diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Grid.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Grid.js
index 0282feaba9..3852c30a2b 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Grid.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Grid.js
@@ -111,7 +111,17 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Grid = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Layer.HTTPRequest, {
      */
     timerId: null,
 
-    backBufferData: null,
+    /**
+     * Property: backBuffer
+     * {DOMElement} The back buffer.
+     */
+    backBuffer: null,
+
+    /**
+     * Property: lastResolution
+     * {Object} The last resolution of the grid.
+     */
+    lastResolution: null,
 
     /**
      * Constructor: OpenLayers.Layer.Grid
@@ -135,8 +145,7 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Grid = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Layer.HTTPRequest, {
         this.events.addEventType("tileloaded");
 
         this.grid = [];
-        this.backBufferData = {};
-        
+
         this._moveGriddedTiles = OpenLayers.Function.bind(
             this.moveGriddedTiles, this
         );
@@ -219,10 +228,6 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Grid = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Layer.HTTPRequest, {
         return obj;
     },    
 
-    setBackBufferData: function() {
-        this.backBufferData.resolution = this.getServerResolution();
-    },
-
     /**
      * Method: moveTo
      * This function is called whenever the map is moved. All the moving
@@ -247,7 +252,13 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Grid = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Layer.HTTPRequest, {
 
             // total bounds of the tiles
             var tilesBounds = this.getTilesBounds();            
-      
+
+            // the new map resolution
+            var resolution = this.map.getResolution();
+
+            // the server-supported resolution for the new map resolution
+            var serverResolution = this.getServerResolution(resolution);
+
             if (this.singleTile) {
                 
                 // We want to redraw whenever even the slightest part of the 
@@ -255,6 +266,11 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Grid = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Layer.HTTPRequest, {
                 //  (thus, we do not specify partial -- its default is false)
                 if ( forceReTile ||
                      (!dragging && !tilesBounds.containsBounds(bounds))) {
+                    if(this.lastResolution === serverResolution ||
+                       (this.lastResolution &&
+                        this.transitionEffect === 'resize')) {
+                        this.insertBackBuffer(serverResolution, tilesBounds);
+                    }
                     this.initSingleTile(bounds);
                 }
             } else {
@@ -267,10 +283,6 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Grid = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Layer.HTTPRequest, {
                 forceReTile = forceReTile ||
                               !tilesBounds.containsBounds(bounds, true);
 
-                var resolution = this.map.getResolution();
-                var serverResolution =
-                    this.getServerResolution(resolution);
-
                 if(resolution !== serverResolution) {
                     bounds = this.map.calculateBounds(null, serverResolution);
                     if(forceReTile) {
@@ -288,30 +300,11 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Grid = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Layer.HTTPRequest, {
                 }
 
                 if(forceReTile) {
-
-                    if(OpenLayers.Util.indexOf(
-                            this.SUPPORTED_TRANSITIONS,
-                            this.transitionEffect) != -1) {
-                        if(!this.backBufferData.backBuffer) {
-                            this.backBufferData.backBuffer = this.createBackBuffer();
-                            if(this.backBufferData.backBuffer) {
-                                this.div.insertBefore(this.backBufferData.backBuffer,
-                                                      this.div.firstChild);
-                            }
-                        }
-                        if(this.backBufferData.backBuffer && this.backBufferData.resolution) {
-                            var resolution = this.getServerResolution();
-                            var scale = this.backBufferData.resolution / resolution;
-                            this.backBufferData.backBuffer.style.width = 100 * scale + '%';
-                            this.backBufferData.backBuffer.style.height = 100 * scale + '%';
-                            var lonLat = {lon: tilesBounds.left, lat: tilesBounds.top},
-                                position = this.getViewPortPxFromLonLat(lonLat, resolution);
-                            this.backBufferData.backBuffer.style.left = position.x + '%';
-                            this.backBufferData.backBuffer.style.top = position.y + '%';
-                        }
-
+                    if(this.transitionEffect === 'resize' &&
+                       (this.lastResolution &&
+                        (this.lastResolution !== serverResolution))) {
+                        this.insertBackBuffer(serverResolution, tilesBounds);
                     }
-
                     this.initGriddedTiles(bounds);
                 } else {
                     this.scheduleMoveGriddedTiles();
@@ -320,31 +313,6 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Grid = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Layer.HTTPRequest, {
         }
     },
 
