diff --git a/python/gui/qgslegendinterface.sip b/python/gui/qgslegendinterface.sip
index 20d5bad7f9a..8f4e34570c7 100644
--- a/python/gui/qgslegendinterface.sip
+++ b/python/gui/qgslegendinterface.sip
@@ -21,7 +21,23 @@ class QgsLegendInterface : QObject
 
     //! Return all layers in the project in legend order
     //! @note added in 1.5
-    virtual QList< QgsMapLayer * > layers() const = 0;
+    virtual QList< QgsMapLayer * > layers() const =0;
+
+    //! Check if a group exists
+    //! @note added in 1.5
+    virtual bool groupExists( int groupIndex ) =0;
+
+    //! Check if a group is expanded
+    //! @note added in 1.5
+    virtual bool isGroupExpanded( int groupIndex ) =0;
+
+    //! Check if a group is visible
+    //! @note added in 1.5
+    virtual bool isGroupVisible( int groupIndex ) =0;
+
+    //! Check if a layer is visible
+    //! @note added in 1.5
+    virtual bool isLayerVisible( QgsMapLayer * ml ) =0;
 
   signals:
 
@@ -39,8 +55,20 @@ class QgsLegendInterface : QObject
     //! Move a layer to a group
     virtual void moveLayer( QgsMapLayer * layer, int groupIndex ) =0;
 
+    //! Collapse or expand a group
+    //! @note added in 1.5
+    virtual void setGroupExpanded( int groupIndex, bool expand ) =0;
+
+    //! Set the visibility of a group
+    //! @note added in 1.5
+    virtual void setGroupVisible( int groupIndex, bool visible ) =0;
+
+    //! Set the visibility of a layer
+    //! @note added in 1.5
+    virtual void setLayerVisible( QgsMapLayer * ml, bool visible ) =0;
+
     //! refresh layer symbology
-    //! \note added in 1.5
+    //! @note added in 1.5
     virtual void refreshLayerSymbology( QgsMapLayer *layer ) =0;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/app/legend/qgsapplegendinterface.cpp b/src/app/legend/qgsapplegendinterface.cpp
index 28d575851b2..f1397fae4fb 100644
--- a/src/app/legend/qgsapplegendinterface.cpp
+++ b/src/app/legend/qgsapplegendinterface.cpp
@@ -54,11 +54,59 @@ void QgsAppLegendInterface::updateIndex( QModelIndex oldIndex, QModelIndex newIn
   }
 }
 
+void QgsAppLegendInterface::setGroupExpanded( int groupIndex, bool expand )
+{
+  mLegend->setExpanded( mLegend->model()->index( groupIndex, 0 ), expand );
+}
+
+void QgsAppLegendInterface::setGroupVisible( int groupIndex, bool visible )
+{
+  if ( !groupExists( groupIndex ) )
+  {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  Qt::CheckState state = visible ? Qt::Checked : Qt::Unchecked;
+  mLegend->topLevelItem( groupIndex )->setCheckState( 0, state );
+}
+
+void QgsAppLegendInterface::setLayerVisible( QgsMapLayer * ml, bool visible )
+{
+  mLegend->setLayerVisible( ml, visible );
+}
+
 QStringList QgsAppLegendInterface::groups()
 {
   return mLegend->groups();
 }
 
+bool QgsAppLegendInterface::groupExists( int groupIndex )
+{
+  QModelIndex mi = mLegend->model()->index( groupIndex, 0 );
+  return ( mi.isValid() &&
+           mLegend->isLegendGroup( mi ) );
+}
+
+bool QgsAppLegendInterface::isGroupExpanded( int groupIndex )
+{
+  return mLegend->isExpanded( mLegend->model()->index( groupIndex, 0 ) );
+}
+
+bool QgsAppLegendInterface::isGroupVisible( int groupIndex )
+{
+  if ( !groupExists( groupIndex ) )
+  {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  return ( Qt::Checked == mLegend->topLevelItem( groupIndex )->checkState( 0 ) );
+}
+
+bool QgsAppLegendInterface::isLayerVisible( QgsMapLayer * ml )
+{
+  return ( Qt::Checked == mLegend->layerCheckState( ml ) );
+}
+
 QList< QgsMapLayer * > QgsAppLegendInterface::layers() const
 {
   QList< QgsMapLayer * > items;
diff --git a/src/app/legend/qgsapplegendinterface.h b/src/app/legend/qgsapplegendinterface.h
index fbf6cfdd314..6596e784d8a 100644
--- a/src/app/legend/qgsapplegendinterface.h
+++ b/src/app/legend/qgsapplegendinterface.h
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class QgsAppLegendInterface : public QgsLegendInterface
     /** Constructor */
     explicit QgsAppLegendInterface( QgsLegend * legend );
 
-    /** Virtual destructor */
+    /** Destructor */
     ~QgsAppLegendInterface();
 
     //! Return a string list of groups
@@ -47,6 +47,18 @@ class QgsAppLegendInterface : public QgsLegendInterface
     //! Return all layers in the project in legend order
     QList< QgsMapLayer * > layers() const;
 
+    //! Check if a group exists
+    bool groupExists( int groupIndex );
+
+    //! Check if a group is expanded
+    bool isGroupExpanded( int groupIndex );
+
+    //! Check if a group is visible
+    bool isGroupVisible( int groupIndex );
+
+    //! Check if a layer is visible
+    bool isLayerVisible( QgsMapLayer * ml );
+
   public slots:
 
