diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/BaseTypes.js b/lib/OpenLayers/BaseTypes.js
index 1ec0a027ce..e52a94f8e0 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/BaseTypes.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/BaseTypes.js
@@ -4,13 +4,35 @@
 
 /* OpenLayers.Class metaclass */
 OpenLayers.Class = {
-  create: function() {
-    return function() {
-      this.initialize.apply(this, arguments);
+    isPrototype: function () {}, // magic anonymous value
+
+    create: function() {
+        return function() {
+            if (arguments && arguments[0] != OpenLayers.Class.isPrototype)
+                this.initialize.apply(this, arguments);
+        }
+    },
+ 
+    inherit: function () {
+        var super = arguments[0];
+        var proto = new super(OpenLayers.Class.isPrototype);
+        for (var i = 1; i < arguments.length; i++) {
+            if (typeof arguments[i] == "function") {
+                var mixin = arguments[i];
+                arguments[i] = new mixin(OpenLayers.Class.isPrototype);
+            }
+            OpenLayers.Util.extend(proto, arguments[i]);
+        }
+        return proto;
     }
-  }
 };
 
+/*
+    OpenLayers.Class.inherit( OpenLayers.Layer.Grid, OpenLayers.Layer.HTTPRequest, {
+        some stuff
+    });
+*/
+
 /*********************
  *                   *
  *      PIXEL        * 
diff --git a/tests/list-tests.html b/tests/list-tests.html
index d44c02a7a3..cf4740722d 100644
--- a/tests/list-tests.html
+++ b/tests/list-tests.html
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 <ul id="testlist">
+    <li>test_Class.html</li>
     <li>test_Pixel.html</li>
     <li>test_Size.html</li>
     <li>test_LonLat.html</li>