id = OpenLayers.Util.createUniqueID(bounds.toBBOX());
         }
     },
     
diff --git a/tests/test_Tile.html b/tests/test_Tile.html
index fe8dce1f55..ddea9016d8 100644
--- a/tests/test_Tile.html
+++ b/tests/test_Tile.html
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     var tile; 
     
     function test_01_Tile_constructor (t) {
-        t.plan( 6 );
+        t.plan( 8 );
         
         var layer = new Object(); // bogus layer
         var position = new OpenLayers.Pixel(10,20);
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@
         t.ok( tile.bounds.equals(bounds), "tile.bounds set correctly");
         t.eq( tile.url, url, "tile.url set correctly");        
         t.ok( tile.size.equals(size), "tile.size is set correctly" );
+
+        t.ok( tile.id != null, "tile is given an id");
+        t.ok( tile.id.startsWith(bounds.toBBOX()), "tile's id starts with bbox of bounds");
     }