diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Events.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Events.js
index 754e13e975..ebe8a0b833 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Events.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Events.js
@@ -563,6 +563,9 @@ OpenLayers.Events = OpenLayers.Class({
      * element - {HTMLDOMElement} a DOM element to attach browser events to
      */
     attachToElement: function (element) {
+        if (this.element) {
+            OpenLayers.Event.stopObservingElement(this.element);
+        }
         this.element = element;
         for (var i = 0, len = this.BROWSER_EVENTS.length; i < len; i++) {
             // register the event cross-browser