-    createBackBuffer: function() {
-        var backBuffer;
-        if(this.grid.length > 0) {
-            var backBuffer = document.createElement('div');
-            backBuffer.id = this.div.id + '_bb';
-            backBuffer.style.position = 'absolute';
-            backBuffer.style.left = '0%';
-            backBuffer.style.top = '0%';
-            backBuffer.style.width = '100%';
-            backBuffer.style.height = '100%';
-            for(var i=0, lenI=this.grid.length; i<lenI; i++) {
-                for(var j=0, lenJ=this.grid[i].length; j<lenJ; j++) {
-                    var tile = this.grid[i][j].cloneMarkup();
-                    if(!tile) {
-                        return;
-                    }
-                    tile.style.left = (j * this.tileSize.w) + '%';
-                    tile.style.top = (i * this.tileSize.h) + '%';
-                    backBuffer.appendChild(tile);
-                }
-            }
-        }
-        return backBuffer;
-    },
-
     /**
      * Method: getServerResolution
      * Return the server-supported resolution that is the closest to
@@ -415,7 +383,6 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Grid = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Layer.HTTPRequest, {
         this.div.style.top = y + '%';
     },
 
-
     /**
      * Method: getResolutionScale
      * Return the value by which the layer is currently scaled.
@@ -427,6 +394,75 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Grid = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Layer.HTTPRequest, {
         return parseInt(this.div.style.width, 10) / 100;
     },
 
+    /**
+     * Method: insertBackBuffer
+     * Insert a back buffer for a better transition.
+     *
+     * Parameters:
+     * resolution - {Number} The resolution to transition to.
+     * tilesBounds - {<OpenLayers.Bounds>} The current bounds of the tiles.
+     */
+    insertBackBuffer: function(resolution, tilesBounds) {
+        var backBuffer = this.backBuffer;
+        if(!backBuffer) {
+            backBuffer = this.createBackBuffer();
+            if(!backBuffer) {
+                return;
+            }
+            this.div.insertBefore(backBuffer, this.div.firstChild);
+            this.backBuffer = backBuffer;
+        }
+
+        var style = backBuffer.style;
+
+        // scale
+        var ratio = this.lastResolution / resolution;
+        style.width = 100 * ratio + '%';
+        style.height = 100 * ratio + '%';
+
+        // and position
+        var position = this.getViewPortPxFromLonLat(
+            {lon: tilesBounds.left, lat: tilesBounds.top}, resolution);
+        var leftOffset = parseInt(this.map.layerContainerDiv.style.left, 10);
+        var topOffset = parseInt(this.map.layerContainerDiv.style.top, 10);
+        backBuffer.style.left = (position.x - leftOffset) + '%';
+        backBuffer.style.top = (position.y - topOffset) + '%';
+    },
+
+    /**
+     * Method: createBackBuffer
+     * Create a back buffer. We apply a best effort strategy here - if for any
+     * reason we cannot clone a tile's markup we give up right away.
+     *
+     * Returns:
+     * {DOMElement} The DOM element for the back buffer, undefined if the
+     * back buffer couldn't have been created.
+     */
+    createBackBuffer: function() {
+        var backBuffer;
+        if(this.grid.length > 0) {
+            var backBuffer = document.createElement('div');
+            backBuffer.id = this.div.id + '_bb';
+            backBuffer.style.position = 'absolute';
+            backBuffer.style.width = '100%';
+            backBuffer.style.height = '100%';
+            for(var i=0, lenI=this.grid.length; i<lenI; i++) {
+                for(var j=0, lenJ=this.grid[i].length; j<lenJ; j++) {
+                    var tile = this.grid[i][j].cloneMarkup();
+                    if(!tile) {
+                        return;
+                    }
+                    // to be able to correctly position the back buffer we
+                    // place the first tile at (0, 0) in the back buffer
+                    tile.style.left = (j * this.tileSize.w) + '%';
+                    tile.style.top = (i * this.tileSize.h) + '%';
+                    backBuffer.appendChild(tile);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        return backBuffer;
+    },
+
     /**
      * Method: moveByPx
      * Move the layer based on pixel vector.
@@ -846,11 +882,11 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Grid = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Layer.HTTPRequest, {
             //if that was the last tile, then trigger a 'loadend' on the layer
             if (this.numLoadingTiles == 0) {
                 this.events.triggerEvent("loadend");
-                if(this.backBufferData.backBuffer) {
-                    this.div.removeChild(this.backBufferData.backBuffer);
-                    this.backBufferData.backBuffer = null;
+                if(this.backBuffer && this.backBuffer.parentNode) {
+                    this.div.removeChild(this.backBuffer);
+                    this.backBuffer = null;
                 }
-                this.setBackBufferData();
+                this.lastResolution = this.getServerResolution();
             }
         };
         tile.events.register("loadend", this, tile.onLoadEnd);