diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Map.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Map.js
index 23fbc04932..144939dc41 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Map.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Map.js
@@ -114,6 +114,18 @@ OpenLayers.Map.prototype = {
         this.layers.push(layer);
     },
 
+    /**
+    * @param {Array(OpenLayers.Layer)} layers
+    */    
+    addLayers: function (layers) {
+        for (var i = 0; i <  layers.length; i++) {
+            this.addLayer(layers[i]);
+        }
+    },
+
+    /**
+    * @param {OpenLayers.Control} control
+    */    
     addControl: function (control) {
         control.map = this;
         this.controls.push(control);
diff --git a/tests/test_Map.html b/tests/test_Map.html
index e55c134b5b..2bd0995083 100644
--- a/tests/test_Map.html
+++ b/tests/test_Map.html
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
         t.ok( map.controls instanceof Array, "map.controls is an Array" );
         t.ok( map.events instanceof OpenLayers.Events, "map.events is an OpenLayers.Events" );
     }
-    function test_2_Map_center(t) {
+    function test_02_Map_center(t) {
         t.plan(4);
         map = new OpenLayers.Map($('map'));
         map.setCenter(new OpenLayers.LatLon(1,2), 3);
@@ -26,6 +26,22 @@
         t.eq( map.getCenter().lat, 1, "map center lat is correct after calling setCenter");
         t.eq( map.getCenter().lon, 2, "map center lon is correct after calling setCenter");
     }
+    function test_03_Map_add_layers(t) {
+        t.plan(4);
+        map = new OpenLayers.Map($('map'));
+        var layer1 = new OpenLayers.Layer.WMS("Layer 1", 
+            "http://octo.metacarta.com/cgi-bin/mapserv?",
+            {map: "/mapdata/vmap_wms.map", layers: "basic"});
+        var layer2 = new OpenLayers.Layer.WMS("Layer 2",
+            "http://wms.jpl.nasa.gov/wms.cgi", {layers: "modis,global_mosaic"});
+        // this uses map.addLayer internally
+        map.addLayers([layer1, layer2])
+        t.eq( map.layers.length, 2, "map has exactly two layers" );
+        t.ok( map.layers[0] === layer1, "1st layer is layer1" );
+        t.ok( map.layers[1] === layer2, "2nd layer is layer2" );
+        t.eq( parseInt(layer1.div.style.zIndex), map.Z_INDEX_BASE['Layer'], 
+                "layer1 zIndex is set" );
+    }
     function test_99_Map_destroy (t) {
         t.plan( 2 );    
         map = new OpenLayers.Map($('map'));