diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Vector.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Vector.js
index bc13c15649..1aae581187 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Vector.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Vector.js
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Vector = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Layer, {
      *     the refresh event.
      */
     refresh: function(obj) {
-        if(this.inRange && this.visibility) {
+        if(this.calculateInRange() && this.visibility) {
             this.events.triggerEvent("refresh", obj);
         }
     },
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Strategy/Fixed.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Strategy/Fixed.js
index 3885d4bf69..b3553a64fd 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Strategy/Fixed.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Strategy/Fixed.js
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ OpenLayers.Strategy.Fixed = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Strategy, {
      */
     activate: function() {
         if(OpenLayers.Strategy.prototype.activate.apply(this, arguments)) {
+            this.layer.events.on({
+                "refresh": this.load,
+                scope: this
+            });
             if(this.layer.visibility == true || this.preload) {
                 this.load();
             } else {
@@ -66,16 +70,38 @@ OpenLayers.Strategy.Fixed = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Strategy, {
         return false;
     },
     
+    /**
+     * Method: deactivate
+     * Deactivate the strategy.  Undo what is done in <activate>.
+     * 
+     * Returns:
+     * {Boolean} The strategy was successfully deactivated.
+     */
+    deactivate: function() {
+        var deactivated = OpenLayers.Strategy.prototype.deactivate.call(this);
+        if(deactivated) {
+            this.layer.events.un({
+                "refresh": this.load,
+                "visibilitychanged": this.load,
+                scope: this
+            });
+        }
+        return deactivated;
+    },
+
     /**
      * Method: load
      * Tells protocol to load data and unhooks the visibilitychanged event
+     *
+     * Parameters:
+     * options - {Object} options to pass to protocol read.
      */
-    load: function() {
+    load: function(options) {
         this.layer.events.triggerEvent("loadstart");
-        this.layer.protocol.read({
+        this.layer.protocol.read(OpenLayers.Util.applyDefaults({
             callback: this.merge,
             scope: this
-        });
+        }, options));
         this.layer.events.un({
             "visibilitychanged": this.load,
             scope: this
@@ -87,6 +113,7 @@ OpenLayers.Strategy.Fixed = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Strategy, {
      * Add all features to the layer.
      */
     merge: function(resp) {
+        this.layer.destroyFeatures();
         var features = resp.features;
         if (features && features.length > 0) {
             var remote = this.layer.projection;
diff --git a/tests/Strategy/Fixed.html b/tests/Strategy/Fixed.html
index bf03d9e336..120786f640 100644
--- a/tests/Strategy/Fixed.html
+++ b/tests/Strategy/Fixed.html
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
     
     function test_events(t) {
         
-        t.plan(2);
+        t.plan(3);
         
         var log = {
             loadstart: 0,
@@ -93,6 +93,13 @@
         
         t.eq(log.loadstart, 1, "loadstart triggered");
         t.eq(log.loadend, 1, "loadend triggered");
+        var log = {};
+        layer.protocol.read = function(obj) {
+            log.obj = obj;
+        }
+        layer.refresh({whee: 'chicken'});
+
+        t.eq(log.obj && log.obj.whee, "chicken", "properties passed to read on refresh correctly.");
         
         map.destroy();
         
@@ -101,7 +108,7 @@
     
     function test_merge(t) {
         
-        t.plan(5);
+        t.plan(6);
         
         var strategy = new OpenLayers.Strategy.Fixed();
         
@@ -124,6 +131,14 @@
                 }
             }
         });
+        
+        // give the layer some existing features (one)
+        layer.addFeatures([
+            new OpenLayers.Feature.Vector(
+                new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(0, 0)
+            )
+        ]);
+        
         map.addLayer(layer);
         map.zoomToMaxExtent();
         
@@ -140,6 +155,9 @@
         // call merge with a mocked up response
         strategy.merge({features: features});
         
+        // confirm that the original features were destroyed
+        t.eq(layer.features.length, 2, "old features destroyed");
+        
         // confirm that loadend was called
         t.eq(log.loadend, 1, "merge triggers loadend");