diff --git a/include/mapnik/polygon_symbolizer.hpp b/include/mapnik/polygon_symbolizer.hpp
index c5ee93dc1..96de5c838 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/polygon_symbolizer.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/polygon_symbolizer.hpp
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ namespace mapnik
     {
        explicit building_symbolizer() 
           : fill_(color(128,128,128)),
-          height_(0),
+          height_(0.0),
           opacity_(1.0)
           {}
 
diff --git a/src/save_map.cpp b/src/save_map.cpp
index 9cd9ee7f6..94dfd0a90 100644
--- a/src/save_map.cpp
+++ b/src/save_map.cpp
@@ -183,6 +183,10 @@ namespace mapnik
                 {
                     set_css( sym_node, "fill-opacity", sym.get_opacity() );    
                 }
+                if ( sym.height() != dfl.height() || explicit_defaults_ )
+                {
+                    set_css( sym_node, "height", sym.height() );    
+                }
             }
 
           void operator () ( markers_symbolizer const& )
diff --git a/tests/python_tests/render_test.py b/tests/python_tests/render_test.py
index c1589d07a..bdb02ba26 100644
--- a/tests/python_tests/render_test.py
+++ b/tests/python_tests/render_test.py
@@ -42,3 +42,26 @@ def test_render_image_to_file():
         os.remove('test.png')
     else:
         return False
+
+def get_paired_images(w,h,mapfile):
+    tmp_map = 'tmp_map.xml'
+    m = mapnik.Map(w,h)
+    mapnik.load_map(m,mapfile)
+    i = mapnik.Image(w,h)
+    m.zoom_all()
+    mapnik.render(m,i)
+    mapnik.save_map(m,tmp_map)
+    m2 = mapnik.Map(w,h)
+    mapnik.load_map(m2,tmp_map)
+    i2 = mapnik.Image(w,h)
+    m2.zoom_all()
+    mapnik.render(m2,i2)
+    os.remove(tmp_map)
+    return i,i2    
+
+def test_render_from_serialization():
+    i,i2 = get_paired_images(100,100,'../data/good_maps/building_symbolizer.xml')
+    eq_(i.tostring(),i2.tostring())
+
+    i,i2 = get_paired_images(100,100,'../data/good_maps/polygon_symbolizer.xml')
+    eq_(i.tostring(),i2.tostring())