diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Feature.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Feature.js
index 557e213082..516f7abc0c 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Feature.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Feature.js
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ OpenLayers.Feature.prototype= {
     initialize: function(layer, lonlat, data, id) {
         this.layer = layer;
         this.lonlat = lonlat;
-        this.data = data;
+        this.data = (data != null) ? data : new Object();
         this.id = (id ? id : 'f'+Math.random());
     },