diff --git a/src/providers/wms/qgswmscapabilities.h b/src/providers/wms/qgswmscapabilities.h
index f04d585eb68..472e03ac63e 100644
--- a/src/providers/wms/qgswmscapabilities.h
+++ b/src/providers/wms/qgswmscapabilities.h
@@ -320,6 +320,20 @@ struct QgsWmsLayerProperty
   bool               noSubsets;
   int                fixedWidth;
   int                fixedHeight;
+
+  // TODO need to expand this to cover more of layer properties
+  bool equal( const QgsWmsLayerProperty &layerProperty )
+  {
+    if ( !( name == layerProperty.name ) )
+      return false;
+    if ( !( title == layerProperty.title ) )
+      return false;
+    if ( !( abstract == layerProperty.abstract ) )
+      return false;
+
+    return true;
+  }
+
 };
 
 struct QgsWmtsTheme
diff --git a/src/providers/wms/qgswmsdataitemguiproviders.cpp b/src/providers/wms/qgswmsdataitemguiproviders.cpp
index 3fdfbadf8c8..ef966f6a338 100644
--- a/src/providers/wms/qgswmsdataitemguiproviders.cpp
+++ b/src/providers/wms/qgswmsdataitemguiproviders.cpp
@@ -105,10 +105,8 @@ void QgsWmsDataItemGuiProvider::newConnection( QgsDataItem *item )
 
 void QgsWmsDataItemGuiProvider::refreshConnection( QgsDataItem *item )
 {
+  // Updating the item and its children only
   item->refresh();
-  // the parent should be updated
-  if ( item->parent() )
-    item->parent()->refreshConnections();
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/providers/wms/qgswmsdataitems.cpp b/src/providers/wms/qgswmsdataitems.cpp
index 4dd0d560681..ab6d1eda98a 100644
--- a/src/providers/wms/qgswmsdataitems.cpp
+++ b/src/providers/wms/qgswmsdataitems.cpp
@@ -96,10 +96,14 @@ QVector<QgsDataItem *> QgsWMSConnectionItem::createChildren()
       // Attention, the name may be empty
       QgsDebugMsgLevel( QString::number( layerProperty.orderId ) + ' ' + layerProperty.name + ' ' + layerProperty.title, 2 );
       QString pathName = layerProperty.name.isEmpty() ? QString::number( layerProperty.orderId ) : layerProperty.name;
+      QgsDataItem *layer;
 
-      QgsWMSLayerItem *layer = new QgsWMSLayerItem( this, layerProperty.title, mPath + '/' + pathName, capabilitiesProperty, uri, layerProperty );
+      if ( layerProperty.name.isEmpty() )
+        layer = new QgsWMSLayerCollectionItem( this, layerProperty.title, mPath + '/' + pathName, capabilitiesProperty, uri, layerProperty );
+      else
+        layer = new QgsWMSLayerItem( this, layerProperty.title, mPath + '/' + pathName, capabilitiesProperty, uri, layerProperty );
 
-      children << layer;
+      children << layer ;
     }
   }
 
@@ -233,17 +237,13 @@ bool QgsWMSConnectionItem::equal( const QgsDataItem *other )
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-QgsWMSLayerItem::QgsWMSLayerItem( QgsDataItem *parent, QString name, QString path, const QgsWmsCapabilitiesProperty &capabilitiesProperty, const QgsDataSourceUri &dataSourceUri, const QgsWmsLayerProperty &layerProperty )
-  : QgsLayerItem( parent, name, path, QString(), QgsLayerItem::Raster, QStringLiteral( "wms" ) )
+QgsWMSLayerCollectionItem::QgsWMSLayerCollectionItem( QgsDataItem *parent, QString name, QString path, const QgsWmsCapabilitiesProperty &capabilitiesProperty, const QgsDataSourceUri &dataSourceUri, const QgsWmsLayerProperty &layerProperty )
+  : QgsDataCollectionItem( parent, name, path )
   , mCapabilitiesProperty( capabilitiesProperty )
   , mDataSourceUri( dataSourceUri )
   , mLayerProperty( layerProperty )
 {
-  mSupportedCRS = mLayerProperty.crs;
-  mSupportFormats = mCapabilitiesProperty.capability.request.getMap.format;
-  QgsDebugMsgLevel( "uri = " + mDataSourceUri.encodedUri(), 2 );
-
-  mUri = createUri();
+  mIconName = QStringLiteral( "mIconWms.svg" );
 
   // Populate everything, it costs nothing, all info about layers is collected
   for ( const QgsWmsLayerProperty &layerProperty : qgis::as_const( mLayerProperty.layer ) )
@@ -256,8 +256,67 @@ QgsWMSLayerItem::QgsWMSLayerItem( QgsDataItem *parent, QString name, QString pat
     addChildItem( layer );
   }
 
