diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Feature/Vector.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Feature/Vector.js
index 6f36fec67c..c4ebdf6638 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Feature/Vector.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Feature/Vector.js
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ OpenLayers.Feature.Vector = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Feature, {
  * graphicZIndex - {Number} The integer z-index value to use in rendering.
  * graphicName - {String} Named graphic to use when rendering points.  Supported values include "circle" (default),
  *     "square", "star", "x", "cross", "triangle".
- * graphicTitle - {String} Tooltip for an external graphic.
+ * graphicTitle - {String} Tooltip when hovering over a feature. Not supported by the canvas renderer.
  * backgroundGraphic - {String} Url to a graphic to be used as the background under an externalGraphic.
  * backgroundGraphicZIndex - {Number} The integer z-index value to use in rendering the background graphic.
  * backgroundXOffset - {Number} The x offset (in pixels) for the background graphic.
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/SVG.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/SVG.js
index e65da76a9a..a43434f6b7 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/SVG.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/SVG.js
@@ -239,6 +239,21 @@ OpenLayers.Renderer.SVG = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Renderer.Elements, {
     setStyle: function(node, style, options) {
         style = style  || node._style;
         options = options || node._options;
+
+        if (style.graphicTitle) {
+            node.setAttributeNS(null, "title", style.graphicTitle);
+            //Standards-conformant SVG
+            // Prevent duplicate nodes. See issue https://github.com/openlayers/openlayers/issues/92 
+            var titleNode = node.getElementsByTagName("title");
+            if (titleNode.length > 0) {
+                titleNode[0].firstChild.textContent = style.graphicTitle;
+            } else {
+                var label = this.nodeFactory(null, "title");
+                label.textContent = style.graphicTitle;
+                node.appendChild(label);
+            }
+        }
+
         var r = parseFloat(node.getAttributeNS(null, "r"));
         var widthFactor = 1;
         var pos;
@@ -248,20 +263,6 @@ OpenLayers.Renderer.SVG = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Renderer.Elements, {
                 node.style.visibility = "hidden";
             } else if (style.externalGraphic) {
                 pos = this.getPosition(node);
-                
-                if (style.graphicTitle) {
-                    node.setAttributeNS(null, "title", style.graphicTitle);
-                    //Standards-conformant SVG
-                    // Prevent duplicate nodes. See issue https://github.com/openlayers/openlayers/issues/92 
-                    var titleNode = node.getElementsByTagName("title");
-                    if (titleNode.length > 0) {
-                        titleNode[0].firstChild.textContent = style.graphicTitle;
-                    } else {
-                        var label = this.nodeFactory(null, "title");
-                        label.textContent = style.graphicTitle;
-                        node.appendChild(label);
-                    }
-                }
                 if (style.graphicWidth && style.graphicHeight) {
                   node.setAttributeNS(null, "preserveAspectRatio", "none");
                 }
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/VML.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/VML.js
index 50c3d682a9..ba724ea76e 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/VML.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Renderer/VML.js
@@ -207,12 +207,13 @@ OpenLayers.Renderer.VML = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Renderer.Elements, {
         options = options || node._options;
         var fillColor = style.fillColor;
 
+        if (style.graphicTitle) {
+            node.title=style.graphicTitle;
+        } 
+
         if (node._geometryClass === "OpenLayers.Geometry.Point") {
             if (style.externalGraphic) {
                 options.isFilled = true;
-                if (style.graphicTitle) {
-                    node.title=style.graphicTitle;
-                } 
                 var width = style.graphicWidth || style.graphicHeight;
                 var height = style.graphicHeight || style.graphicWidth;
                 width = width ? width : style.pointRadius*2;