diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/ModifyFeature.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/ModifyFeature.js
index b710fa9a26..5be518cc35 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/ModifyFeature.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/ModifyFeature.js
@@ -273,8 +273,8 @@ OpenLayers.Control.ModifyFeature = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Control, {
         var deactivated = false;
         // the return from the controls is unimportant in this case
         if(OpenLayers.Control.prototype.deactivate.apply(this, arguments)) {
-            this.layer.removeFeatures(this.vertices);
-            this.layer.removeFeatures(this.virtualVertices);
+            this.layer.removeFeatures(this.vertices, {silent: true});
+            this.layer.removeFeatures(this.virtualVertices, {silent: true});
             this.vertices = [];
             this.dragControl.deactivate();
             if(this.feature && this.feature.geometry) {
@@ -314,16 +314,16 @@ OpenLayers.Control.ModifyFeature = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Control, {
      *     unselected feature.
      */
     unselectFeature: function(object) {
-        this.layer.removeFeatures(this.vertices);
+        this.layer.removeFeatures(this.vertices, {silent: true});
         this.vertices = [];
-        this.layer.destroyFeatures(this.virtualVertices);
+        this.layer.destroyFeatures(this.virtualVertices, {silent: true});
         this.virtualVertices = [];
         if(this.dragHandle) {
-            this.layer.destroyFeatures([this.dragHandle]);
+            this.layer.destroyFeatures([this.dragHandle], {silent: true});
             delete this.dragHandle;
         }
         if(this.radiusHandle) {
-            this.layer.destroyFeatures([this.radiusHandle]);
+            this.layer.destroyFeatures([this.radiusHandle], {silent: true});
             delete this.radiusHandle;
         }
         this.feature = null;
@@ -413,17 +413,17 @@ OpenLayers.Control.ModifyFeature = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Control, {
                 this.vertices.push(vertex);
             } else if(vertex == this.dragHandle) {
                 // dragging a drag handle
-                this.layer.removeFeatures(this.vertices);
+                this.layer.removeFeatures(this.vertices, {silent: true});
                 this.vertices = [];
                 if(this.radiusHandle) {
-                    this.layer.destroyFeatures([this.radiusHandle]);
+                    this.layer.destroyFeatures([this.radiusHandle], {silent: true});
                     this.radiusHandle = null;
                 }
             }
             // dragging a radius handle - no special treatment
             // dragging a real vertex - no special treatment
             if(this.virtualVertices.length > 0) {
-                this.layer.destroyFeatures(this.virtualVertices);
+                this.layer.destroyFeatures(this.virtualVertices, {silent: true});
                 this.virtualVertices = [];
             }
             this.layer.drawFeature(this.feature, this.selectControl.renderIntent);
@@ -463,19 +463,19 @@ OpenLayers.Control.ModifyFeature = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Control, {
             this.dragControl.outFeature(this.dragControl.feature);
         }
         if(this.vertices.length > 0) {
-            this.layer.removeFeatures(this.vertices);
+            this.layer.removeFeatures(this.vertices, {silent: true});
             this.vertices = [];
         }
         if(this.virtualVertices.length > 0) {
-            this.layer.removeFeatures(this.virtualVertices);
+            this.layer.removeFeatures(this.virtualVertices, {silent: true});
             this.virtualVertices = [];
         }
         if(this.dragHandle) {
-            this.layer.destroyFeatures([this.dragHandle]);
+            this.layer.destroyFeatures([this.dragHandle], {silent: true});
             this.dragHandle = null;
         }
         if(this.radiusHandle) {
-            this.layer.destroyFeatures([this.radiusHandle]);
+            this.layer.destroyFeatures([this.radiusHandle], {silent: true});
             this.radiusHandle = null;
         }
         if(this.feature &&
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Vector.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Vector.js
index df6406715c..d12db0eeb8 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Vector.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/Vector.js
@@ -401,6 +401,8 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Vector = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Layer, {
             }
 
             this.features = OpenLayers.Util.removeItem(this.features, feature);
+            // feature has no layer at this point
+            feature.layer = null;
 
             if (feature.geometry) {
                 this.renderer.eraseGeometry(feature.geometry);
@@ -432,21 +434,17 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.Vector = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Layer, {
      * features - {Array(<OpenLayers.Feature.Vector>)} An optional array of
      *     features to destroy.  If not supplied, all features on the layer
      *     will be destroyed.
+     * options - {Object}
      */
-    destroyFeatures: function(features) {
-        var all = (features == undefined);
+    destroyFeatures: function(features, options) {
+        var all = (features == undefined); // evaluates to true if
+                                           // features is null
         if(all) {
             features = this.features;
-            this.selectedFeatures = [];
         }
-        this.eraseFeatures(features);
-        var feature;
-        for(var i=features.length-1; i>=0; i--) {
-            feature = features[i];
-            if(!all) {
-                OpenLayers.Util.removeItem(this.selectedFeatures, feature);
-            }
-            feature.destroy();
+        this.removeFeatures(features, options);
+        for (var i = 0; i < features.length; i++) {
+            features[i].destroy();
         }
     },
 
diff --git a/tests/Control/ModifyFeature.html b/tests/Control/ModifyFeature.html
index 16ec938a84..2912aeaf9c 100644
--- a/tests/Control/ModifyFeature.html
+++ b/tests/Control/ModifyFeature.html
@@ -213,6 +213,11 @@
         control.selectFeature({feature: fakeFeature});
         
         control.destroy();
+
+        // layer.destroy() will call removeFeatures with an empty array, make
+        // removeFeatures reference an empty function to prevent the above
+        // test to fail
+        layer.removeFeatures = function(features) {};
         layer.destroy();
     }  
 
@@ -323,6 +328,11 @@
         control.dragComplete();
         
         control.destroy();
+
+        // layer.destroy() will call removeFeatures with an empty array, make
+        // removeFeatures reference an empty function to prevent the above
+        // test to fail
+        layer.removeFeatures = function(verts) {};
         layer.destroy();
     }