diff --git a/examples/popups.html b/examples/popups.html
index 2368008958..2b6855c17c 100644
--- a/examples/popups.html
+++ b/examples/popups.html
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@
             popup = new OpenLayers.Popup("chicken", 
                                          new OpenLayers.LonLat(5,40),
                                          new OpenLayers.Size(200,200),
-                                         "example popup");
+                                         "example popup",
+                                         true);
         
             map.addPopup(popup);
         }        
diff --git a/img/close.gif b/img/close.gif
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a8958de9b4
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/close.gif differ
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Popup.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Popup.js
index bef6915104..ed2242289e 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Popup.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Popup.js
@@ -60,8 +60,9 @@ OpenLayers.Popup.prototype = {
     * @param {OpenLayers.LonLat} lonlat
     * @param {OpenLayers.Size} size
     * @param {String} contentHTML
+    * @param {Boolean} closeBox
     */
-    initialize:function(id, lonlat, size, contentHTML) {
+    initialize:function(id, lonlat, size, contentHTML, closeBox) {
         if (id == null) {
             id = OpenLayers.Util.createUniqueID(this.CLASS_NAME + "_");
         }
@@ -90,6 +91,23 @@ OpenLayers.Popup.prototype = {
         this.contentDiv.className = 'olPopupContent';                                            
         this.div.appendChild(this.contentDiv);
 
+        if (closeBox == true) {
+           // close icon
+            var closeSize = new OpenLayers.Size(17,17);
+            var img = OpenLayers.Util.getImagesLocation() + "close.gif";
+            var closeImg = OpenLayers.Util.createAlphaImageDiv(this.id + "_close", 
+                                                                null, 
+                                                                closeSize, 
+                                                                img);
+            closeImg.style.right = this.padding + "px";
+            closeImg.style.top = this.padding + "px";
+            this.div.appendChild(closeImg);
+
+            var closeEvents = new OpenLayers.Events(this, closeImg);
+            closeEvents.register("mousedown", this, this.hide);
+
+        }
+
         this.registerEvents();
     },
 
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Popup/Anchored.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Popup/Anchored.js
index f78c47fa12..a9b39edfad 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Popup/Anchored.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Popup/Anchored.js
@@ -31,9 +31,10 @@ OpenLayers.Popup.Anchored.prototype =
     *                         - 'size' (OpenLayers.Size) and 
     *                         - 'offset' (OpenLayers.Pixel) 
     *                         (this is generally an OpenLayers.Icon)
+    * @param {Boolean} closeBox
     */
-    initialize:function(id, lonlat, size, contentHTML, anchor) {
-        var newArguments = new Array(id, lonlat, size, contentHTML);
+    initialize:function(id, lonlat, size, contentHTML, anchor, closeBox) {
+        var newArguments = new Array(id, lonlat, size, contentHTML, closeBox);
         OpenLayers.Popup.prototype.initialize.apply(this, newArguments);
 
         this.anchor = (anchor != null) ? anchor 
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Popup/AnchoredBubble.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Popup/AnchoredBubble.js
index a4da2dc4da..4b271cff68 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Popup/AnchoredBubble.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Popup/AnchoredBubble.js
@@ -28,8 +28,9 @@ OpenLayers.Popup.AnchoredBubble.prototype =
     *                         - 'size' (OpenLayers.Size) and 
     *                         - 'offset' (OpenLayers.Pixel) 
     *                         (this is generally an OpenLayers.Icon)
+    * @param {Boolean} closeBox
     */
-    initialize:function(id, lonlat, size, contentHTML, anchor) {
+    initialize:function(id, lonlat, size, contentHTML, anchor, closeBox) {
         OpenLayers.Popup.Anchored.prototype.initialize.apply(this, arguments);
     },