diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/BaseTypes/Element.js b/lib/OpenLayers/BaseTypes/Element.js
index 8c9383ced1..73b62333be 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/BaseTypes/Element.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/BaseTypes/Element.js
@@ -47,7 +47,9 @@ OpenLayers.Element = {
     hide: function() {
         for (var i=0, len=arguments.length; i<len; i++) {
             var element = OpenLayers.Util.getElement(arguments[i]);
-            element.style.display = 'none';
+            if (element) {
+                element.style.display = 'none';
+            }
         }
     },
 
@@ -61,7 +63,9 @@ OpenLayers.Element = {
     show: function() {
         for (var i=0, len=arguments.length; i<len; i++) {
             var element = OpenLayers.Util.getElement(arguments[i]);
-            element.style.display = '';
+            if (element) {
+                element.style.display = '';
+            }
         }
     },
 
diff --git a/tests/BaseTypes/Element.html b/tests/BaseTypes/Element.html
index ddc95b7b24..a3fd99c98e 100644
--- a/tests/BaseTypes/Element.html
+++ b/tests/BaseTypes/Element.html
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
             }
         };
 
-        OpenLayers.Element.hide(elem1, elem2);
+        OpenLayers.Element.hide(elem1, elem2, "do-not-exists");
         
         t.eq(elem1.style.display, "none", "hidden element stays hidden");
         t.eq(elem2.style.display, "none", "shown element hidden");
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
             }
         };
 
-        OpenLayers.Element.show(elem1, elem2);
+        OpenLayers.Element.show(elem1, "do-not-exists", elem2);
         
         t.eq(elem1.style.display, "", "hidden element shown");
         t.eq(elem2.style.display, "", "shown element stays shown");