diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers.js b/lib/OpenLayers.js
index d92cf0d767..62e153d8c8 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers.js
@@ -175,7 +175,8 @@
             "OpenLayers/Layer/WFS.js",
             "OpenLayers/Control/MouseToolbar.js",
             "OpenLayers/Control/NavToolbar.js",
-            "OpenLayers/Control/EditingToolbar.js"
+            "OpenLayers/Control/EditingToolbar.js",
+            "OpenLayers/Projection.js"
         ); // etc.
 
 
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Format/GeoJSON.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Format/GeoJSON.js
index ca1c48b0fe..a894c9d4c2 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Format/GeoJSON.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Format/GeoJSON.js
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ OpenLayers.Format.GeoJSON = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Format.JSON, {
      * of a GeoJSON object.
      */
     createCRSObject: function(object) {
-       var proj = object.layer.projection;
+       var proj = object.layer.projection.toString();
        var crs = {};
        if (proj.match(/epsg:/i)) {
            var code = parseInt(proj.substring(proj.indexOf(":") + 1));
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer.js
index ac6209fb98..0e300b836d 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer.js
@@ -126,9 +126,11 @@ OpenLayers.Layer = OpenLayers.Class({
 
     /**
      * APIProperty: projection
-     * {String} Set in the layer options to override the default projection
-     *     string this layer - also set maxExtent, maxResolution, and units if
-     *     appropriate.
+     * {<OpenLayers.Projection>} or {<String>} Set in the layer options to
+     *     override the default projection string this layer - also set maxExtent,
+     *     maxResolution, and units if appropriate. Can be either a string or
+     *     an <OpenLayers.Projection> object when created -- will be converted
+     *     to an object when setMap is called if a string is passed.  
      */
     projection: null,    
     
@@ -267,6 +269,7 @@ OpenLayers.Layer = OpenLayers.Class({
         if (this.map != null) {
             this.map.removeLayer(this, setNewBaseLayer);
         }
+        this.projection = null;
         this.map = null;
         this.name = null;
         this.div = null;
@@ -410,7 +413,15 @@ OpenLayers.Layer = OpenLayers.Class({
             //  been set
             this.maxExtent = this.maxExtent || this.map.maxExtent;
             this.projection = this.projection || this.map.projection;
-            this.units = this.units || this.map.units;
+            
+            if (this.projection && typeof this.projection == "string") {
+                this.projection = new OpenLayers.Projection(this.projection);
+            }
+            
+            // Check the projection to see if we can get units -- if not, refer
+            // to properties.
+            this.units = this.projection.getUnits() ||
+                         this.units || this.map.units;
             
             this.initResolutions();
             
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WFS.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WFS.js
index f1aed8a0b0..81d7353aa0 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WFS.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WFS.js
@@ -376,8 +376,8 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.WFS = OpenLayers.Class(
      * altUrl - {String} Use this as the url instead of the layer's url
      */
     getFullRequestString:function(newParams, altUrl) {
-        var projection = this.map.getProjection();
-        this.params.SRS = (projection == "none") ? null : projection;
+        var projectionCode = this.map.getProjection();
+        this.params.SRS = (projectionCode == "none") ? null : projectionCode;
 
         return OpenLayers.Layer.Grid.prototype.getFullRequestString.apply(
                                                     this, arguments);
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WMS.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WMS.js
index 638c7f7e6d..359af62240 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WMS.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/WMS.js
@@ -211,8 +211,8 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.WMS = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Layer.Grid, {
      * {String} 
      */
     getFullRequestString:function(newParams, altUrl) {
-        var projection = this.map.getProjection();
-        this.params.SRS = (projection == "none") ? null : projection;
+        var projectionCode = this.map.getProjection();
+        this.params.SRS = (projectionCode == "none") ? null : projectionCode;
 
         return OpenLayers.Layer.Grid.prototype.getFullRequestString.apply(
                                                     this, arguments);
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Map.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Map.js
index 5266ed6929..ae695bdd6a 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Map.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Map.js
@@ -1405,11 +1405,30 @@ OpenLayers.Map = OpenLayers.Class({
     
     /**
      * APIMethod: getProjection
+     * This method returns a string representing the projection. In 
+     *     the case of projection support, this will be the srsCode which
+     *     is loaded -- otherwise it will simply be the string value that
+     *     was passed to the projection at startup.
+     *
+     * FIXME: In 3.0, we will remove getProjectionObject, and instead
+     *     return a Projection object from this function. 
      * 
      * Returns:
-     * {String} The Projection of the base layer.
+     * {String} The Projection string from the base layer or null. 
      */
     getProjection: function() {
+        var projection = this.getProjectionObject();
+        return projection ? projection.getCode() : null;
+    },
+    
+    /**
+     * APIMethod: getProjectionObject
+     * Returns the projection obect from the baselayer.
+     *
+     * Returns:
+     * {<OpenLayers.Projection>} The Projection of the base layer.
+     */
+    getProjectionObject: function() {
         var projection = null;
         if (this.baseLayer != null) {
             projection = this.baseLayer.projection;
diff --git a/tests/Layer/test_WMS.html b/tests/Layer/test_WMS.html
index 411cac35b1..c547a68f39 100644
--- a/tests/Layer/test_WMS.html
+++ b/tests/Layer/test_WMS.html
@@ -236,8 +236,10 @@
         t.eq(str,
              tUrl + "?" + OpenLayers.Util.getParameterString(tParams),
              "getFullRequestString() adds SRS value");
- 
+        
+        map.removeLayer(tLayer);
         tLayer.projection = "none";
+        map.addLayer(tLayer);
         str = tLayer.getFullRequestString();
         delete tParams['SRS'];
         t.eq(str,
diff --git a/tests/list-tests.html b/tests/list-tests.html
index 83e45f8337..b281e3bf39 100644
--- a/tests/list-tests.html
+++ b/tests/list-tests.html
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@
     <li>Handler/test_Path.html</li>
     <li>Handler/test_Polygon.html</li>
     <li>Handler/test_RegularPolygon.html</li>
+    <li>test_Projection.html</li>
     <li>Renderer/test_Elements.html</li>
     <li>Renderer/test_SVG.html</li>
     <li>Renderer/test_VML.html</li>