diff --git a/src/legend/qgslegend.cpp b/src/legend/qgslegend.cpp
index a5f957689ae..7df6c0346c6 100755
--- a/src/legend/qgslegend.cpp
+++ b/src/legend/qgslegend.cpp
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #include "qgsmapcanvas.h"
 #include "qgsmaplayer.h"
 #include "qgsmaplayerregistry.h"
+#include "qgsproject.h"
 #include "qgsrasterlayerproperties.h"
 #include <iostream>
 #include <qlayout.h>
@@ -829,3 +830,95 @@ bool QgsLegend::readXML(QDomNode& legendnode)
     }
     return true;
 }
+
+void QgsLegend::saveToProject()
+{
+    int lgroupidx=0;
+    int llayeridx=0;
+    QString groupstring; //string which have to be prepended if an element is into a group
+
+    QListViewItemIterator it(this);
+    while(it.current()) 
+    {
+	QgsLegendItem *item = dynamic_cast<QgsLegendItem*>(it.current());
+	if(item)
+	{
+	    switch(item->type())
+	    {
+		case QgsLegendItem::LEGEND_GROUP:
+		    ++lgroupidx;
+		    groupstring = "/LegendGroup"+QString::number(lgroupidx);
+		    QgsProject::instance()->writeEntry("Legend","/LegendGroup"+QString::number(lgroupidx)+"/Name",item->text(0));
+		    if(item->isOpen())
+		    {
+			QgsProject::instance()->writeEntry("Legend","/LegendGroup"+QString::number(lgroupidx)+"/Open",true);	
+		    }
+		    else
+		    {
+			QgsProject::instance()->writeEntry("Legend","/LegendGroup"+QString::number(lgroupidx)+"/Open",true);
+		    }
+		    break;
+		    
+
+		case QgsLegendItem::LEGEND_LAYER:
+		    ++llayeridx;
+		    if(item->parent()==0)//legend layer is not in a group
+		    {
+			groupstring="";
+		    }
+		    QgsProject::instance()->writeEntry("Legend",groupstring+"/LegendLayer"+QString::number(llayeridx)+"/Name",item->text(0));
+		    if(item->isOpen())
+		    {
+			QgsProject::instance()->writeEntry("Legend",groupstring+"/LegendLayer"+QString::number(llayeridx)+"/Open",true);
+		    }
+		    else
+		    {
+			QgsProject::instance()->writeEntry("Legend",groupstring+"/LegendLayer"+QString::number(llayeridx)+"/Open",false);
+		    }
+		    break;
+
+		case QgsLegendItem::LEGEND_PROPERTY_GROUP:
+		    if(item->isOpen())
+		    {
+			QgsProject::instance()->writeEntry("Legend",groupstring+"/LegendLayer"+QString::number(llayeridx)+"/LegendPropertyGroup/Open", true);
+		    }
+		    else
+		    {
+			QgsProject::instance()->writeEntry("Legend",groupstring+"/LegendLayer"+QString::number(llayeridx)+"/LegendPropertyGroup/Open", false);
+		    }
+		    break;
+
+		case QgsLegendItem::LEGEND_SYMBOL_GROUP:
+		    if(item->isOpen())
+		    {
+			QgsProject::instance()->writeEntry("Legend",groupstring+"/LegendLayer"+QString::number(llayeridx)+"/LegendSymbolGroup/Open", true);
+		    }
+		    else
+		    {
+			QgsProject::instance()->writeEntry("Legend",groupstring+"/LegendLayer"+QString::number(llayeridx)+"/LegendSymbolGroup/Open", false);
+		    }
+		    break;
+		
+		case QgsLegendItem::LEGEND_LAYER_FILE_GROUP:
+		    if(item->isOpen())
+		    {
+			QgsProject::instance()->writeEntry("Legend",groupstring+"/LegendLayer"+QString::number(llayeridx)+"/LegendLayerFileGroup/Open", true);
+		    }
+		    else
+		    {
+			QgsProject::instance()->writeEntry("Legend",groupstring+"/LegendLayer"+QString::number(llayeridx)+"/LegendLayerFileGroup/Open", false);
+		    }
+		    break;
+
+		default: //do nothing for the leaf nodes
+		    break;	
+	    }
+	}
+	++it;
+    }
+}
+
+void QgsLegend::restoreFromProject()
+{
+
+}
diff --git a/src/legend/qgslegend.h b/src/legend/qgslegend.h
index f23dbdffbf2..dd966cb0edd 100755
--- a/src/legend/qgslegend.h
+++ b/src/legend/qgslegend.h
@@ -101,9 +101,15 @@ class QgsLegend : public QListView
   /**Removes a checkbox from mCheckBoxes. Does not delete the objects*/
   void unregisterCheckBox(QListViewItem* item);
 
+  /**Writes the content of the legend using the key system of QgsProject*/
+  void saveToProject();
+
   /**Writes the content of the legend to a project file*/
   bool writeXML(QDomNode & layer_node, QDomDocument & document);
 
+  /**Restores the legend from a project file using the key system of QgsProject*/
+  void restoreFromProject();
+
   /**Restores the legend from a project file*/
   bool readXML(QDomNode& legendnode);
 
diff --git a/src/qgsproject.cpp b/src/qgsproject.cpp
index c5290cc5558..bf155fecb07 100644
--- a/src/qgsproject.cpp
+++ b/src/qgsproject.cpp
@@ -1295,6 +1295,7 @@ bool QgsProject::write()
 	if(theLegend)
 	{
 	    theLegend->writeXML(qgisNode, *doc);
+	    //theLegend->saveToProject();
 	}
     }