     //! Add a new group
@@ -61,6 +73,15 @@ class QgsAppLegendInterface : public QgsLegendInterface
     //! Update an index
     void updateIndex( QModelIndex oldIndex, QModelIndex newIndex );
 
+    //! Collapse or expand a group
+    virtual void setGroupExpanded( int groupIndex, bool expand );
+
+    //! Set the visibility of a group
+    virtual void setGroupVisible( int groupIndex, bool visible );
+
+    //! Set the visibility of a layer
+    virtual void setLayerVisible( QgsMapLayer * ml, bool visible );
+
     //! refresh layer symbology
     void refreshLayerSymbology( QgsMapLayer *ml );
 
diff --git a/src/app/legend/qgslegend.cpp b/src/app/legend/qgslegend.cpp
index dacd3af8a74..97ad1499eac 100755
--- a/src/app/legend/qgslegend.cpp
+++ b/src/app/legend/qgslegend.cpp
@@ -480,6 +480,13 @@ void QgsLegend::initPixmaps()
   mPixmaps.mProjectionErrorPixmap = QgisApp::getThemePixmap( "/mIconProjectionProblem.png" );
 }
 
+Qt::CheckState QgsLegend::layerCheckState( QgsMapLayer * layer )
+{
+  QgsLegendLayer * ll = findLegendLayer( layer );
+
+  return ll ? ll->checkState( 0 ) : Qt::Unchecked;
+}
+
 int QgsLegend::getItemPos( QTreeWidgetItem* item )
 {
   int counter = 1;
@@ -548,6 +555,16 @@ void QgsLegend::addLayer( QgsMapLayer * layer )
   doItemsLayout();
 }
 
+void QgsLegend::setLayerVisible( QgsMapLayer * layer, bool visible )
+{
+  QgsLegendLayer * ll = findLegendLayer( layer );
+  if ( ll )
+  {
+    Qt::CheckState cs = visible ? Qt::Checked : Qt::Unchecked;
+    ll->setCheckState( 0, cs );
+  }
+}
+
 void QgsLegend::setMapCanvas( QgsMapCanvas * canvas )
 {
   if ( mMapCanvas )
diff --git a/src/app/legend/qgslegend.h b/src/app/legend/qgslegend.h
index 37f2890fb34..d1bdb567b25 100755
--- a/src/app/legend/qgslegend.h
+++ b/src/app/legend/qgslegend.h
@@ -179,6 +179,9 @@ class QgsLegend : public QTreeWidget
     /**Returns structure with legend pixmaps*/
     QgsLegendPixmaps& pixmaps() { return mPixmaps; }
 
+    /**Returns a layers check state*/
+    Qt::CheckState layerCheckState( QgsMapLayer * layer );
+
 
     void updateCheckStates( QTreeWidgetItem* item, Qt::CheckState state ) { item->setData( 0, Qt::UserRole, state ); }
 
@@ -187,6 +190,8 @@ class QgsLegend : public QTreeWidget
     /*!Adds a new layer group with the maplayer to the canvas*/
     void addLayer( QgsMapLayer * layer );
 
+    void setLayerVisible( QgsMapLayer * layer, bool visible );
+
     void setMapCanvas( QgsMapCanvas * canvas );
 
     /**Updates symbology items for a layer*/
diff --git a/src/gui/qgslegendinterface.h b/src/gui/qgslegendinterface.h
index 93f590d1d9f..7ed40709dbd 100644
--- a/src/gui/qgslegendinterface.h
+++ b/src/gui/qgslegendinterface.h
@@ -48,6 +48,22 @@ class GUI_EXPORT QgsLegendInterface : public QObject
     //! @note added in 1.5
     virtual QList< QgsMapLayer * > layers() const = 0;
 
+    //! Check if a group exists
+    //! @note added in 1.5
+    virtual bool groupExists( int groupIndex ) = 0;
+
+    //! Check if a group is expanded
+    //! @note added in 1.5
+    virtual bool isGroupExpanded( int groupIndex ) = 0;
+
+    //! Check if a group is visible
+    //! @note added in 1.5
+    virtual bool isGroupVisible( int groupIndex ) = 0;
+
+    //! Check if a layer is visible
+    //! @note added in 1.5
+    virtual bool isLayerVisible( QgsMapLayer * ml ) = 0;
+
   signals:
 
     //! emitted when a group index has changed
@@ -64,8 +80,20 @@ class GUI_EXPORT QgsLegendInterface : public QObject
     //! Move a layer to a group
     virtual void moveLayer( QgsMapLayer * ml, int groupIndex ) = 0;
 
+    //! Collapse or expand a group
+    //! @note added in 1.5
+    virtual void setGroupExpanded( int groupIndex, bool expand ) = 0;
+
+    //! Set the visibility of a group
+    //! @note added in 1.5
+    virtual void setGroupVisible( int groupIndex, bool visible ) = 0;
+
+    //! Set the visibility of a layer
+    //! @note added in 1.5
+    virtual void setLayerVisible( QgsMapLayer * ml, bool visible ) = 0;
+
     //! Refresh layer symbology
-    // @noted added in 1.5
+    //! @note added in 1.5
     virtual void refreshLayerSymbology( QgsMapLayer *ml ) = 0;
 };