diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Control.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Control.js
index a98cc00e3e..d1196f3c0e 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Control.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Control.js
@@ -78,6 +78,15 @@ OpenLayers.Control = OpenLayers.Class({
      */
     type: null, 
 
+    /** 
+     * Property: allowSelection
+     * {Boolean} By deafault, controls do not allow selection, because
+     * it may interfere with map dragging. If this is true, OpenLayers
+     * will not prevent selection of the control.
+     * Default is false.
+     */
+    allowSelection: false,  
+
     /** 
      * Property: displayClass 
      * {string}  This property is used for CSS related to the drawing of the
@@ -240,6 +249,11 @@ OpenLayers.Control = OpenLayers.Class({
         if (this.div == null) {
             this.div = OpenLayers.Util.createDiv(this.id);
             this.div.className = this.displayClass;
+            if (!this.allowSelection) {
+                this.div.className += " olControlNoSelect";
+                this.div.setAttribute("unselectable", "on", 0);
+                this.div.onselectstart = function() { return(false); }; 
+            }    
             if (this.title != "") {
                 this.div.title = this.title;
             }
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/MousePosition.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/MousePosition.js
index b0f0c007eb..704859f638 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/MousePosition.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/MousePosition.js
@@ -91,7 +91,6 @@ OpenLayers.Control.MousePosition = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Control, {
         if (!this.element) {
             this.div.left = "";
             this.div.top = "";
-            this.div.className = this.displayClass;
             this.element = this.div;
         }
         
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/OverviewMap.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/OverviewMap.js
index 8adca968d0..a283184e17 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/OverviewMap.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/OverviewMap.js
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ OpenLayers.Control.OverviewMap = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Control, {
         // Optionally add min/max buttons if the control will go in the
         // map viewport.
         if(!this.outsideViewport) {
-            this.div.className = this.displayClass + 'Container';
+            this.div.className += " " + this.displayClass + 'Container';
             var imgLocation = OpenLayers.Util.getImagesLocation();
             // maximize button div
             var img = imgLocation + 'layer-switcher-maximize.png';
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/Permalink.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/Permalink.js
index 60d5dfd342..2ffcce5481 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/Permalink.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/Permalink.js
@@ -109,7 +109,6 @@ OpenLayers.Control.Permalink = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Control, {
         OpenLayers.Control.prototype.draw.apply(this, arguments);
           
         if (!this.element) {
-            this.div.className = this.displayClass;
             this.element = document.createElement("a");
             this.element.innerHTML = OpenLayers.i18n("permalink");
             this.element.href="";
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/Scale.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/Scale.js
index f23beaddcf..a2e67fc582 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/Scale.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/Scale.js
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ OpenLayers.Control.Scale = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Control, {
         OpenLayers.Control.prototype.draw.apply(this, arguments);
         if (!this.element) {
             this.element = document.createElement("div");
-            this.div.className = this.displayClass;
             this.div.appendChild(this.element);
         }
         this.map.events.register( 'moveend', this, this.updateScale);
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/ScaleLine.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/ScaleLine.js
index 9fc243bf71..5c3e7892c7 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/ScaleLine.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/ScaleLine.js
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@ OpenLayers.Control.ScaleLine = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Control, {
     draw: function() {
         OpenLayers.Control.prototype.draw.apply(this, arguments);
         if (!this.eTop) {
-            this.div.className = this.displayClass;
             this.div.style.display = "block";
             this.div.style.position = "absolute";
             
diff --git a/theme/default/style.css b/theme/default/style.css
index 63bac81d2e..3920efe44d 100644
--- a/theme/default/style.css
+++ b/theme/default/style.css
@@ -240,3 +240,7 @@ div.olControlMousePosition {
   background: url("../../img/close.gif") no-repeat;
   cursor: pointer;
 }
+
+.olControlNoSelect {
+ -moz-user-select: none;
+}