diff --git a/examples/google.html b/examples/google.html
index 611cc0b51b..5b8495b9ab 100644
--- a/examples/google.html
+++ b/examples/google.html
@@ -23,20 +23,23 @@
         var map, layer;
 
         function init(){
-            map = new OpenLayers.Map( $('map') );
+            map = new OpenLayers.Map( $('map') , 
+            { controls: [new OpenLayers.Control.MouseDefaults()] });
 
-            var normal = new OpenLayers.Layer.Google( "Google" );
+            var normal = new OpenLayers.Layer.Google( "Google", // );
+             { minZoomLevel: 3, maxZoomLevel: 8  });
             var satellite = new OpenLayers.Layer.Google( "Google Satellite" , {type: G_SATELLITE_MAP });
             var hybrid = new OpenLayers.Layer.Google( "Google Hybrid" , {type: G_HYBRID_MAP });
 
 
-            map.addLayers([normal, satellite, hybrid]);
+            map.addLayers([satellite, normal, hybrid]);
 
             markers = new OpenLayers.Layer.Markers("markers");
             map.addLayer(markers);
 
             map.setCenter(new OpenLayers.LonLat(lon, lat), zoom);
             map.addControl( new OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher() );
+            map.addControl( new OpenLayers.Control.PanZoomBar() );
 
         }
         
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Google.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Google.js
index 16f02ab176..27ac91a69b 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Google.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Google.js
@@ -49,7 +49,10 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Google.prototype =
   // OPTIONS
 
     /** @type int */
-    numZoomLevels: 16,
+    minZoomLevel: 0,
+    
+    /** @type int */
+    maxZoomLevel: 16,
 
     
     /** 
@@ -62,6 +65,8 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Google.prototype =
         if (this.maxExtent == null) {
             this.maxExtent = new OpenLayers.Bounds(-180, -90, 180, 90);
         }
+        
+        this.numZoomLevels = this.maxZoomLevel - this.minZoomLevel + 1;
     },
     
     /**
@@ -263,6 +268,12 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Google.prototype =
         if ((this.gmap != null) && (this.gmap.getCenter() != null)) {
             var gBounds = this.getGLatLngBoundsFromOLBounds(bounds);
             var gZoom = this.gmap.getBoundsZoomLevel(gBounds);
+
+            //make sure zoom is within bounds    
+            var gZoom = Math.min(Math.max(gZoom, this.minZoomLevel), 
+                                 this.maxZoomLevel);
+         
+
             zoom = this.getOLZoomFromGZoom(gZoom);
         }
         return zoom;
@@ -291,7 +302,7 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Google.prototype =
     getOLZoomFromGZoom: function(gZoom) {
         var zoom = null;
         if (gZoom != null) {
-            zoom = gZoom;
+            zoom = gZoom - this.minZoomLevel;
         }
         return zoom;
     },
@@ -306,7 +317,7 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Google.prototype =
     getGZoomFromOLZoom: function(olZoom) {
         var zoom = null; 
         if (olZoom != null) {
-            zoom = olZoom;
+            zoom = olZoom + this.minZoomLevel;
         }
         return zoom;
     },