diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/ScaleLine.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/ScaleLine.js
index f9a8c7dcc0..b62dff90f0 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/ScaleLine.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/ScaleLine.js
@@ -61,6 +61,12 @@ OpenLayers.Control.ScaleLine = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Control, {
      * {DOMElement}
      */
     eBottom:null,
+    
+    /**
+     * APIProperty: geodesic
+     * {Boolean} Use geodesic measurement. Default is false.
+     */
+    geodesic: false,
 
     /**
      * Constructor: OpenLayers.Control.ScaleLine
@@ -156,7 +162,14 @@ OpenLayers.Control.ScaleLine = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Control, {
         var inches = OpenLayers.INCHES_PER_UNIT;
 
         // convert maxWidth to map units
-        var maxSizeData = this.maxWidth * res * inches[curMapUnits];  
+        var maxSizeData = this.maxWidth * res * inches[curMapUnits];
+        var geodesicRatio = 1;
+        if(this.geodesic === true) {
+            var maxSizeGeodesic = this.getGeodesicLength(this.maxWidth);
+            var maxSizeKilometers = maxSizeData / inches["km"];
+            geodesicRatio = maxSizeGeodesic / maxSizeKilometers;
+            maxSizeData *= geodesicRatio;
+        }
 
         // decide whether to use large or small scale units     
         var topUnits;
@@ -182,8 +195,8 @@ OpenLayers.Control.ScaleLine = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Control, {
         bottomMax = bottomRounded / inches[curMapUnits] * inches[bottomUnits];
 
         // and to pixel units
-        var topPx = topMax / res;
-        var bottomPx = bottomMax / res;
+        var topPx = topMax / res / geodesicRatio;
+        var bottomPx = bottomMax / res / geodesicRatio;
         
         // now set the pixel widths
         // and the values inside them
@@ -200,6 +213,26 @@ OpenLayers.Control.ScaleLine = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Control, {
         
     }, 
 
+    /**
+     * Method: getGeodesicLength
+     * 
+     * Parameters:
+     * pixels - {Number} the pixels to get the geodesic length in meters for.
+     */
+    getGeodesicLength: function(pixels) {
+        var map = this.map;
+        var centerPx = map.getPixelFromLonLat(map.getCenter());
+        var bottom = map.getLonLatFromPixel(centerPx.add(0, -pixels / 2));
+        var top = map.getLonLatFromPixel(centerPx.add(0, pixels / 2));
+        var source = map.getProjectionObject();
+        var dest = new OpenLayers.Projection("EPSG:4326");
+        if(!source.equals(dest)) {
+            bottom.transform(source, dest);
+            top.transform(source, dest);
+        }
+        return OpenLayers.Util.distVincenty(bottom, top);
+    },
+
     CLASS_NAME: "OpenLayers.Control.ScaleLine"
 });
 
