diff --git a/examples/wfs-protocol.html b/examples/wfs-protocol.html
index bb8d6db85e..978d627fe6 100644
--- a/examples/wfs-protocol.html
+++ b/examples/wfs-protocol.html
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
                         url:  "http://publicus.opengeo.org/geoserver/wfs",
                         featureType: "tasmania_roads",
                         featureNS: "http://www.openplans.org/topp"
-                    }),
+                    })
                 });
 
                 map.addLayers([wms, layer]);
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Google.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Google.js
index c6bdf4f81a..48d516cb89 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Google.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Google.js
@@ -212,22 +212,24 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Google = OpenLayers.Class(
      * evt - {Event}
      */
     onMapResize: function() {
-        this.windowResized = true;
         if(this.visibility) {
-            this.checkResize();
-        }
-    },
-
-    /**
-     * APIMethod: checkResize
-     * Check if the map has been resized, and if the Google Maps object is ready for checkResize.
-     * If the mapObject.getSize() equals the layer div's offset size, or if mapObject.getCenter()
-     * is null, the mapObject.checkResize() will fail.
-     */
-    checkResize: function() {
-        if (this.windowResized && this.div.style.display != "none" && this.mapObject.getCenter()) {
             this.mapObject.checkResize();
-            this.windowResized = false;
+        } else {
+            // workaround for resizing of invisible layers where
+            // GMap2.checkResize() does not work. We need to load all tiles
+            // for the old div size, then checkResize(), and then call
+            // layer.moveTo() to trigger GMap.setCenter() (which will finish
+            // the GMap initialization).
+            if(!this._resized) {
+                var layer = this;
+                var handle = GEvent.addListener(this.mapObject, "tilesloaded", function() {
+                    GEvent.removeListener(handle);
+                    delete layer._resized;
+                    layer.mapObject.checkResize();
+                    layer.moveTo(layer.map.getCenter(), layer.map.getZoom());
+                })
+            }
+            this._resized = true;
         }
     },
 
@@ -240,7 +242,6 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Google = OpenLayers.Class(
      */
     display: function(display) {
         OpenLayers.Layer.EventPane.prototype.display.apply(this, arguments);
-        this.checkResize();
         this.termsOfUse.style.display = this.div.style.display;
         this.poweredBy.style.display = this.div.style.display;
     },
@@ -263,22 +264,7 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Google = OpenLayers.Class(
         }
         OpenLayers.Layer.EventPane.prototype.removeMap.apply(this, arguments);
     },
-
-    /**
-     * Method: moveTo
-     * Handle calls to move the layer.
-     *
-     * Parameters:
-     * bound - {<OpenLayers.Bounds>}
-     * zoomChanged - {Boolean} Tells when zoom has changed, as layers have to
-     *     do some init work in that case.
-     * dragging - {Boolean}
-     */
-    moveTo:function(bounds, zoomChanged, dragging) {
-        OpenLayers.Layer.EventPane.prototype.moveTo.apply(this, arguments);
-        this.checkResize();
-    },
-
+    
     /**
      * APIMethod: getZoomForExtent
      * 
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Tile/Image.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Tile/Image.js
index d500bd57dc..ac89ed2cf7 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Tile/Image.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Tile/Image.js
@@ -122,7 +122,8 @@ OpenLayers.Tile.Image = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Tile, {
                 this.imgDiv.map = null;
             }
             this.imgDiv.urls = null;
-            this.imgDiv.src = null;
+            // abort any currently loading image
+            this.imgDiv.src = OpenLayers.Util.getImagesLocation() + "blank.gif";
         }
         this.imgDiv = null;
         if ((this.frame != null) && (this.frame.parentNode == this.layer.div)) { 
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Util.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Util.js
index 4c0eab1bcf..d31c1dc6fb 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Util.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Util.js
@@ -1356,7 +1356,10 @@ OpenLayers.Util.createUrlObject = function(url, options) {
     a.href = url;
     
   //host (without port)
-    urlObject.host = a.host;
+    // if we don't have a host (which is the case with URLs starting with "/"
+    // in IE), take the window location's host to match other browsers that
+    // fill in the window's location host automatically
+    urlObject.host = a.host || window.location.host;
     var port = a.port;
     if (port.length <= 0) {
         var newHostLength = urlObject.host.length - (port.length);
@@ -1380,7 +1383,6 @@ OpenLayers.Util.createUrlObject = function(url, options) {
     }
     urlObject.args = OpenLayers.Util.getParameters(queryString);
 
-
   //pathname (this part allows for relative <-> absolute comparison)
     if ( ((urlObject.protocol == "file:") && (url.indexOf("file:") != -1)) || 
          ((urlObject.protocol != "file:") && (urlObject.host != "")) ) {
diff --git a/tests/Util.html b/tests/Util.html
index 4e92d8c2ab..9d0982933c 100644
--- a/tests/Util.html
+++ b/tests/Util.html
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@
     }
 
     function test_Util_isEquivalentUrl(t) {
-        t.plan(8);
+        t.plan(9);
         
         var url1, url2, options;
 
@@ -663,7 +663,12 @@
         url1 = "foo.html?bar=now#go";
         url2 = "../tests/../tests/foo.html?bar=now#go";
 
-        t.ok(OpenLayers.Util.isEquivalentUrl(url1, url2), "relative vs. absolute paths works"); 
+        t.ok(OpenLayers.Util.isEquivalentUrl(url1, url2), "relative vs. absolute paths works");
+        
+        url1 = "/foo/bar";
+        url2 = new Array(window.location.pathname.split("/").length-1).join("../")+"foo/bar";
+        
+        t.ok(OpenLayers.Util.isEquivalentUrl(url1, url2), "absolute and relative path without host works for "+url2) 
     }
     
     function test_Util_createUniqueIDSeq(t) {