diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/Elements.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/Elements.js
index f83288c165..280e35eb58 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/Elements.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/Elements.js
@@ -109,9 +109,7 @@ OpenLayers.ElementsIndexer = OpenLayers.Class({
         // If the new node should be before another in the index
         // order, return the node before which we have to insert the new one;
         // else, return null to indicate that the new node can be appended.
-        var nextIndex = rightIndex + 1;
-        return nextIndex < this.order.length ?
-                OpenLayers.Util.getElement(this.order[nextIndex]) : null;
+	return this.getNextElement(rightIndex);
     },
     
     /**
@@ -200,6 +198,30 @@ OpenLayers.ElementsIndexer = OpenLayers.Class({
             this.maxZIndex = zIndex;
         }
     },
+	
+    /**
+     * APIMethod: getNextElement
+     * Get the next element in the order stack.
+     * 
+     * Parameters:
+     * index - {Integer} The index of the current node in this.order.
+     * 
+     * Returns:
+     * {DOMElement} the node following the index passed in, or
+     *     null.
+     */
+    getNextElement: function(index) {
+		var nextIndex = index + 1;
+        if (nextIndex < this.order.length){
+			var nextElement = OpenLayers.Util.getElement(this.order[nextIndex]);
+			if (nextElement == undefined){
+			  nextElement = this.getNextElement(nextIndex);
+			}
+			return nextElement;
+		} else {
+			return null;
+		} 
+    },	
     
     CLASS_NAME: "OpenLayers.ElementsIndexer"
 });