diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Ajax.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Ajax.js
index 8167d0a3c9..4f2e7b9aae 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Ajax.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Ajax.js
@@ -59,10 +59,6 @@ OpenLayers.nullHandler = function(request) {
 OpenLayers.loadURL = function(uri, params, caller,
                                   onComplete, onFailure) {
 
-    if (OpenLayers.ProxyHost && OpenLayers.String.startsWith(uri, "http")) {
-        uri = OpenLayers.ProxyHost + encodeURIComponent(uri);
-    }
-
     var success = (onComplete) ? OpenLayers.Function.bind(onComplete, caller)
                                 : OpenLayers.nullHandler;
 
@@ -287,6 +283,10 @@ OpenLayers.Ajax.Request = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Ajax.Base, {
     initialize: function(url, options) {
         OpenLayers.Ajax.Base.prototype.initialize.apply(this, [options]);
         
+        if (OpenLayers.ProxyHost && OpenLayers.String.startsWith(uri, "http")) {
+            url = OpenLayers.ProxyHost + encodeURIComponent(url);
+        }
+        
         this.transport = OpenLayers.Ajax.getTransport();
         this.request(url);
     },