-  mIconName = QStringLiteral( "mIconWms.svg" );
+  setState( Populated );
+}
 
+bool QgsWMSLayerCollectionItem::equal( const QgsDataItem *other )
+{
+  if ( type() != other->type() )
+  {
+    return false;
+  }
+  const QgsWMSLayerCollectionItem *otherCollectionItem = dynamic_cast<const QgsWMSLayerCollectionItem *>( other );
+  if ( !otherCollectionItem )
+  {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  // Check if the children are not the same then they are not equal
+  if ( mChildren.isEmpty() & !otherCollectionItem->mChildren.isEmpty() )
+    return false;
+  if ( mChildren.size() != otherCollectionItem->mChildren.size() )
+    return false;
+
+  // compare children content, if the content differs then the parents are not equal
+  for ( QgsDataItem *child : mChildren )
+  {
+    if ( !child )
+      continue;
+    for ( QgsDataItem *otherChild : otherCollectionItem->mChildren )
+    {
+      if ( !otherChild )
+        continue;
+      // In case they have same path, check if they have same content
+      if ( child->path() == otherChild->path() )
+      {
+        if ( !child->equal( otherChild ) )
+          return false;
+      }
+      else
+      {
+        continue;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+
+  return ( mPath == otherCollectionItem->mPath && mName == otherCollectionItem->mName );
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+QgsWMSLayerItem::QgsWMSLayerItem( QgsDataItem *parent, QString name, QString path, const QgsWmsCapabilitiesProperty &capabilitiesProperty, const QgsDataSourceUri &dataSourceUri, const QgsWmsLayerProperty &layerProperty )
+  : QgsLayerItem( parent, name, path, QString(), QgsLayerItem::Raster, QStringLiteral( "wms" ) )
+  , mCapabilitiesProperty( capabilitiesProperty )
+  , mDataSourceUri( dataSourceUri )
+  , mLayerProperty( layerProperty )
+{
+  mSupportedCRS = mLayerProperty.crs;
+  mSupportFormats = mCapabilitiesProperty.capability.request.getMap.format;
+  QgsDebugMsgLevel( "uri = " + mDataSourceUri.encodedUri(), 2 );
+
+  mUri = createUri();
+  mIconName = QStringLiteral( "mIconWms.svg" );
   setState( Populated );
 }
 
@@ -307,6 +366,26 @@ QString QgsWMSLayerItem::createUri()
   return mDataSourceUri.encodedUri();
 }
 
+bool QgsWMSLayerItem::equal( const QgsDataItem *other )
+{
+  if ( type() != other->type() )
+  {
+    return false;
+  }
+  const QgsWMSLayerItem *otherLayer = dynamic_cast<const QgsWMSLayerItem *>( other );
+  if ( !otherLayer )
+  {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  if ( !mLayerProperty.equal( otherLayer->mLayerProperty ) )
+    return false;
+
+
+  return ( mPath == otherLayer->mPath && mName == otherLayer->mName );
+}
+
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 QgsWMTSLayerItem::QgsWMTSLayerItem( QgsDataItem *parent,
diff --git a/src/providers/wms/qgswmsdataitems.h b/src/providers/wms/qgswmsdataitems.h
index 27acadd16d6..4fa9ac0aaaa 100644
--- a/src/providers/wms/qgswmsdataitems.h
+++ b/src/providers/wms/qgswmsdataitems.h
@@ -41,6 +41,22 @@ class QgsWMSConnectionItem : public QgsDataCollectionItem
     QgsWmsCapabilitiesDownload *mCapabilitiesDownload = nullptr;
 };
 
+class QgsWMSLayerCollectionItem : public QgsDataCollectionItem
+{
+    Q_OBJECT
+  public:
+    QgsWMSLayerCollectionItem( QgsDataItem *parent, QString name, QString path,
+                               const QgsWmsCapabilitiesProperty &capabilitiesProperty,
+                               const QgsDataSourceUri &dataSourceUri,
+                               const QgsWmsLayerProperty &layerProperty );
+
+    bool equal( const QgsDataItem *other ) override;
+
+    QgsWmsCapabilitiesProperty mCapabilitiesProperty;
+    QgsDataSourceUri mDataSourceUri;
+    QgsWmsLayerProperty mLayerProperty;
+};
+
 // WMS Layers may be nested, so that they may be both QgsDataCollectionItem and QgsLayerItem
 // We have to use QgsDataCollectionItem and support layer methods if necessary
 class QgsWMSLayerItem : public QgsLayerItem
@@ -52,6 +68,7 @@ class QgsWMSLayerItem : public QgsLayerItem
                      const QgsDataSourceUri &dataSourceUri,
                      const QgsWmsLayerProperty &layerProperty );
 
+    bool equal( const QgsDataItem *other ) override;
     QString createUri();
 
     QgsWmsCapabilitiesProperty mCapabilitiesProperty;