diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/Panel.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/Panel.js
index 749329d2fb..cfe1ea4685 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/Panel.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/Panel.js
@@ -32,9 +32,25 @@ OpenLayers.Control.Panel = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Control, {
      * APIProperty: defaultControl
      * {<OpenLayers.Control>} The control which is activated when the control is
      * activated (turned on), which also happens at instantiation.
+     * If <saveState> is true, <defaultControl> will be nullified after the
+     * first activation of the panel.
      */
     defaultControl: null,
     
+    /**
+     * APIProperty: saveState
+     * {Boolean} If set to true, the active state of this panel's controls will
+     * be stored on panel deactivation, and restored on reactivation. Default
+     * is false.
+     */
+    saveState: false,
+      
+    /**
+     * Property: activeState
+     * {Object} stores the active state of this panel's controls.
+     */
+    activeState: null,
+
     /**
      * Constructor: OpenLayers.Control.Panel
      * Create a new control panel.
@@ -71,6 +87,7 @@ OpenLayers.Control.Panel = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Control, {
     initialize: function(options) {
         OpenLayers.Control.prototype.initialize.apply(this, [options]);
         this.controls = [];
+        this.activeState = {};
     },
 
     /**
@@ -88,7 +105,8 @@ OpenLayers.Control.Panel = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Control, {
             }
             OpenLayers.Event.stopObservingElement(this.controls[i].panel_div);
             this.controls[i].panel_div = null;
-        }    
+        }
+        this.activeState = null;
     },
 
     /**
@@ -96,11 +114,17 @@ OpenLayers.Control.Panel = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Control, {
      */
     activate: function() {
         if (OpenLayers.Control.prototype.activate.apply(this, arguments)) {
-            for(var i=0, len=this.controls.length; i<len; i++) {
-                if (this.controls[i] == this.defaultControl) {
-                    this.controls[i].activate();
+            var control;
+            for (var i=0, len=this.controls.length; i<len; i++) {
+                control = this.controls[i];
+                if (control === this.defaultControl ||
+                            (this.saveState && this.activeState[control.id])) {
+                    control.activate();
                 }
             }    
+            if (this.saveState === true) {
+                this.defaultControl = null;
+            }
             this.redraw();
             return true;
         } else {
@@ -113,8 +137,10 @@ OpenLayers.Control.Panel = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Control, {
      */
     deactivate: function() {
         if (OpenLayers.Control.prototype.deactivate.apply(this, arguments)) {
-            for(var i=0, len=this.controls.length; i<len; i++) {
-                this.controls[i].deactivate();
+            var control;
+            for (var i=0, len=this.controls.length; i<len; i++) {
+                control = this.controls[i];
+                this.activeState[control.id] = control.deactivate();
             }    
             return true;
         } else {
diff --git a/tests/Control/Panel.html b/tests/Control/Panel.html
index 2c7474a19d..abdbb8ddfd 100644
--- a/tests/Control/Panel.html
+++ b/tests/Control/Panel.html
@@ -157,6 +157,59 @@
 
 
     }
+    
+    function test_Control_Panel_saveState (t) { 
+        t.plan(11); 
+        var map = new OpenLayers.Map('map');
+
+        var defaultControl = new OpenLayers.Control();
+        var panel = new OpenLayers.Control.Panel({
+            defaultControl: defaultControl
+        });
+        panel.addControls([new OpenLayers.Control(), defaultControl]);
+        map.addControl(panel);
+        t.eq(defaultControl.active, true,
+            "After panel activation default control is active.");    
+        t.ok(panel.defaultControl,
+            "defaultControl not nullified after initial panel activation");          
+        // activate the 1st control
+        panel.activateControl(panel.controls[0]);
+        panel.deactivate();      
+        t.ok(!panel.controls[0].active && !panel.controls[1].active,
+            "No controls are active after panel deactivation.");
+        panel.activate();   
+        t.eq(panel.controls[0].active, false,
+            "After panel reactivation first control is inactive.");              
+        t.eq(panel.controls[1].active, true,
+            "After panel reactivation default control is active again.");
+        panel.destroy();
+
+        defaultControl = new OpenLayers.Control();
+        panel = new OpenLayers.Control.Panel({
+            saveState: true,
+            defaultControl: defaultControl
+        });
+        panel.addControls([new OpenLayers.Control(), defaultControl]);
+        map.addControl(panel);
+        t.eq(defaultControl.active, true,
+            "After panel activation default control is active.");    
+        t.eq(panel.defaultControl, null,
+            "defaultControl nullified after initial panel activation");          
+        // activate the 1st control, which will deactivate the 2nd
+        panel.activateControl(panel.controls[0]);
+        t.eq(panel.controls[1].active, false,
+            "2nd control deactivated with activation of 1st");
+        panel.deactivate();      
+        t.ok(!panel.controls[0].active && !panel.controls[1].active,
+            "No controls are active after panel deactivation.");
+        panel.activate();   
+        t.eq(panel.controls[0].active, true,
+            "After panel reactivation first control is active.");
+        t.eq(panel.controls[1].active, false,
+            "After panel reactivation second control is inactive.");              
+        panel.destroy();
+        map.destroy();
+    } 
 
   </script>
 </head>