diff --git a/tests/manual/geodesic.html b/tests/manual/geodesic.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e642558957
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/manual/geodesic.html
@@ -0,0 +1,160 @@
+<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
+  <head>
+    <link rel="stylesheet" href="../../theme/default/style.css" type="text/css" />
+    <style type="text/css">
+        #controlToggle li {
+            list-style: none;
+        }
+        #options {
+            position: relative;
+            width: 512px;
+        }
+        #output {
+            float: right;
+        }
+
+        /* avoid pink tiles */
+        .olImageLoadError {
+            background-color: transparent !important;
+        }
+    </style>
+    <script src="../../lib/OpenLayers.js"></script>
+    <script type="text/javascript">
+        var map, measureControls;
+        function init(){
+            map = new OpenLayers.Map('map');
+            
+            var wmsLayer = new OpenLayers.Layer.OSM(); 
+
+            map.addLayers([wmsLayer]);
+            map.setCenter(new OpenLayers.LonLat(0,0), 5);
+            map.addControl(new OpenLayers.Control.LayerSwitcher());
+            map.addControl(new OpenLayers.Control.MousePosition());
+            map.addControl(new OpenLayers.Control.ScaleLine({geodesic: true}))
+            
+            // style the sketch fancy
+            var sketchSymbolizers = {
+                "Point": {
+                    pointRadius: 4,
+                    graphicName: "square",
+                    fillColor: "white",
+                    fillOpacity: 1,
+                    strokeWidth: 1,
+                    strokeOpacity: 1,
+                    strokeColor: "#333333"
+                },
+                "Line": {
+                    strokeWidth: 3,
+                    strokeOpacity: 1,
+                    strokeColor: "#666666",
+                    strokeDashstyle: "dash"
+                },
+                "Polygon": {
+                    strokeWidth: 2,
+                    strokeOpacity: 1,
+                    strokeColor: "#666666",
+                    fillColor: "white",
+                    fillOpacity: 0.3
+                }
+            };
+            var style = new OpenLayers.Style();
+            style.addRules([
+                new OpenLayers.Rule({symbolizer: sketchSymbolizers})
+            ]);
+            var styleMap = new OpenLayers.StyleMap({"default": style});
+            
+            measureControls = {
+                line: new OpenLayers.Control.Measure(
+                    OpenLayers.Handler.Path, {
+                        geodesic: true,
+                        persist: true,
+                        handlerOptions: {
+                            layerOptions: {styleMap: styleMap}
+                        }
+                    }
+                ),
+                polygon: new OpenLayers.Control.Measure(
+                    OpenLayers.Handler.Polygon, {
+                        geodesic: true,
+                        persist: true,
+                        handlerOptions: {
+                            layerOptions: {styleMap: styleMap}
+                        }
+                    }
+                )
+            };
+            
+            var control;
+            for(var key in measureControls) {
+                control = measureControls[key];
+                control.events.on({
+                    "measure": handleMeasurements,
+                    "measurepartial": handleMeasurements
+                });
+                map.addControl(control);
+            }
+            
+            map.setCenter(new OpenLayers.LonLat(0, 0), 3);
+            
+            document.getElementById('noneToggle').checked = true;
+        }
+        
+        function handleMeasurements(event) {
+            var geometry = event.geometry;
+            var units = event.units;
+            var order = event.order;
+            var measure = event.measure;
+            var element = document.getElementById('output');
+            var out = "";
+            if(order == 1) {
+                out += "measure: " + measure.toFixed(3) + " " + units;
+            } else {
+                out += "measure: " + measure.toFixed(3) + " " + units + "<sup>2</" + "sup>";
+            }
+            element.innerHTML = out;
+        }
+
+        function toggleControl(element) {
+            for(key in measureControls) {
+                var control = measureControls[key];
+                if(element.value == key && element.checked) {
+                    control.activate();
+                } else {
+                    control.deactivate();
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    </script>
+  </head>
+  <body onload="init()">
+    <h1 id="title">OpenLayers Geodesic Measurement & ScaleLine</h1>
+    <p id="shortdesc">
+        Tests geodesic measurement of distances and areas against a geodesic ScaleLine.
+    </p>
+    <div id="map" style="width: 512px; height: 300px;"></div>
+    <div id="options">
+        <div id="output">
+        </div>
+        <ul id="controlToggle">
+            <li>
+                <input type="radio" name="type" value="none" id="noneToggle"
+                       onclick="toggleControl(this);" checked="checked" />
+                <label for="noneToggle">navigate</label>
+            </li>
+            <li>
+                <input type="radio" name="type" value="line" id="lineToggle" onclick="toggleControl(this);" />
+                <label for="lineToggle">measure distance</label>
+            </li>
+            <li>
+                <input type="radio" name="type" value="polygon" id="polygonToggle" onclick="toggleControl(this);" />
+                <label for="polygonToggle">measure area</label>
+            </li>
+        </ul>
+    </div>
+    <p>Zoom in so the ScaleLine shows units in the range of 10-100 km. Measure
+    the length of the ScaleLine. The result should be approximately the same
+    as the distance printed on the ScaleLine.</p>
+    <p>Zoom out so the ScaleLine shows units in the range of 100-500 km. Drag
+    the map to the South or North and see how the ScaleLine length changes.</p>
+  </body>
+</html>
