diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/WMSGetFeatureInfo.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/WMSGetFeatureInfo.js
index 0080ea2d38..3bd9faec94 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/WMSGetFeatureInfo.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/WMSGetFeatureInfo.js
@@ -433,10 +433,10 @@ OpenLayers.Control.WMSGetFeatureInfo = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Control, {
         if(this.drillDown === false) {
             var wmsOptions = this.buildWMSOptions(this.url, layers,
                 clickPosition, layers[0].params.FORMAT); 
-            var response = OpenLayers.Request.GET(wmsOptions);
+            var request = OpenLayers.Request.GET(wmsOptions);
     
             if (options.hover === true) {
-                this.hoverRequest = response.priv;
+                this.hoverRequest = request;
             }
         } else {
             this._requestCount = 0;
diff --git a/tests/Control/WMSGetFeatureInfo.html b/tests/Control/WMSGetFeatureInfo.html
index 769b45905a..b697fdb6f1 100644
--- a/tests/Control/WMSGetFeatureInfo.html
+++ b/tests/Control/WMSGetFeatureInfo.html
@@ -350,6 +350,42 @@
         map.destroy();
 
     }
+    
+    function test_hover(t) {
+        
+        t.plan(2);
+        
+        var map = new OpenLayers.Map({
+            div: "map",
+            layers: [
+                new OpenLayers.Layer.WMS(null, "/dummywms", {layers: "one"})
+            ],
+            center: new OpenLayers.LonLat(0, 0),
+            zoom: 1
+        });
+        
+        var control = new OpenLayers.Control.WMSGetFeatureInfo({
+            hover: true
+        });
+        map.addControl(control);
+        control.activate();
+        
+        // mock up a mousemove
+        control.getInfoForHover({xy: new OpenLayers.Pixel(10, 10)});
+        t.ok(!!control.hoverRequest, "hoverRequest set");
+        
+        // confirm that request is canceled on next move
+        var called = 0;
+        control.hoverRequest.abort = function() {
+            ++called;
+        };
+        control.handler.px = null;
+        control.handler.mousemove({xy: new OpenLayers.Pixel(20, 20)});
+        t.eq(called, 1, "hover request aborted");
+        
+        map.destroy();
+        
+    }
 
     function test_drillDown(t) {
         t.plan(4);