diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Format/WMSCapabilities/v1.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Format/WMSCapabilities/v1.js
index 9c7add8019..c200819122 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Format/WMSCapabilities/v1.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Format/WMSCapabilities/v1.js
@@ -345,6 +345,12 @@ OpenLayers.Format.WMSCapabilities.v1 = OpenLayers.Class(
                 };
                 obj.nestedLayers.push(layer);
                 this.readChildNodes(node, layer);
+                if(layer.name) {
+                    var parts = layer.name.split(":");
+                    if(parts.length > 0) {
+                        layer.prefix = parts[0];
+                    }
+                }
             },
             "Attribution": function(node, obj) {
                 obj.attribution = {};
diff --git a/tests/Format/WMSCapabilities/v1_1_1.html b/tests/Format/WMSCapabilities/v1_1_1.html
index df030269d5..0c409275ab 100644
--- a/tests/Format/WMSCapabilities/v1_1_1.html
+++ b/tests/Format/WMSCapabilities/v1_1_1.html
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     
     function test_read(t) {
         
-        t.plan(14);
+        t.plan(15);
 
         var xml = document.getElementById("gssample").firstChild.nodeValue;
         var doc = new OpenLayers.Format.XML().read(xml);
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
         
         var layer = capability.layers[2];
         t.eq(layer.name, "tiger:tiger_roads", "[2] correct layer name");
+        t.eq(layer.prefix, "tiger", "[2] correct layer prefix");
         t.eq(layer.title, "Manhattan (NY) roads", "[2] correct layer title");
         t.eq(
             layer["abstract"],