diff --git a/MapControl/Shared/BindingHelper.cs b/MapControl/Shared/BindingHelper.cs
index ef2c7b49..71012732 100644
--- a/MapControl/Shared/BindingHelper.cs
+++ b/MapControl/Shared/BindingHelper.cs
@@ -17,18 +17,34 @@ namespace MapControl
 {
     internal static class BindingHelper
     {
-        public static Binding GetBinding(this object sourceObject, string sourceProperty)
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Returns a Binding to the specified dependency property of a FrameworkElement.
+        /// If the source property is itself already bound, the method returns the existing Binding,
+        /// otherwise it creates one with sourceElement as Source and sourcePropertyName as Path.
+        /// </summary>
+        public static Binding GetOrCreateBinding(
+            this FrameworkElement sourceElement, DependencyProperty sourceProperty, string sourcePropertyName)
         {
-            return new Binding { Source = sourceObject, Path = new PropertyPath(sourceProperty) };
+            var sourceBinding = sourceElement.GetBindingExpression(sourceProperty);
+
+            return sourceBinding != null
+                ? sourceBinding.ParentBinding
+                : new Binding { Source = sourceElement, Path = new PropertyPath(sourcePropertyName) };
         }
 
-        public static void ValidateProperty(
-            this FrameworkElement targetObject, DependencyProperty targetProperty, object sourceObject, string sourceProperty)
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Sets a Binding on the specified dependency property of targetElement, if the target property does
+        /// not yet have a value or a Binding assigned to it. The potentially assigned Binding is created by
+        /// GetOrCreateBinding(sourceElement, sourceProperty, sourcePropertyName).
+        /// </summary>
+        public static void SetBindingOnUnsetProperty(
+            this FrameworkElement targetElement, DependencyProperty targetProperty,
+            FrameworkElement sourceElement, DependencyProperty sourceProperty, string sourcePropertyName)
         {
-            if (targetObject.GetValue(targetProperty) == null &&
-                targetObject.GetBindingExpression(targetProperty) == null)
+            if (targetElement.GetValue(targetProperty) == null &&
+                targetElement.GetBindingExpression(targetProperty) == null)
             {
-                targetObject.SetBinding(targetProperty, sourceObject.GetBinding(sourceProperty));
+                targetElement.SetBinding(targetProperty, GetOrCreateBinding(sourceElement, sourceProperty, sourcePropertyName));
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/MapControl/Shared/MapScale.cs b/MapControl/Shared/MapScale.cs
index 2fe66aa4..989468c1 100644
--- a/MapControl/Shared/MapScale.cs
+++ b/MapControl/Shared/MapScale.cs
@@ -46,10 +46,10 @@ namespace MapControl
         {
             MinWidth = 100d;
 
-            line.SetBinding(Shape.StrokeProperty, this.GetBinding(nameof(Stroke)));
-            line.SetBinding(Shape.StrokeThicknessProperty, this.GetBinding(nameof(StrokeThickness)));
+            line.SetBinding(Shape.StrokeProperty, this.GetOrCreateBinding(StrokeProperty, nameof(Stroke)));
+            line.SetBinding(Shape.StrokeThicknessProperty, this.GetOrCreateBinding(StrokeThicknessProperty, nameof(StrokeThickness)));
 #if WINUI || UWP
-            label.SetBinding(TextBlock.ForegroundProperty, this.GetBinding(nameof(Foreground)));
+            label.SetBinding(TextBlock.ForegroundProperty, this.GetOrCreateBinding(ForegroundProperty, nameof(Foreground)));
 #endif
             Children.Add(line);
             Children.Add(label);
diff --git a/MapControl/WPF/MapOverlay.WPF.cs b/MapControl/WPF/MapOverlay.WPF.cs
index e599b436..00d06de0 100644
--- a/MapControl/WPF/MapOverlay.WPF.cs
+++ b/MapControl/WPF/MapOverlay.WPF.cs
@@ -65,7 +65,9 @@ namespace MapControl
         protected override void OnInitialized(EventArgs e)
         {
             base.OnInitialized(e);
-            this.ValidateProperty(StrokeProperty, this, nameof(Foreground));
+
+            // If this.Stroke is not explicitly set, bind it to this.Foreground
+            this.SetBindingOnUnsetProperty(StrokeProperty, this, ForegroundProperty, nameof(Foreground));
         }
 
