diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Vector.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Vector.js
index b21dd0ea6d..ec8cbaa876 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Vector.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Vector.js
@@ -302,6 +302,36 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Vector = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Layer, {
         OpenLayers.Layer.prototype.destroy.apply(this, arguments);  
     },
 
+    /**
+     * Method: clone
+     * Create a clone of this layer.
+     * 
+     * Note: Features of the layer are also cloned.
+     *
+     * Returns:
+     * {<OpenLayers.Layer.Vector>} An exact clone of this layer
+     */
+    clone: function (obj) {
+        
+        if (obj == null) {
+            obj = new OpenLayers.Layer.Vector(this.name, this.options);
+        }
+
+        //get all additions from superclasses
+        obj = OpenLayers.Layer.prototype.clone.apply(this, [obj]);
+
+        // copy/set any non-init, non-simple values here
+        var features = this.features;
+        var len = features.length;
+        var clonedFeatures = new Array(len);
+        for(var i=0; i<len; ++i) {
+            clonedFeatures[i] = features[i].clone();
+        }
+        obj.features = clonedFeatures;
+
+        return obj;
+    },    
+    
     /**
      * Method: refresh
      * Ask the layer to request features again and redraw them.  Triggers
diff --git a/tests/Layer/Vector.html b/tests/Layer/Vector.html
index daf3cc9de1..2edb0fd7d8 100644
--- a/tests/Layer/Vector.html
+++ b/tests/Layer/Vector.html
@@ -427,6 +427,18 @@
         }
         
     }
+    
+    function test_Layer_Vector_clone(t) {
+        t.plan(5);
+        var original = new OpenLayers.Layer.Vector(name, {dummyOption: "foo"});
+        original.addFeatures([new OpenLayers.Feature.Vector(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(1,2), {foo: "bar"})]);
+        var clone = original.clone();
+        t.ok(clone instanceof OpenLayers.Layer.Vector, "clone is an instance of OpenLayers.Layer.Vector");
+        t.ok(clone.name, original.name, "clone has the same name as the original");
+        t.ok(clone.features[0] != original.features[0], "clone's feature does not equal the original's feature");
+        t.eq(clone.features[0].attributes.foo, original.features[0].attributes.foo, "clone's feature has the same attributes as the original's feature");
+        t.eq(clone.dummyOption, original.dummyOption, "clone's dummyOption equals the original's dummy option");
+    }
 
     function test_Layer_Vector_externalGraphic(t) {
         t.plan(11);