diff --git a/examples/vector-features.html b/examples/vector-features.html
index 70fc34a180..62fe8e9816 100644
--- a/examples/vector-features.html
+++ b/examples/vector-features.html
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@
                 strokeWidth: 3,
                 strokeDashstyle: "dashdot",
                 pointRadius: 6,
-                pointerEvents: "visiblePainted"
+                pointerEvents: "visiblePainted",
+                title: "this is a green line"
             };
 
             /*
@@ -70,8 +71,8 @@
             style_mark.graphicXOffset = 10; // default is -(style_mark.graphicWidth/2);
             style_mark.graphicYOffset = -style_mark.graphicHeight;
             style_mark.externalGraphic = "../img/marker.png";
-            // graphicTitle only works in Firefox and Internet Explorer
-            style_mark.graphicTitle = "this is a test tooltip";
+            // title only works in Firefox and Internet Explorer
+            style_mark.title = "this is a test tooltip";
 
             var vectorLayer = new OpenLayers.Layer.Vector("Simple Geometry", {
                 style: layer_style,
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Feature/Vector.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Feature/Vector.js
index 6f36fec67c..51fefe70fd 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Feature/Vector.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Feature/Vector.js
@@ -403,7 +403,8 @@ OpenLayers.Feature.Vector = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Feature, {
  * graphicZIndex - {Number} The integer z-index value to use in rendering.
  * graphicName - {String} Named graphic to use when rendering points.  Supported values include "circle" (default),
  *     "square", "star", "x", "cross", "triangle".
- * graphicTitle - {String} Tooltip for an external graphic.
+ * graphicTitle - {String} Tooltip when hovering over a feature. *deprecated*, use title instead
+ * title - {String} Tooltip when hovering over a feature. Not supported by the canvas renderer.
  * backgroundGraphic - {String} Url to a graphic to be used as the background under an externalGraphic.
  * backgroundGraphicZIndex - {Number} The integer z-index value to use in rendering the background graphic.
  * backgroundXOffset - {Number} The x offset (in pixels) for the background graphic.
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/Canvas.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/Canvas.js
index feca10eef0..6453c46709 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/Canvas.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/Canvas.js
@@ -241,8 +241,9 @@ OpenLayers.Renderer.Canvas = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Renderer, {
     drawExternalGraphic: function(geometry, style, featureId) {
         var img = new Image();
 
-        if (style.graphicTitle) {
-            img.title = style.graphicTitle;           
+        var title = style.title || style.graphicTitle;        
+        if (title) {
+            img.title = title;           
         }
 
         var width = style.graphicWidth || style.graphicHeight;
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/SVG.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/SVG.js
index e65da76a9a..e7b19f72d1 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/SVG.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/SVG.js
@@ -239,6 +239,22 @@ OpenLayers.Renderer.SVG = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Renderer.Elements, {
     setStyle: function(node, style, options) {
         style = style  || node._style;
         options = options || node._options;
+
+        var title = style.title || style.graphicTitle;
+        if (title) {
+            node.setAttributeNS(null, "title", title);
+            //Standards-conformant SVG
+            // Prevent duplicate nodes. See issue https://github.com/openlayers/openlayers/issues/92 
+            var titleNode = node.getElementsByTagName("title");
+            if (titleNode.length > 0) {
+                titleNode[0].firstChild.textContent = title;
+            } else {
+                var label = this.nodeFactory(null, "title");
+                label.textContent = title;
+                node.appendChild(label);
+            }
+        }
+
         var r = parseFloat(node.getAttributeNS(null, "r"));
         var widthFactor = 1;
         var pos;
@@ -248,20 +264,6 @@ OpenLayers.Renderer.SVG = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Renderer.Elements, {
                 node.style.visibility = "hidden";
             } else if (style.externalGraphic) {
                 pos = this.getPosition(node);
-                
-                if (style.graphicTitle) {
-                    node.setAttributeNS(null, "title", style.graphicTitle);
-                    //Standards-conformant SVG
-                    // Prevent duplicate nodes. See issue https://github.com/openlayers/openlayers/issues/92 
-                    var titleNode = node.getElementsByTagName("title");
-                    if (titleNode.length > 0) {
-                        titleNode[0].firstChild.textContent = style.graphicTitle;
-                    } else {
-                        var label = this.nodeFactory(null, "title");
-                        label.textContent = style.graphicTitle;
-                        node.appendChild(label);
-                    }
-                }
                 if (style.graphicWidth && style.graphicHeight) {
                   node.setAttributeNS(null, "preserveAspectRatio", "none");
                 }
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/VML.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/VML.js
index 50c3d682a9..befb6d10b3 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/VML.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/VML.js
@@ -207,12 +207,14 @@ OpenLayers.Renderer.VML = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Renderer.Elements, {
         options = options || node._options;
         var fillColor = style.fillColor;
 
+        var title = style.title || style.graphicTitle;
+        if (title) {
+            node.title = title;
+        } 
+
         if (node._geometryClass === "OpenLayers.Geometry.Point") {
             if (style.externalGraphic) {
                 options.isFilled = true;
-                if (style.graphicTitle) {
-                    node.title=style.graphicTitle;
-                } 
                 var width = style.graphicWidth || style.graphicHeight;
                 var height = style.graphicHeight || style.graphicWidth;
                 width = width ? width : style.pointRadius*2;