         public Pen CreatePen()
diff --git a/MapControl/WinUI/MapContentControl.WinUI.cs b/MapControl/WinUI/MapContentControl.WinUI.cs
index 6b921947..1af0b711 100644
--- a/MapControl/WinUI/MapContentControl.WinUI.cs
+++ b/MapControl/WinUI/MapContentControl.WinUI.cs
@@ -57,9 +57,14 @@ namespace MapControl
 
             if (parentMap != null)
             {
-                this.ValidateProperty(BackgroundProperty, parentMap, nameof(MapBase.Background));
-                this.ValidateProperty(BorderBrushProperty, parentMap, nameof(MapBase.Foreground));
-                this.ValidateProperty(ForegroundProperty, parentMap, nameof(MapBase.Foreground));
+                // If this.Background is not explicitly set, bind it to parentMap.Background
+                this.SetBindingOnUnsetProperty(BackgroundProperty, parentMap, Panel.BackgroundProperty, nameof(Background));
+
+                // If this.Foreground is not explicitly set, bind it to parentMap.Foreground
+                this.SetBindingOnUnsetProperty(ForegroundProperty, parentMap, MapBase.ForegroundProperty, nameof(Foreground));
+
+                // If this.BorderBrush is not explicitly set, bind it to parentMap.Foreground
+                this.SetBindingOnUnsetProperty(BorderBrushProperty, parentMap, MapBase.ForegroundProperty, nameof(Foreground));
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/MapControl/WinUI/MapGraticule.WinUI.cs b/MapControl/WinUI/MapGraticule.WinUI.cs
index 2bb4fe82..2122af7d 100644
--- a/MapControl/WinUI/MapGraticule.WinUI.cs
+++ b/MapControl/WinUI/MapGraticule.WinUI.cs
@@ -35,11 +35,11 @@ namespace MapControl
                 if (path == null)
                 {
                     path = new Path { Data = new PathGeometry() };
-                    path.SetBinding(Shape.StrokeProperty, this.GetBinding(nameof(Stroke)));
-                    path.SetBinding(Shape.StrokeThicknessProperty, this.GetBinding(nameof(StrokeThickness)));
-                    path.SetBinding(Shape.StrokeDashArrayProperty, this.GetBinding(nameof(StrokeDashArray)));
-                    path.SetBinding(Shape.StrokeDashOffsetProperty, this.GetBinding(nameof(StrokeDashOffset)));
-                    path.SetBinding(Shape.StrokeDashCapProperty, this.GetBinding(nameof(StrokeDashCap)));
+                    path.SetBinding(Shape.StrokeProperty, this.GetOrCreateBinding(StrokeProperty, nameof(Stroke)));
+                    path.SetBinding(Shape.StrokeThicknessProperty, this.GetOrCreateBinding(StrokeThicknessProperty, nameof(StrokeThickness)));
+                    path.SetBinding(Shape.StrokeDashArrayProperty, this.GetOrCreateBinding(StrokeDashArrayProperty, nameof(StrokeDashArray)));
+                    path.SetBinding(Shape.StrokeDashOffsetProperty, this.GetOrCreateBinding(StrokeDashOffsetProperty, nameof(StrokeDashOffset)));
+                    path.SetBinding(Shape.StrokeDashCapProperty, this.GetOrCreateBinding(StrokeDashCapProperty, nameof(StrokeDashCap)));
                     Children.Add(path);
                 }
 
