diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Boxes.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Boxes.js
index 75d73d65b3..8edb9838f4 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Boxes.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Boxes.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
  */
 OpenLayers.Layer.Boxes = OpenLayers.Class.create();
 OpenLayers.Layer.Boxes.prototype = 
-    OpenLayers.Util.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer.Markers(), {
+    OpenLayers.Class.inherit( OpenLayers.Layer.Markers, {
 
     initialize: function () {
         OpenLayers.Layer.Markers.prototype.initialize.apply(this, arguments);
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Canvas.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Canvas.js
index 9ff0fc5f91..481a8dfca1 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Canvas.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Canvas.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  */
 OpenLayers.Layer.Canvas = OpenLayers.Class.create();
 OpenLayers.Layer.Canvas.prototype = 
-  OpenLayers.Util.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer(), {
+  OpenLayers.Class.inherit( OpenLayers.Layer, {
     
     /** Canvas layer is never a base layer. 
      * 
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/GeoRSS.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/GeoRSS.js
index 00d969c071..6ce59e4342 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/GeoRSS.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/GeoRSS.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  */
 OpenLayers.Layer.GeoRSS = OpenLayers.Class.create();
 OpenLayers.Layer.GeoRSS.prototype = 
-  OpenLayers.Util.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer.Markers(), {
+  OpenLayers.Class.inherit( OpenLayers.Layer.Markers, {
 
     /** store url of text file
     * @type str */
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Google.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Google.js
index 106e7684a6..9997ba9574 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Google.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Google.js
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@
  */
 OpenLayers.Layer.Google = OpenLayers.Class.create();
 OpenLayers.Layer.Google.prototype =
-  OpenLayers.Util.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer.EventPane(), 
-    OpenLayers.Util.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer.FixedZoomLevels(), {
+  OpenLayers.Class.inherit( OpenLayers.Layer.EventPane, 
+                            OpenLayers.Layer.FixedZoomLevels, {
     
     /** @type Boolean */
     isFixed: true,
@@ -452,4 +452,4 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Google.prototype =
     },
     /** @final @type String */
     CLASS_NAME: "OpenLayers.Layer.Google"
-}));
+});
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Grid.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Grid.js
index 2265a9bcee..1cde67834e 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Grid.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Grid.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  */
 OpenLayers.Layer.Grid = OpenLayers.Class.create();
 OpenLayers.Layer.Grid.prototype = 
-  OpenLayers.Util.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer.HTTPRequest(), {
+  OpenLayers.Class.inherit( OpenLayers.Layer.HTTPRequest, {
     
     /** @type OpenLayers.Size */
     tileSize: null,
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/HTTPRequest.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/HTTPRequest.js
index 715a2dc18b..a57054589a 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/HTTPRequest.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/HTTPRequest.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  */
 OpenLayers.Layer.HTTPRequest = OpenLayers.Class.create();
 OpenLayers.Layer.HTTPRequest.prototype = 
-  OpenLayers.Util.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer(), {
+  OpenLayers.Class.inherit( OpenLayers.Layer, {
 
     /** @type String */
     url: null,
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/KaMap.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/KaMap.js
index 2eef24d1b2..091a7f9533 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/KaMap.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/KaMap.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  */
 OpenLayers.Layer.KaMap = OpenLayers.Class.create();
 OpenLayers.Layer.KaMap.prototype = 
-  OpenLayers.Util.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer.Grid(), {
+  OpenLayers.Class.inherit( OpenLayers.Layer.Grid, {
 
     /** KaMap Layer is always a base layer 
      * 
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/MapServer.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/MapServer.js
index c9a1350b81..c86ffd8eb0 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/MapServer.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/MapServer.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 */
 OpenLayers.Layer.MapServer = OpenLayers.Class.create();
 OpenLayers.Layer.MapServer.prototype =
-  OpenLayers.Util.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer.Grid(), {
+  OpenLayers.Class.inherit( OpenLayers.Layer.Grid, {
 
     /** @final @type hash */
     DEFAULT_PARAMS: {
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Markers.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Markers.js
index cebbe55e38..8691bfefa2 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Markers.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Markers.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  */
 OpenLayers.Layer.Markers = OpenLayers.Class.create();
 OpenLayers.Layer.Markers.prototype = 
-  OpenLayers.Util.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer(), {
+  OpenLayers.Class.inherit( OpenLayers.Layer, {
     
