diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Format/WMC/v1_1_0.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Format/WMC/v1_1_0.js
index e842403f43..40ca78980e 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Format/WMC/v1_1_0.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Format/WMC/v1_1_0.js
@@ -57,7 +57,10 @@ OpenLayers.Format.WMC.v1_1_0 = OpenLayers.Class(
      * node - {Element} An element node.
      */
     read_sld_MinScaleDenominator: function(layerContext, node) {
-        layerContext.maxScale = this.getChildValue(node);
+        var minScaleDenominator = parseFloat(this.getChildValue(node));
+        if (minScaleDenominator > 0) {
+            layerContext.maxScale = minScaleDenominator;
+        }
     },
 
     /**
@@ -69,7 +72,7 @@ OpenLayers.Format.WMC.v1_1_0 = OpenLayers.Class(
      * node - {Element} An element node.
      */
     read_sld_MaxScaleDenominator: function(layerContext, node) {
-        layerContext.minScale = this.getChildValue(node);
+        layerContext.minScale = parseFloat(this.getChildValue(node));
     },
 
     /**