diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer.js
index da59c77b0d..b4f4eb2457 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer.js
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.prototype = {
         if (arguments.length > 0) {
 
             //store a copy of the custom options for later cloning
-            this.options = (options == null) ? new Object : options;
+            this.options = Object.extend(new Object(), options);
             
             //add options to layer
             Object.extend(this, this.options);
@@ -83,11 +83,16 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.prototype = {
     * @returns An exact clone of this OpenLayers.Layer
     * @type OpenLayers.Layer
     */
-    clone: function () {
-        var clone = new OpenLayers.Layer(this.name, 
-                                         this.options);
-
-        return clone;
+    clone: function (obj) {
+        
+        if (obj == null) {
+            obj = new OpenLayers.Layer(this.name, this.options);
+        } 
+        
+        // catch any randomly tagged-on properties
+        obj = OpenLayers.Util.applyDefaults(obj, this);
+        
+        return obj;
     },
     
     /** 
@@ -101,11 +106,12 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.prototype = {
     * @param {Hash} newOptions
     */
     addOptions: function (newOptions) {
+        
+        // update our copy for clone
+        Object.extend(this.options, newOptions);
 
-        if (newOptions != null) {
-            Object.extend(this.options, newOptions);
-        }
-
+        // add new options to this
+        Object.extend(this, this.options);
     },