     /** Markers layer is never a base layer. 
      * 
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/MultiMap.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/MultiMap.js
index 393bcc23e6..9b9b2142a2 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/MultiMap.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/MultiMap.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  */
 OpenLayers.Layer.MultiMap = OpenLayers.Class.create();
 OpenLayers.Layer.MultiMap.prototype = 
-  OpenLayers.Util.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer.EventPane(), {
+  OpenLayers.Class.inherit( OpenLayers.Layer.EventPane, {
 
     /** @type MMMap */
     multimap: null,
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Text.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Text.js
index 02254a8ff9..429ad8f708 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Text.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Text.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  */
 OpenLayers.Layer.Text = OpenLayers.Class.create();
 OpenLayers.Layer.Text.prototype = 
-  OpenLayers.Util.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer.Markers(), {
+  OpenLayers.Class.inherit( OpenLayers.Layer.Markers, {
 
     /** store url of text file - this should be specified in the 
      *   "options" hashtable
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/VirtualEarth.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/VirtualEarth.js
index 65986a9477..d44134c41d 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/VirtualEarth.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/VirtualEarth.js
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@
  */
 OpenLayers.Layer.VirtualEarth = OpenLayers.Class.create();
 OpenLayers.Layer.VirtualEarth.prototype = 
-  OpenLayers.Util.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer.EventPane(), 
-    OpenLayers.Util.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer.FixedZoomLevels(), {
+  OpenLayers.Class.inherit( OpenLayers.Layer.EventPane, 
+                            OpenLayers.Layer.FixedZoomLevels, {
         
     /** @type VEMap */
     vemap: null,
@@ -362,4 +362,4 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.VirtualEarth.prototype =
 
     /** @final @type String */
     CLASS_NAME: "OpenLayers.Layer.VirtualEarth"
-}));
+});
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WFS.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WFS.js
index 5235b2c3b4..9bdd210940 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WFS.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WFS.js
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@
  */
 OpenLayers.Layer.WFS = OpenLayers.Class.create();
 OpenLayers.Layer.WFS.prototype = 
-  OpenLayers.Util.extend(new OpenLayers.Layer.Grid(),
-    OpenLayers.Util.extend(new OpenLayers.Layer.Markers(), {
+  OpenLayers.Class.inherit( OpenLayers.Layer.Grid,
+                            OpenLayers.Layer.Markers, {
 
     /** WFS layer is never a base layer. 
      * 
@@ -227,6 +227,4 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.WFS.prototype =
 
     /** @final @type String */
     CLASS_NAME: "OpenLayers.Layer.WFS"
-}
-)
-);
+});
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WMS.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WMS.js
index 4cc494e318..b37910ed73 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WMS.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WMS.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  */
 OpenLayers.Layer.WMS = OpenLayers.Class.create();
 OpenLayers.Layer.WMS.prototype = 
-  OpenLayers.Util.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer.Grid(), {
+  OpenLayers.Class.inherit( OpenLayers.Layer.Grid, {
 
     /** Hashtable of default parameter key/value pairs 
      * @final @type Object */
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WMS/Untiled.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WMS/Untiled.js
index a3a8f379bc..a706dba20a 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WMS/Untiled.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WMS/Untiled.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
  */
 OpenLayers.Layer.WMS.Untiled = OpenLayers.Class.create();
 OpenLayers.Layer.WMS.Untiled.prototype = 
-  OpenLayers.Util.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer.HTTPRequest(), {
+  OpenLayers.Class.inherit( OpenLayers.Layer.HTTPRequest, {
 
     /** Hashtable of default parameter key/value pairs
      * @final @type Object */
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WorldWind.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WorldWind.js
index 7138b2d0e8..dd7304744a 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WorldWind.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WorldWind.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  */
 OpenLayers.Layer.WorldWind = OpenLayers.Class.create();
 OpenLayers.Layer.WorldWind.prototype = 
-  OpenLayers.Util.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer.Grid(), {
+  OpenLayers.Class.inherit( OpenLayers.Layer.Grid, {
     
     DEFAULT_PARAMS: {
     },
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Yahoo.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Yahoo.js
index 6b104ab872..373960289c 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Yahoo.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Yahoo.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  */
 OpenLayers.Layer.Yahoo = OpenLayers.Class.create();
 OpenLayers.Layer.Yahoo.prototype = 
-  OpenLayers.Util.extend( new OpenLayers.Layer.EventPane(), {
+  OpenLayers.Class.inherit( OpenLayers.Layer.EventPane, {
 
     /** @type YMap */
     yahoomap: null,