diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Format/KML.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Format/KML.js
index 57881a9a70..c273622706 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Format/KML.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Format/KML.js
@@ -541,17 +541,19 @@ OpenLayers.Format.KML = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Format.XML, {
                     feature.style = this.getStyle(feature.attributes.styleUrl);
                 }
 
-                // Make sure that <Style> nodes within a placemark are 
-                // processed as well
-                var inlineStyleNode = this.getElementsByTagNameNS(featureNode,
-                                                       "*",
-                                                       "Style")[0];
-                if (inlineStyleNode) {
-                    var inlineStyle= this.parseStyle(inlineStyleNode);
-                    if (inlineStyle) {
-                        feature.style = OpenLayers.Util.extend(
-                            feature.style, inlineStyle
-                        );
+                if (this.extractStyles) {
+                    // Make sure that <Style> nodes within a placemark are 
+                    // processed as well
+                    var inlineStyleNode = this.getElementsByTagNameNS(featureNode,
+                                                        "*",
+                                                        "Style")[0];
+                    if (inlineStyleNode) {
+                        var inlineStyle= this.parseStyle(inlineStyleNode);
+                        if (inlineStyle) {
+                            feature.style = OpenLayers.Util.extend(
+                                feature.style, inlineStyle
+                            );
+                        }
                     }
                 }
 
diff --git a/tests/Format/KML.html b/tests/Format/KML.html
index 586f4d9585..31a89b3dcb 100644
--- a/tests/Format/KML.html
+++ b/tests/Format/KML.html
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
     <script type="text/javascript">
 
     var test_content = '<kml xmlns="http://earth.google.com/kml/2.0"><Folder><name>OpenLayers export</name><description>Vector geometries from OpenLayers</description><Placemark id="KML.Polygon"><name>OpenLayers.Feature.Vector_344</name><description>A KLM Polygon</description><Polygon><outerBoundaryIs><LinearRing><coordinates>5.001370157823406,49.26855713824488 8.214706453896161,49.630662409673505 8.397385910100951,48.45172350357396 5.001370157823406,49.26855713824488</coordinates></LinearRing></outerBoundaryIs></Polygon></Placemark><Placemark id="KML.LineString"><name>OpenLayers.Feature.Vector_402</name><description>A KML LineString</description><LineString><coordinates>5.838523393080493,49.74814616928052 5.787079558782349,48.410795432216574 8.91427702008381,49.28932499608202</coordinates></LineString></Placemark><Placemark id="KML.Point"><name>OpenLayers.Feature.Vector_451</name><description>A KML Point</description><Point><coordinates>6.985073041685488,49.8682250149058</coordinates></Point></Placemark><Placemark id="KML.MultiGeometry"><name>SF Marina Harbor Master</name><description>KML MultiGeometry</description><MultiGeometry><LineString><coordinates>-122.4425587930444,37.80666418607323 -122.4428379594768,37.80663578323093</coordinates></LineString><LineString><coordinates>-122.4425509770566,37.80662588061205 -122.4428340530617,37.8065999493009</coordinates></LineString></MultiGeometry></Placemark></Folder></kml>';
+    var test_style = '<kml xmlns="http://earth.google.com/kml/2.0"> <Placemark>    <Style> <LineStyle> <color>870000ff</color> <width>10</width> </LineStyle> </Style>  <LineString> <coordinates> -112,36 -113,37 </coordinates> </LineString> </Placemark></kml>';
 
     function test_Format_KML_constructor(t) { 
         t.plan(4); 
@@ -117,6 +118,12 @@
         t.eq(output, expected, "multilinestring correctly written");
 
     }
+    function test_Format_KML_extractStyle(t) {
+        t.plan(1);
+        var f = new OpenLayers.Format.KML();
+        var features = f.read(test_style);    
+        t.ok(features[0].style == undefined, "KML Feature has no style with extractStyle false");        
+    } 
 
     </script> 
 </head>