diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/LayerSwitcher.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/LayerSwitcher.js
index fad3d93de3..26211c0c80 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/LayerSwitcher.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/LayerSwitcher.js
@@ -49,37 +49,11 @@ OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher.prototype =
         //clear out previous incarnation of LayerSwitcher tabs
         this.div.innerHTML = "";
     
-        var pixel = new OpenLayers.Pixel(this.map.div.clientWidth - 200, 4);
-        for(i=0; i < this.map.layers.length; i++) {
-        
-            div = OpenLayers.Util.createDiv("LayerControl_layer" + i,
-                                            pixel,
-                                            new OpenLayers.Size(200, 20));
-            
-            div.innerHTML = this.map.layers[i].name;
-            var visible = this.map.layers[i].getVisibility();
-            if (!visible) {
-                div.style.backgroundColor = 
-                    OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher.NONACTIVE_COLOR;
-                div.style.color = 
-                    OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher.ACTIVE_COLOR;
-            } else {
-                div.style.backgroundColor = 
-                    OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher.ACTIVE_COLOR;
-                div.style.color = 
-                    OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher.NONACTIVE_COLOR;
-            }
-            div.style.padding = "5px";
-            
-            //tag references onto the div for use in event handlers
-            div.layerid = i;
-            div.map = this.map;
-
-            div.ondblclick = this.doubleClick.bindAsEventListener(div);
-            div.onmousedown = this.singleClick.bindAsEventListener(div);
-            this.div.appendChild(div);
-
-            pixel = pixel.add(0, 35);
+        var ulCoord = new OpenLayers.Pixel(this.map.div.clientWidth - 200, 4);
+        for( var i = 0; i < this.map.layers.length; i++) {
+            var tab = this.createTab(i, ulCoord);
+            this.div.appendChild(tab);
+            ulCoord = ulCoord.add(0, 35);
         }
         return this.div;
     },
@@ -88,19 +62,9 @@ OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher.prototype =
     * @param {event} evt
     */
     singleClick: function(evt) {
-        var visible = this.map.layers[this.layerid].getVisibility();
-        if (visible) {
-            this.style.backgroundColor = 
-                OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher.NONACTIVE_COLOR;
-            this.style.color = 
-                OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher.ACTIVE_COLOR;
-        } else {
-            this.style.backgroundColor = 
-                OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher.ACTIVE_COLOR;
-            this.style.color = 
-                OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher.NONACTIVE_COLOR;
-        }
-        this.map.layers[this.layerid].setVisibility(!visible);
+        var visible = this.map.layers[this.layerindex].getVisibility();
+        OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher.setTabActivation(this, !visible);
+        this.map.layers[this.layerindex].setVisibility(!visible);
         Event.stop(evt);
     },
     
@@ -111,6 +75,59 @@ OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher.prototype =
         Event.stop(evt);
     },
 
+    /** 
+    * @private
+    * 
+    * @param {int} index
+    * @param {OpenLayers.Pixel} ulCoord
+    * 
+    * @returns New tab (div) with layer information inside
+    * @type DOMElement
+    */            
+    createTab: function(index, ulCoord) {
+    
+        var layer = this.map.layers[index];
+    
+        var divID = "LayerSwitcher_" + layer.name + "_Tab";
+        var div = OpenLayers.Util.createDiv(divID, 
+                                            ulCoord,
+                                            new OpenLayers.Size(200, 20));
+        
+        div.innerHTML = layer.name;
+        div.style.padding = "5px";
+        
+        //add references onto the div for use in event handlers
+        div.layerindex = index;
+        div.map = this.map;
+
+        div.ondblclick = this.doubleClick.bindAsEventListener(div);
+        div.onmousedown = this.singleClick.bindAsEventListener(div);
+        
+        OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher.setTabActivation(div, 
+                                                        layer.getVisibility());
+                                                        
+        return div;
+    },
+
+
     /** @type String */
     CLASS_NAME: "OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher"
 });
+
+
+/**
+* @private
+*
+* @param {bool}
+*/
+OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher.setTabActivation = function(div, activate) {
+
+    div.style.backgroundColor = (activate) ?
+        OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher.ACTIVE_COLOR
+        : OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher.NONACTIVE_COLOR;
+
+    div.style.color = (activate) ?
+        OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher.NONACTIVE_COLOR
+        : OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher.ACTIVE_COLOR;
+};
+