diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Tile/Image.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Tile/Image.js
index 608e81a4ef..fb0ccb6737 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Tile/Image.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Tile/Image.js
@@ -20,6 +20,23 @@
  */
 OpenLayers.Tile.Image = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Tile, {
 
+    /**
+     * APIProperty: events
+     * {<OpenLayers.Events>} An events object that handles all 
+     *     events on the tile.
+     *
+     * Register a listener for a particular event with the following syntax:
+     * (code)
+     * tile.events.register(type, obj, listener);
+     * (end)
+     *
+     * Supported event types (in addition to the <OpenLayers.Tile> events):
+     * beforeload - Triggered before an image is prepared for loading, when the
+     *     url for the image is known already. Listeners may call <setImage> on
+     *     the tile instance. If they do so, that image will be used and no new
+     *     one will be created.
+     */
+
     /** 
      * APIProperty: url
      * {String} The URL of the image being requested. No default. Filled in by
@@ -164,8 +181,8 @@ OpenLayers.Tile.Image = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Tile, {
                 this.isLoading = true;
                 this._loadEvent = "loadstart";
             }
-            this.positionTile();
             this.renderTile();
+            this.positionTile();
         } else if (shouldDraw === false) {
             this.unload();
         }
@@ -178,7 +195,6 @@ OpenLayers.Tile.Image = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Tile, {
      *     position it correctly, and set its url.
      */
     renderTile: function() {
-        this.layer.div.appendChild(this.getTile());
         if (this.layer.async) {
             // Asynchronous image requests call the asynchronous getURL method
             // on the layer to fetch an image that covers 'this.bounds'.
@@ -279,12 +295,26 @@ OpenLayers.Tile.Image = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Tile, {
 
         return this.imgDiv;
     },
+    
+    /**
+     * APIMethod: setImage
+     * Sets the image element or this tile. This method should only be called
+     * from beforeload listeners.
+     *
+     * Paramters
+     * img - {HTMLImageElement} The image to use for this tile.
+     */
+    setImage: function(img) {
+        this.imgDiv = img;
+    },
 
     /**
      * Method: initImage
      * Creates the content for the frame on the tile.
      */
     initImage: function() {
+        this.events.triggerEvent('beforeload');
+        this.layer.div.appendChild(this.getTile());
         this.events.triggerEvent(this._loadEvent);
         var img = this.getImage();
         if (this.url && img.getAttribute("src") == this.url) {
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/TileManager.js b/lib/OpenLayers/TileManager.js
index 743f192368..cc06c5ab0f 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/TileManager.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/TileManager.js
@@ -255,8 +255,8 @@ OpenLayers.TileManager = OpenLayers.Class({
     addTile: function(evt) {
         evt.tile.events.on({
             beforedraw: this.queueTileDraw,
-            loadstart: this.manageTileCache,
-            reload: this.manageTileCache,
+            beforeload: this.manageTileCache,
+            loadend: this.addToCache,
             unload: this.unloadTile,
             scope: this
         });        
@@ -273,8 +273,7 @@ OpenLayers.TileManager = OpenLayers.Class({
         var tile = evt.object;
         tile.events.un({
             beforedraw: this.queueTileDraw,
-            loadstart: this.manageTileCache,
-            reload: this.manageTileCache,
+            beforeload: this.manageTileCache,
             loadend: this.addToCache,
             unload: this.unloadTile,
             scope: this
@@ -330,16 +329,9 @@ OpenLayers.TileManager = OpenLayers.Class({
         // only use image from cache if it is not on a layer already
         if (img && (!img.parentNode ||
                  OpenLayers.Element.hasClass(img.parentNode, 'olBackBuffer'))) {
-            if (tile.imgDiv) {
-                tile.layer.div.removeChild(tile.imgDiv);
-            }
-            tile.imgDiv = img;
+            tile.setImage(img);
             OpenLayers.Util.removeItem(this.tileCacheIndex, tile.url);
             this.tileCacheIndex.push(tile.url);
-            tile.positionTile();
-            tile.layer.div.appendChild(tile.imgDiv);
-        } else if (evt.type === 'loadstart') {
-            tile.events.register('loadend', this, this.addToCache);
         }
     },
     
@@ -351,7 +343,6 @@ OpenLayers.TileManager = OpenLayers.Class({
      */
     addToCache: function(evt) {
         var tile = evt.object;
-        tile.events.unregister('loadend', this, this.addToCache);
         if (!this.tileCache[tile.url]) {
             if (!OpenLayers.Element.hasClass(tile.imgDiv, 'olImageLoadError')) {
                 if (this.tileCacheIndex.length >= this.cacheSize) {
diff --git a/tests/TileManager.html b/tests/TileManager.html
index 703c1a05f4..b49b1bc1b1 100644
--- a/tests/TileManager.html
+++ b/tests/TileManager.html
@@ -31,11 +31,11 @@
         var layer = new OpenLayers.Layer.WMS('WMS', '../img/blank.gif');
         map.addLayer(layer);
         map.setCenter([16, 48], 9);
-        var numTileListeners = layer.grid[0][0].events.listeners.reload.length;
+        var numTileListeners = layer.grid[0][0].events.listeners.beforeload.length;
         var numLayerListeners = layer.events.listeners.retile.length;
         var numMapListeners = map.events.listeners.preremovelayer.length;
         tileManager.destroy();
-        t.eq(layer.grid[0][0].events.listeners.reload.length, numTileListeners - 1, "no listener on tile after destroy");
+        t.eq(layer.grid[0][0].events.listeners.beforeload.length, numTileListeners - 1, "no listener on tile after destroy");
         t.eq(layer.events.listeners.retile.length, numLayerListeners - 1, "no listeners on layer after destroy");
         t.eq(map.events.listeners.preremovelayer.length, numMapListeners - 1, "no listeners on map after destroy");
         map.destroy();