diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/Panel.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/Panel.js
index a7726d86d1..1e12642456 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/Panel.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/Panel.js
@@ -33,6 +33,14 @@ OpenLayers.Control.Panel.prototype =
         this.controls = [];
     },
 
+    destroy: function() {
+        OpenLayers.Control.prototype.destroy.apply(this, arguments);
+        for(var i = this.controls.length - 1 ; i >= 0; i--) {
+            OpenLayers.Event.stopObservingElement(this.controls[i].panel_div);
+            this.controls[i].panel_div = null;
+        }    
+    },
+
     activate: function() {
         if (OpenLayers.Control.prototype.activate.apply(this, arguments)) {
             for(var i = 0; i < this.controls.length; i++) {
@@ -46,6 +54,7 @@ OpenLayers.Control.Panel.prototype =
             return false;
         }
     },
+    
     deactivate: function() {
         if (OpenLayers.Control.prototype.deactivate.apply(this, arguments)) {
             for(var i = 0; i < this.controls.length; i++) {
@@ -78,24 +87,12 @@ OpenLayers.Control.Panel.prototype =
         this.div.innerHTML = "";
         if (this.active) {
             for (var i = 0; i < this.controls.length; i++) {
-                var element = document.createElement("div");
-                var textNode = document.createTextNode(" ");
+                var element = this.controls[i].panel_div;
                 if (this.controls[i].active) {
                     element.className = this.controls[i].displayClass + "ItemActive";
                 } else {    
                     element.className = this.controls[i].displayClass + "ItemInactive";
                 }    
-                var onClick = function (ctrl, evt) {
-                    OpenLayers.Event.stop(evt ? evt : window.event);
-                    this.activateControl(ctrl);
-                };
-                var control = this.controls[i];
-                OpenLayers.Event.observe(element, "click", 
-                                         onClick.bind(this, control));
-                OpenLayers.Event.observe(element, "mousedown", 
-                                  OpenLayers.Event.stop.bindAsEventListener());
-                OpenLayers.Event.observe(element, "mouseup", 
-                                  OpenLayers.Event.stop.bindAsEventListener());
                 this.div.appendChild(element);
             }
         }
@@ -128,6 +125,22 @@ OpenLayers.Control.Panel.prototype =
             controls = [controls];
         }
         this.controls = this.controls.concat(controls);
+        
+        // Give each control a panel_div which will be used later.
+        // Access to this div is via the panel_div attribute of the 
+        // control added to the panel.
+        for (var i = 0; i < controls.length; i++) {
+            var element = document.createElement("div");
+            var textNode = document.createTextNode(" ");
+            controls[i].panel_div = element;
+            OpenLayers.Event.observe(controls[i].panel_div, "click", 
+                                     this.onClick.bind(this, controls[i]));
+            OpenLayers.Event.observe(controls[i].panel_div, "mousedown", 
+                              OpenLayers.Event.stop.bindAsEventListener());
+            OpenLayers.Event.observe(controls[i].panel_div, "mouseup", 
+                                  OpenLayers.Event.stop.bindAsEventListener());
+        }    
+
         if (this.map) { // map.addControl() has already been called on the panel
             for (var i = 0; i < controls.length; i++) {
                 this.map.addControl(controls[i]);
@@ -137,6 +150,11 @@ OpenLayers.Control.Panel.prototype =
         }
     },
     
+    onClick: function (ctrl, evt) {
+        OpenLayers.Event.stop(evt ? evt : window.event);
+        this.activateControl(ctrl);
+    },
+    
     /** @final @type String */
     CLASS_NAME: "OpenLayers.Control.Panel"
 });