diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Map.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Map.js
index 259175714c..fecd812fc2 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Map.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Map.js
@@ -552,6 +552,14 @@ OpenLayers.Map.prototype = {
         );
     },
 
+    zoomToExtent: function(bounds) {
+        this.setCenter(
+          new OpenLayers.LonLat((bounds.left+bounds.right)/2,
+                                (bounds.bottom+bounds.top)/2),
+          this.getZoomForExtent(bounds)
+        );
+    },
+
     /**
     * @param {OpenLayers.LonLat} lonlat
     * @private