diff --git a/examples/layerswitcher.html b/examples/layerswitcher.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..909e05dcfb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/layerswitcher.html
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
+  <head>
+    <style type="text/css">
+        #map {
+            width: 512px;
+            height: 512px;
+            border: 1px solid black;
+        }
+    </style>
+    <script src="../lib/OpenLayers.js"></script>
+    <script type="text/javascript">
+        <!--
+        function init(){
+            var map = new OpenLayers.Map('map', { controls: [] });
+
+            map.addControl(new OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher({'div':OpenLayers.Util.getElement('layerswitcher')}));
+
+            var ol_wms = new OpenLayers.Layer.WMS( "OpenLayers WMS", 
+                "http://labs.metacarta.com/wms/vmap0",
+                {layers: 'basic'} );
+
+            var jpl_wms = new OpenLayers.Layer.WMS( "NASA Global Mosaic",
+                "http://wms.jpl.nasa.gov/wms.cgi", 
+                {layers: "modis,global_mosaic"});
+
+            var dm_wms = new OpenLayers.Layer.WMS( "DM Solutions Demo",
+                "http://www2.dmsolutions.ca/cgi-bin/mswms_gmap",
+                {layers: "bathymetry,land_fn,park,drain_fn,drainage," +
+                         "prov_bound,fedlimit,rail,road,popplace",
+                 transparent: "true", format: "image/png" });
+
+            jpl_wms.setVisibility(false);
+            dm_wms.setVisibility(false);
+
+            map.addLayers([ol_wms, jpl_wms, dm_wms]);
+            if (!map.getCenter()) map.zoomToMaxExtent();
+        }
+        // -->
+    </script>
+  </head>
+  <body onload="init()">
+    <h1>OpenLayers Example</h1>
+    <div id="layerswitcher" style="float:right; width: 20em;"></div>
+    <div id="map"></div>
+  </body>
+</html>
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/LayerSwitcher.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/LayerSwitcher.js
index 8531d536e9..4bd3930d6a 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/LayerSwitcher.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/LayerSwitcher.js
@@ -99,8 +99,10 @@ OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher.prototype =
         this.loadContents();
 
         // set mode to minimize
-        this.minimizeControl();
-        
+        if(!this.outsideViewport) {
+            this.minimizeControl();
+        }
+
         // populate div with current info
         this.redraw();    
 
diff --git a/tests/Control/test_LayerSwitcher.html b/tests/Control/test_LayerSwitcher.html
index 43d3da63f8..cecc307edf 100644
--- a/tests/Control/test_LayerSwitcher.html
+++ b/tests/Control/test_LayerSwitcher.html
@@ -22,6 +22,18 @@
         t.ok( control.div != null, "draw makes a div" );
         t.ok( div != null, "draw returns its div" );
     }
+    function test_Control_LayerSwitcher_outsideViewport (t) {
+        t.plan( 2 );
+
+        map = new OpenLayers.Map('map');
+        control = new OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher({'div':OpenLayers.Util.getElement('layerswitcher')});
+        map.addControl(control);
+        console.log(control.outsideViewport);
+        t.eq(control.div.style.width, "250px", "Div is not minimized when added."); 
+        control = new OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher();
+        map.addControl(control);
+        t.eq(control.div.style.width, "0px", "Div is minimized when added."); 
+    }
  
     function test_03_Control_LayerSwitcher_loadContents(t) {
 
@@ -110,5 +122,6 @@
 </head>
 <body>
     <div id="map" style="width: 1024px; height: 512px;"/>
+    <div id="layerswitcher" style="width:250px; height:256px;" />
 </body>
 </html>
