diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Events.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Events.js
index f02c88670e..ab806f23f1 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Events.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Events.js
@@ -693,6 +693,12 @@ OpenLayers.Events = OpenLayers.Class({
      *     chain of listeners will stop getting called.
      */
     triggerEvent: function (type, evt) {
+        var listeners = this.listeners[type];
+
+        // fast path
+        if(!listeners || listeners.length == 0) {
+            return;
+        }
 
         // prep evt object with object & div references
         if (evt == null) {
@@ -707,25 +713,21 @@ OpenLayers.Events = OpenLayers.Class({
         // execute all callbacks registered for specified type
         // get a clone of the listeners array to
         // allow for splicing during callbacks
-        var listeners = (this.listeners[type]) ?
-                            this.listeners[type].slice() : null;
-        if ((listeners != null) && (listeners.length > 0)) {
-            var continueChain;
-            for (var i=0, len=listeners.length; i<len; i++) {
-                var callback = listeners[i];
-                // bind the context to callback.obj
-                continueChain = callback.func.apply(callback.obj, [evt]);
-    
-                if ((continueChain != undefined) && (continueChain == false)) {
-                    // if callback returns false, execute no more callbacks.
-                    break;
-                }
-            }
-            // don't fall through to other DOM elements
-            if (!this.fallThrough) {           
-                OpenLayers.Event.stop(evt, true);
+        var listeners = listeners.slice(), continueChain;
+        for (var i=0, len=listeners.length; i<len; i++) {
+            var callback = listeners[i];
+            // bind the context to callback.obj
+            continueChain = callback.func.apply(callback.obj, [evt]);
+
+            if ((continueChain != undefined) && (continueChain == false)) {
+                // if callback returns false, execute no more callbacks.
+                break;
             }
         }
+        // don't fall through to other DOM elements
+        if (!this.fallThrough) {           
+            OpenLayers.Event.stop(evt, true);
+        }
         return continueChain;
     },