diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Map.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Map.js
index c8963747ef..07c15496ed 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Map.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Map.js
@@ -2660,41 +2660,61 @@ OpenLayers.Map = OpenLayers.Class({
      *     the map's <layerContainerOriginPx>
      * scale - {Number} scale. Defaults to 1 if not provided.
      */
-    applyTransform: function(dx, dy, scale) {
-        var origin = this.layerContainerOriginPx;
-        dx = dx || origin.x;
-        dy = dy || origin.y;
-        scale = scale || 1;
+     applyTransform: function(x, y, scale) {
+         scale = scale || 1;
+         var origin = this.layerContainerOriginPx,
+             needTransform = scale !== 1;
+         x = x || origin.x;
+         y = y || origin.y;
             
-        var style = this.layerContainerDiv.style,
-            transform = this.applyTransform.transform,
-            template = this.applyTransform.template;
+         var style = this.layerContainerDiv.style,
+             transform = this.applyTransform.transform,
+             template = this.applyTransform.template;
         
-        if (transform === undefined) {
-            transform = OpenLayers.Util.vendorPrefix.style('transform');
-            this.applyTransform.transform = transform;
-        }
-            
-        if (transform) {
-            if (!template) {
-                // try translate3d
-                template = ['translate3d(', ',0) ', 'scale3d(', ',1)'];
-                style[transform] = [template[0], '0,0', template[1]].join('');
-                // if translate3d does not stick, use translate and scale
-                if (!~style[transform].indexOf(template[0])) {
-                    template = ['translate(', ') ', 'scale(', ')'];
-                }
-                this.applyTransform.template = template;
-            }
-            style[transform] = [
-                template[0], dx, 'px,', dy, 'px', template[1],
-                template[2], scale, ',', scale, template[3]
-            ].join('');
-        } else {
-            style.left = dx + 'px';
-            style.top = dy + 'px';
-        }        
-    },
+         if (transform === undefined) {
+             transform = OpenLayers.Util.vendorPrefix.style('transform');
+             this.applyTransform.transform = transform;
+             if (transform) {
+                 // Try translate3d, but only if the viewPortDiv has a transform
+                 // defined in a stylesheet
+                 var computedStyle = OpenLayers.Element.getStyle(this.viewPortDiv, OpenLayers.Util.vendorPrefix.css('transform'));
+                 if (!computedStyle || computedStyle !== 'none') {
+                     template = ['translate3d(', ',0) ', 'scale3d(', ',1)'];
+                     style[transform] = [template[0], '0,0', template[1]].join('');
+                 }
+                 // If no transform is defined in the stylesheet or translate3d
+                 // does not stick, use translate and scale
+                 if (!template || !~style[transform].indexOf(template[0])) {
+                     template = ['translate(', ') ', 'scale(', ')'];
+                 }
+                 this.applyTransform.template = template;
+             }
+         }
+         
+         // If we do 3d transforms, we always want to use them. If we do 2d
+         // transforms, we only use them when we need to.
+         if (transform !== null && (template[0] === 'translate3d(' || needTransform === true)) {
+             // Our 2d transforms are combined with style.left and style.top, so
+             // adjust x and y values and set the origin as left and top
+             if (needTransform === true && template[0] === 'translate(') {
+                 x -= origin.x;
+                 y -= origin.y;
+                 style.left = origin.x + 'px';
+                 style.top = origin.y + 'px';
+             }
+             style[transform] = [
+                 template[0], x, 'px,', y, 'px', template[1],
+                 template[2], scale, ',', scale, template[3]
+             ].join('');
+         } else {
+             style.left = x + 'px';
+             style.top = y + 'px';
+             // We previously might have had needTransform, so remove transform
+             if (transform !== null) {
+                 style[transform] = '';
+             }
+         }
+     },
     
     CLASS_NAME: "OpenLayers.Map"
 });
diff --git a/tests/Map.html b/tests/Map.html
index e57020b065..fb05de0ffd 100644
--- a/tests/Map.html
+++ b/tests/Map.html
@@ -2065,33 +2065,45 @@
     }
     
     function test_applyTransform(t) {
-        t.plan(4);
+        t.plan(10);
+        var origStylePrefix = OpenLayers.Util.vendorPrefix.style;
+        OpenLayers.Util.vendorPrefix.style = function(key) { return 'transform'; };
         
         var map = new OpenLayers.Map('map');
         map.layerContainerDiv = {style: {}};
         delete map.applyTransform.transform;
         delete map.applyTransform.template;
-        var origStylePrefix = OpenLayers.Util.vendorPrefix.style;
-        OpenLayers.Util.vendorPrefix.style = function(key) { return 'transform'; };
+        var origGetStyle = OpenLayers.Element.getStyle;
+        OpenLayers.Element.getStyle = function() { return 'foo'; }
         map.applyTransform(1, 2, 3);
-        OpenLayers.Util.vendorPrefix.style = origStylePrefix;
+        OpenLayers.Element.getStyle = origGetStyle;
         t.eq(map.layerContainerDiv.style.transform, 'translate3d(1px,2px,0) scale3d(3,3,1)', '3d transform and scale used when available');
         
+        delete map.applyTransform.transform;
         delete map.applyTransform.template;
         var origIndexOf = String.prototype.indexOf;
         String.prototype.indexOf = function() { return -1; };
+        map.layerContainerOriginPx = {x: -3, y: 2};
         map.applyTransform(1, 2, 3);
         String.prototype.indexOf = origIndexOf;
-        t.eq(map.layerContainerDiv.style.transform, 'translate(1px,2px) scale(3,3)', '2d translate and scale correct');
+        t.eq(map.layerContainerDiv.style.transform, 'translate(4px,0px) scale(3,3)', '2d translate and scale correct');
+        t.eq(map.layerContainerDiv.style.left, '-3px', 'container origin x set as style.left');
+        t.eq(map.layerContainerDiv.style.top, '2px', 'container origin y set as style.top');
+        map.applyTransform(1, 2);
+        t.ok(!map.layerContainerDiv.style.transform, 'no transform set when no transform needed');
+        t.eq(map.layerContainerDiv.style.left, '1px', 'style.left correct when no transform needed');
+        t.eq(map.layerContainerDiv.style.top, '2px', 'style.top correct when no transform needed');
         
         map.applyTransform.transform = null;
         map.applyTransform(4, 5, 6);
         t.eq(map.layerContainerDiv.style.left, '4px', 'style.left set when transform not available')
         t.eq(map.layerContainerDiv.style.top, '5px', 'style.top set when transform not available')
+        t.ok(!map.layerContainerDiv.style.transform, 'no transform set, because not supported');
 
         map.destroy();
         delete map.applyTransform.transform;
         delete map.applyTransform.template;
+        OpenLayers.Util.vendorPrefix.style = origStylePrefix;
     }
 
     function test_options(t) {