diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Feature/Vector.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Feature/Vector.js
index 8b53112898..a6c8c70ad0 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Feature/Vector.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Feature/Vector.js
@@ -422,7 +422,8 @@ OpenLayers.Feature.Vector = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Feature, {
  * labelSelect - {Boolean} If set to true, labels will be selectable using SelectFeature or similar controls.
  *     Default is false.
  * labelOutlineColor - {String} The color of the label outline. Default is 'white'. Only supported by the canvas & SVG renderers.
- * labelOutlineWidth - {Number} The width of the label outline. Default is 3, set to 0 or null to disable. Only supported by the canvas & SVG renderers.
+ * labelOutlineWidth - {Number} The width of the label outline. Default is 3, set to 0 or null to disable. Only supported by the  SVG renderers.
+ * labelOutlineOpacity - {Number} The opacity (0-1) of the label outline. Default is fontOpacity. Only supported by the canvas & SVG renderers.
  * fontColor - {String} The font color for the label, to be provided like CSS.
  * fontOpacity - {Number} Opacity (0-1) for the label
  * fontFamily - {String} The font family for the label, to be provided like in CSS.
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/Canvas.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/Canvas.js
index c18a435874..61a327c8ce 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/Canvas.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/Canvas.js
@@ -712,6 +712,7 @@ OpenLayers.Renderer.Canvas = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Renderer, {
             for (var i = 0; i < numRows; i++) {
                 if (style.labelOutlineWidth) {
                     this.canvas.save();
+                    this.canvas.globalAlpha = style.labelOutlineOpacity || style.fontOpacity || 1.0;
                     this.canvas.strokeStyle = style.labelOutlineColor;
                     this.canvas.lineWidth = style.labelOutlineWidth;
                     this.canvas.strokeText(labelRows[i], pt[0], pt[1] + (lineHeight*i) + 1);
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/SVG.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/SVG.js
index c3dd05713a..263aac0be0 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/SVG.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/SVG.js
@@ -655,6 +655,9 @@ OpenLayers.Renderer.SVG = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Renderer.Elements, {
             outlineStyle.fontColor = outlineStyle.labelOutlineColor;
             outlineStyle.fontStrokeColor = outlineStyle.labelOutlineColor;
             outlineStyle.fontStrokeWidth = style.labelOutlineWidth;
+            if (style.labelOutlineOpacity) {
+                outlineStyle.fontOpacity = style.labelOutlineOpacity;
+            }
             delete outlineStyle.labelOutlineWidth;
             this.drawText(featureId, outlineStyle, location);
         }