diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/VML.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/VML.js
index eb632c62ca..7d9f30b274 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/VML.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/VML.js
@@ -848,10 +848,13 @@ OpenLayers.Renderer.VML = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Renderer.Elements, {
         }
 
         var align = style.labelAlign || "cm";
+        if (align.length == 1) {
+            align += "m";
+        }
         var xshift = textbox.clientWidth *
-            (OpenLayers.Renderer.VML.LABEL_SHIFT[align[0] || "c"]);
+            (OpenLayers.Renderer.VML.LABEL_SHIFT[align.substr(0,1)]);
         var yshift = textbox.clientHeight *
-            (OpenLayers.Renderer.VML.LABEL_SHIFT[align[1] || "m"]);
+            (OpenLayers.Renderer.VML.LABEL_SHIFT[align.substr(1,1)]);
         label.style.left = parseInt(label.style.left)-xshift-1+"px";
         label.style.top = parseInt(label.style.top)+yshift+"px";