diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Strategy/Filter.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Strategy/Filter.js
index 3ade24a11d..51e86b1162 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Strategy/Filter.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Strategy/Filter.js
@@ -45,14 +45,10 @@ OpenLayers.Strategy.Filter = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Strategy, {
      *
      * Parameters:
      * options - {Object} Optional object whose properties will be set on the
-     *     instance.  Strategy must be constructed with at least a <filter> 
-     *     property.
+     *     instance.
      */
     initialize: function(options) {
         OpenLayers.Strategy.prototype.initialize.apply(this, [options]);
-        if (!this.filter || !(this.filter instanceof OpenLayers.Filter)) {
-            throw new Error("Filter strategy must be constructed with a filter");
-        }
     },
 
     /**
@@ -102,7 +98,7 @@ OpenLayers.Strategy.Filter = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Strategy, {
      * Method: handleAdd
      */
     handleAdd: function(event) {
-        if (!this.caching) {
+        if (!this.caching && this.filter) {
             var features = event.features;
             event.features = [];
             var feature;
diff --git a/tests/Strategy/Filter.html b/tests/Strategy/Filter.html
index 46a93ec37f..b88532af73 100644
--- a/tests/Strategy/Filter.html
+++ b/tests/Strategy/Filter.html
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ var filter = new OpenLayers.Filter.Comparison({
 
 function test_initialize(t) {
     
-    t.plan(3);
+    t.plan(4);
     
     var strategy = new OpenLayers.Strategy.Filter({filter: filter});
 
@@ -31,6 +31,14 @@ function test_initialize(t) {
     t.ok(strategy.filter === filter, "has filter");
     
     strategy.destroy();
+    
+    try {
+        strategy = new OpenLayers.Strategy.Filter();
+        t.ok(true, "strategy without filter works");
+    } catch (err) {
+        t.fail("strategy without filter should not throw");
+    }
+    
 
 }