@@ -115,15 +115,15 @@ namespace MapControl
                         else
                         {
                             label = new TextBlock { RenderTransform = new MatrixTransform() };
-                            label.SetBinding(TextBlock.FontSizeProperty, this.GetBinding(nameof(FontSize)));
-                            label.SetBinding(TextBlock.FontStyleProperty, this.GetBinding(nameof(FontStyle)));
-                            label.SetBinding(TextBlock.FontStretchProperty, this.GetBinding(nameof(FontStretch)));
-                            label.SetBinding(TextBlock.FontWeightProperty, this.GetBinding(nameof(FontWeight)));
-                            label.SetBinding(TextBlock.ForegroundProperty, this.GetBinding(nameof(Foreground)));
+                            label.SetBinding(TextBlock.FontSizeProperty, this.GetOrCreateBinding(FontSizeProperty, nameof(FontSize)));
+                            label.SetBinding(TextBlock.FontStyleProperty, this.GetOrCreateBinding(FontStyleProperty, nameof(FontStyle)));
+                            label.SetBinding(TextBlock.FontStretchProperty, this.GetOrCreateBinding(FontStretchProperty, nameof(FontStretch)));
+                            label.SetBinding(TextBlock.FontWeightProperty, this.GetOrCreateBinding(FontWeightProperty, nameof(FontWeight)));
+                            label.SetBinding(TextBlock.ForegroundProperty, this.GetOrCreateBinding(ForegroundProperty, nameof(Foreground)));
 
                             if (FontFamily != null)
                             {
-                                label.SetBinding(TextBlock.FontFamilyProperty, this.GetBinding(nameof(FontFamily)));
+                                label.SetBinding(TextBlock.FontFamilyProperty, this.GetOrCreateBinding(FontFamilyProperty, nameof(FontFamily)));
                             }
 
                             Children.Add(label);
diff --git a/MapControl/WinUI/MapItemsControl.WinUI.cs b/MapControl/WinUI/MapItemsControl.WinUI.cs
index ef07a625..24bf158a 100644
--- a/MapControl/WinUI/MapItemsControl.WinUI.cs
+++ b/MapControl/WinUI/MapItemsControl.WinUI.cs
@@ -45,9 +45,14 @@ namespace MapControl
 
             if (parentMap != null)
             {
-                this.ValidateProperty(BackgroundProperty, parentMap, nameof(MapBase.Background));
-                this.ValidateProperty(BorderBrushProperty, parentMap, nameof(MapBase.Foreground));
-                this.ValidateProperty(ForegroundProperty, parentMap, nameof(MapBase.Foreground));
+                // If this.Background is not explicitly set, bind it to parentMap.Background
+                this.SetBindingOnUnsetProperty(BackgroundProperty, parentMap, Panel.BackgroundProperty, nameof(Background));
+
+                // If this.Foreground is not explicitly set, bind it to parentMap.Foreground
+                this.SetBindingOnUnsetProperty(ForegroundProperty, parentMap, MapBase.ForegroundProperty, nameof(Foreground));
+
+                // If this.BorderBrush is not explicitly set, bind it to parentMap.Foreground
+                this.SetBindingOnUnsetProperty(BorderBrushProperty, parentMap, MapBase.ForegroundProperty, nameof(Foreground));
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/MapControl/WinUI/MapOverlay.WinUI.cs b/MapControl/WinUI/MapOverlay.WinUI.cs
index d66b0b81..5c38963e 100644
--- a/MapControl/WinUI/MapOverlay.WinUI.cs
+++ b/MapControl/WinUI/MapOverlay.WinUI.cs
@@ -71,8 +71,11 @@ namespace MapControl
         {
             if (map != null)
             {
-                this.ValidateProperty(ForegroundProperty, map, nameof(MapBase.Foreground));
-                this.ValidateProperty(StrokeProperty, this, nameof(Foreground));
+                // If this.Forground is not explicitly set, bind it to map.Foreground
+                this.SetBindingOnUnsetProperty(ForegroundProperty, map, MapBase.ForegroundProperty, nameof(Foreground));
+
+                // If this.Stroke is not explicitly set, bind it to this.Foreground
+                this.SetBindingOnUnsetProperty(StrokeProperty, this, ForegroundProperty, nameof(Foreground));
             }
 
             base.SetParentMap(map);