diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Format/WPSExecute.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Format/WPSExecute.js
index 0795b0d180..15c294f381 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Format/WPSExecute.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Format/WPSExecute.js
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ OpenLayers.Format.WPSExecute = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Format.XML,
      */
     write: function(options) {
         var doc;
-        if (window.ActiveXObject) {
+        if (OpenLayers.Format.XML.supportActiveX) {
             doc = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLDOM");
             this.xmldom = doc;
         } else {
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Format/XML.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Format/XML.js
index b3f60ce979..ddb3a436a9 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Format/XML.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Format/XML.js
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ OpenLayers.Format.XML = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Format, {
      *     the object.
      */
     initialize: function(options) {
-        if(window.ActiveXObject) {
+        if (OpenLayers.Format.XML.supportActiveX) {
             this.xmldom = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLDOM");
         }
         OpenLayers.Format.prototype.initialize.apply(this, [options]);
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ OpenLayers.Format.XML = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Format, {
                      * Since we want to be able to call this method on the prototype
                      * itself, this.xmldom may not exist even if in IE.
                      */
-                    if(window.ActiveXObject && !this.xmldom) {
+                    if (OpenLayers.Format.XML.supportActiveX && !this.xmldom) {
                         xmldom = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLDOM");
                     } else {
                         xmldom = this.xmldom;
@@ -871,7 +871,7 @@ OpenLayers.Format.XML = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Format, {
             if (document.implementation && document.implementation.createDocument) {
                 OpenLayers.Format.XML.document =
                     document.implementation.createDocument("", "", null);
-            } else if (!this.xmldom && window.ActiveXObject) {
+            } else if (!this.xmldom && OpenLayers.Format.XML.supportActiveX) {
                 this.xmldom = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLDOM");
             }
         }
@@ -916,3 +916,13 @@ OpenLayers.Format.XML.lookupNamespaceURI = OpenLayers.Function.bind(
  * like document.createCDATASection.
  */
 OpenLayers.Format.XML.document = null;
+
+/**
+ * APIFunction: OpenLayers.Format.XML.supportActiveX
+ * Returns a poolean flag to check if this browser uses ActiveX.
+ */
+OpenLayers.Format.XML.supportActiveX = (function () {
+    return (Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor &&
+            Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(window, "ActiveXObject")) ||
+            ("ActiveXObject" in window);
+})();