diff --git a/python/gui/qgsmaplayercombobox.sip b/python/gui/qgsmaplayercombobox.sip
index 06b1c3fa362..ac3a57f3513 100644
--- a/python/gui/qgsmaplayercombobox.sip
+++ b/python/gui/qgsmaplayercombobox.sip
@@ -28,9 +28,18 @@ class QgsMapLayerComboBox : QComboBox
     //! returns the list of excepted layers
     QList<QgsMapLayer*> exceptedLayerList() const;
 
-    //! currentLayer returns the current layer selected in the combo box
+    /** Returns the current layer selected in the combo box.
+     * @see layer
+     */
     QgsMapLayer* currentLayer() const;
 
+    /** Return the layer currently shown at the specified index within the combo box.
+     * @param layerIndex position of layer to return
+     * @note added in QGIS 2.10
+     * @see currentLayer
+     */
+    QgsMapLayer* layer( int layerIndex ) const;
+
   public slots:
     //! setLayer set the current layer selected in the combo
     void setLayer( QgsMapLayer* layer );
diff --git a/src/gui/qgsmaplayercombobox.cpp b/src/gui/qgsmaplayercombobox.cpp
index 0efc00f35e4..610d70a474a 100644
--- a/src/gui/qgsmaplayercombobox.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/qgsmaplayercombobox.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ QgsMapLayerComboBox::QgsMapLayerComboBox( QWidget *parent ) :
   setModel( mProxyModel );
 
   connect( this, SIGNAL( activated( int ) ), this, SLOT( indexChanged( int ) ) );
+  connect( mProxyModel, SIGNAL( rowsInserted( QModelIndex, int, int ) ), this, SLOT( rowsChanged() ) );
+  connect( mProxyModel, SIGNAL( rowsRemoved( QModelIndex, int, int ) ), this, SLOT( rowsChanged() ) );
 }
 
 void QgsMapLayerComboBox::setLayer( QgsMapLayer *layer )
@@ -45,9 +47,12 @@ void QgsMapLayerComboBox::setLayer( QgsMapLayer *layer )
 
 QgsMapLayer* QgsMapLayerComboBox::currentLayer() const
 {
-  int i = currentIndex();
+  return layer( currentIndex() );
+}
 
-  const QModelIndex proxyIndex = mProxyModel->index( i, 0 );
+QgsMapLayer *QgsMapLayerComboBox::layer( int layerIndex ) const
+{
+  const QModelIndex proxyIndex = mProxyModel->index( layerIndex, 0 );
   if ( !proxyIndex.isValid() )
   {
     return 0;
@@ -74,3 +79,16 @@ void QgsMapLayerComboBox::indexChanged( int i )
   emit layerChanged( layer );
 }
 
+void QgsMapLayerComboBox::rowsChanged()
+{
+  if ( count() == 1 )
+  {
+    //currently selected layer item has changed
+    emit layerChanged( currentLayer() );
+  }
+  else if ( count() == 0 )
+  {
+    emit layerChanged( 0 );
+  }
+}
+
diff --git a/src/gui/qgsmaplayercombobox.h b/src/gui/qgsmaplayercombobox.h
index 65101837279..fa76cb5af32 100644
--- a/src/gui/qgsmaplayercombobox.h
+++ b/src/gui/qgsmaplayercombobox.h
@@ -52,9 +52,18 @@ class GUI_EXPORT QgsMapLayerComboBox : public QComboBox
     //! returns the list of excepted layers
     QList<QgsMapLayer*> exceptedLayerList() const {return mProxyModel->exceptedLayerList();}
 
-    //! currentLayer returns the current layer selected in the combo box
+    /** Returns the current layer selected in the combo box.
+     * @see layer
+     */
     QgsMapLayer* currentLayer() const;
 
+    /** Return the layer currently shown at the specified index within the combo box.
+     * @param layerIndex position of layer to return
+     * @note added in QGIS 2.10
+     * @see currentLayer
+     */
+    QgsMapLayer* layer( int layerIndex ) const;
+
   public slots:
     //! setLayer set the current layer selected in the combo
     void setLayer( QgsMapLayer* layer );
@@ -65,6 +74,7 @@ class GUI_EXPORT QgsMapLayerComboBox : public QComboBox
 
   protected slots:
     void indexChanged( int i );
+    void rowsChanged();
 
   private:
     QgsMapLayerProxyModel* mProxyModel;