diff --git a/python/core/qgsrenderer.sip b/python/core/qgsrenderer.sip
index b16b4c422e6..4e7cab32b80 100644
--- a/python/core/qgsrenderer.sip
+++ b/python/core/qgsrenderer.sip
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ class QgsRenderer /Abstract/
     static void setSelectionColor(QColor color);
     /**Returns true if this renderer returns a pixmap in the render method (e.g. for point data or diagrams)*/
     virtual bool containsPixmap() const;
+    /**Returns true if this renderer uses its own transparency settings, e.g. differentiated by classification.
+     This is a hint for QgsVectorLayer to not use the transparency setting on layer level in this cases*/
+    virtual bool usesTransparency() const;
    
 };
 
diff --git a/src/core/qgsvectorlayer.cpp b/src/core/qgsvectorlayer.cpp
index f80ca8c5ddf..ccb7ac623e2 100644
--- a/src/core/qgsvectorlayer.cpp
+++ b/src/core/qgsvectorlayer.cpp
@@ -407,7 +407,12 @@ unsigned char* QgsVectorLayer::drawLineString(unsigned char* feature,
   //
   QPen myTransparentPen = p->pen(); // store current pen
   QColor myColor = myTransparentPen.color();
-  myColor.setAlpha(mTransparencyLevel);
+  //only set transparency from layer level if renderer does not provide
+  //transparency on class level
+  if(!mRenderer->usesTransparency())
+    {
+      myColor.setAlpha(mTransparencyLevel);
+    }
   myTransparentPen.setColor(myColor);
   p->setPen(myTransparentPen);
   p->drawPolyline(pa);
@@ -631,11 +636,23 @@ std::cerr << i << ": " << ring->first[i]
     //
     QBrush myTransparentBrush = p->brush();
     QColor myColor = brush.color();
-    myColor.setAlpha(mTransparencyLevel);
+    
+    //only set transparency from layer level if renderer does not provide
+    //transparency on class level
+    if(!mRenderer->usesTransparency())
+      {
+	myColor.setAlpha(mTransparencyLevel);
+      }
     myTransparentBrush.setColor(myColor);
     QPen myTransparentPen = p->pen(); // store current pen
     myColor = myTransparentPen.color();
-    myColor.setAlpha(mTransparencyLevel);
+    
+    //only set transparency from layer level if renderer does not provide
+    //transparency on class level
+    if(!mRenderer->usesTransparency())
+      {
+	myColor.setAlpha(mTransparencyLevel);
+      }
     myTransparentPen.setColor(myColor);
     
     p->setBrush(myTransparentBrush);
diff --git a/src/core/renderer/qgsrenderer.h b/src/core/renderer/qgsrenderer.h
index c3f09105e7b..aaab10df761 100644
--- a/src/core/renderer/qgsrenderer.h
+++ b/src/core/renderer/qgsrenderer.h
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsRenderer
     static void setSelectionColor(QColor color);
     /**Returns true if this renderer returns a pixmap in the render method (e.g. for point data or diagrams)*/
     virtual bool containsPixmap() const;
+    /**Returns true if this renderer uses its own transparency settings, e.g. differentiated by classification.
+     This is a hint for QgsVectorLayer to not use the transparency setting on layer level in this cases*/
+    virtual bool usesTransparency() const {return false;}
    
  protected:
     /**Color to draw selected features - static so we can change it in proj props and automatically