diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Style.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Style.js
index 90997575cf..40d9ac8c59 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Style.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Style.js
@@ -115,7 +115,8 @@ OpenLayers.Style = OpenLayers.Class({
      * {Object} symbolizer hash
      */
     createSymbolizer: function(feature) {
-        var style = OpenLayers.Util.extend({}, this.defaultStyle);
+        var style = this.createLiterals(
+            OpenLayers.Util.extend({}, this.defaultStyle), feature);
         
         var rules = this.rules;
 
@@ -173,11 +174,9 @@ OpenLayers.Style = OpenLayers.Class({
 
         var symbolizer = rule.symbolizer[symbolizerPrefix] || rule.symbolizer;
 
-        var context = this.context || feature.attributes || feature.data;
-        
         // merge the style with the current style
         return this.createLiterals(
-                OpenLayers.Util.extend(style, symbolizer), context);
+                OpenLayers.Util.extend(style, symbolizer), feature);
     },
     
     /**
@@ -188,14 +187,14 @@ OpenLayers.Style = OpenLayers.Class({
      * Parameters:
      * style   - {Object} style to create literals for. Will be modified
      *           inline.
-     * context - {Object} context to take property values from. Defaults to
-     *           feature.attributes (or feature.data, if attributes are not
-     *           available)
+     * feature - {Object}
      * 
      * Returns:
      * {Object} the modified style
      */
-    createLiterals: function(style, context) {
+    createLiterals: function(style, feature) {
+        var context = this.context || feature.attributes || feature.data;
+        
         for (var i in this.propertyStyles) {
             style[i] = OpenLayers.Style.createLiteral(style[i], context);
         }
diff --git a/tests/test_Style.html b/tests/test_Style.html
index a6541d8a6e..7714d3b2be 100644
--- a/tests/test_Style.html
+++ b/tests/test_Style.html
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@
                 symbolizer: {"Point": {fillColor: "red"}},
                 minScaleDenominator: 1000000,
                 maxScaleDenominator: 2500000});
-        style.addRules([rule1, rule2, rule3]);
         
         var feature = new OpenLayers.Feature.Vector(
                 new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(3,5),
@@ -58,9 +57,13 @@
 
         map.setCenter(new OpenLayers.LonLat(3,5), 10);
 
-        // at this scale, the feature should be green
         var createdStyle = style.createSymbolizer(feature);
-        t.eq(createdStyle.externalGraphic, "barbar.png", "Calculated property style correctly.");
+        t.eq(createdStyle.externalGraphic, "barbar.png", "Calculated property style for default symbolizer correctly.");
+        
+        style.addRules([rule1, rule2, rule3]);
+        createdStyle = style.createSymbolizer(feature);
+        
+        // at this scale, the feature should be green
         t.eq(createdStyle.display, "", "Feature is visible at scale "+map.getScale());
         t.eq(createdStyle.fillColor, "green", "Point symbolizer from rule applied correctly.");