diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/SelectFeature.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/SelectFeature.js
index e4d99f2faaa..fb7914e4b04 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Control/SelectFeature.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Control/SelectFeature.js
@@ -638,6 +638,33 @@ OpenLayers.Control.SelectFeature = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Control, {
             this.activate();
         }
     },
+    
+    /**
+     * APIMethod: addLayer
+     * Add a layer to the control, making the existing layers still selectable
+     *
+     * Parameters:
+     * layer - element <OpenLayers.Layer.Vector> 
+     */
+    addLayer: function( alayer ) {
+        var isActive = this.active;
+        this.deactivate();
+        if (this.layers == null) {
+            if (this.layer != null) {
+                this.layers = [this.layer];
+                this.layers.push(alayer);
+            } else {
+                this.layers = [alayer];
+            }
+        } else {	
+            this.layers.push(alayer);
+        }
+        this.initLayer(this.layers);
+        this.handlers.feature.layer = this.layer;
+        if (isActive) {
+            this.activate();
+        }
+    },	    
 
     CLASS_NAME: "OpenLayers.Control.SelectFeature"
 });
diff --git a/tests/Control/SelectFeature.html b/tests/Control/SelectFeature.html
index 6e522e77f9f..e21f46098fc 100644
--- a/tests/Control/SelectFeature.html
+++ b/tests/Control/SelectFeature.html
@@ -623,6 +623,26 @@
         t.eq(layer.selectedFeatures[0].id, 3,
              'the remaining selected features is the one expected');
     }
+    
+    function test_addLayer(t) {
+        t.plan(4);
+        
+        var layer = new OpenLayers.Layer.Vector();
+        var layers = [new OpenLayers.Layer.Vector(), new OpenLayers.Layer.Vector()]
+        var layerToAdd = new OpenLayers.Layer.Vector();
+        
+        var controlWithLayer = new OpenLayers.Control.SelectFeature(layer);
+        var controlWithLayers = new OpenLayers.Control.SelectFeature(layers);
+        
+        controlWithLayer.addLayer(layerToAdd);
+        controlWithLayers.addLayer(layerToAdd);
+        
+        t.eq(controlWithLayer.layers.length, 2, "the added layer is added and all layers are active");
+        t.eq(controlWithLayers.layers.length, 3, "the added layer is added and all layers are active");
+
+        t.eq(controlWithLayer.layer.length, null, "layer is empty");
+        t.eq(controlWithLayers.layer.length, null, "layer is empty");
+    }    
    
     </script>
 </head>