diff --git a/resources/srs.db b/resources/srs.db
index b6c8b28f491..2ba2d8679f4 100644
Binary files a/resources/srs.db and b/resources/srs.db differ
diff --git a/src/app/qgisapp.cpp b/src/app/qgisapp.cpp
index 6125a2cb67c..3abe0011149 100644
--- a/src/app/qgisapp.cpp
+++ b/src/app/qgisapp.cpp
@@ -265,13 +265,17 @@ static void customSrsValidation_(QgsSpatialRefSys* srs)
     //it in the ctor of the layer projection selector
 
     QgsLayerProjectionSelector * mySelector = new QgsLayerProjectionSelector();
-    long myDefaultSRS =
-        QgsProject::instance()->readNumEntry("SpatialRefSys","/ProjectSRSID",GEOSRS_ID);
-    mySelector->setSelectedSRSID(myDefaultSRS);
+    proj4String = QgsProject::instance()->readEntry("SpatialRefSys","//ProjectSRSProj4String",GEOPROJ4);
+    QgsSpatialRefSys defaultSRS;
+    if(defaultSRS.createFromProj4(proj4String))
+      {
+	mySelector->setSelectedSRSID(defaultSRS.srsid());
+      }
+
     if(mySelector->exec())
     {
       QgsDebugMsg("Layer srs set from dialog: " + QString::number(mySelector->getCurrentSRSID()));
-      srs->createFromSrsId(mySelector->getCurrentSRSID());
+      srs->createFromProj4(mySelector->getCurrentProj4String());
       srs->debugPrint();
     }
     else
@@ -290,10 +294,7 @@ static void customSrsValidation_(QgsSpatialRefSys* srs)
   }
   else ///Projections/defaultBehaviour==useGlobal
   {
-    // XXX TODO: Change global settings to store default CS as 'defaultSRS' not 'defaultProjectionWKT'
-    int srs_id = mySettings.value("/Projections/defaultProjectionSRSID",(int)GEOSRS_ID).toInt(); 
-    QgsDebugMsg("Layer srs set from global: " + proj4String);
-    srs->createFromSrsId(srs_id);
+    srs->createFromProj4(mySettings.value("/Projections/defaultProjectionString",GEOPROJ4).toString());
     srs->debugPrint();
   }
 
diff --git a/src/app/qgsoptions.cpp b/src/app/qgsoptions.cpp
index aeffc6e1bce..42d7fa40c62 100644
--- a/src/app/qgsoptions.cpp
+++ b/src/app/qgsoptions.cpp
@@ -84,10 +84,8 @@ QgsOptions::QgsOptions(QWidget *parent, Qt::WFlags fl) :
   {
     radUseGlobalProjection->setChecked(true);
   }
-  mGlobalSRSID = settings.value("/Projections/defaultProjectionSRSID",(int)GEOSRS_ID).toInt();
-  //! @todo changes this control name in gui to txtGlobalProjString
-  QString myProjString = QgsSpatialRefSys::getProj4FromSrsId(mGlobalSRSID);
-  txtGlobalWKT->setText(myProjString);
+
+  txtGlobalWKT->setText(settings.value("/Projections/defaultProjectionString",GEOPROJ4).toString());
 
   // populate combo box with ellipsoids
   getEllipsoidList();
@@ -293,7 +291,8 @@ void QgsOptions::saveOptions()
     //
     settings.setValue("/Projections/defaultBehaviour", "useGlobal");
   }
-  settings.setValue("/Projections/defaultProjectionSRSID",(int)mGlobalSRSID);
+
+  settings.setValue("/Projections/defaultProjectionString", txtGlobalWKT->toPlainText());
 
   settings.setValue("/qgis/measure/ellipsoid", getEllipsoidAcronym(cmbEllipsoid->currentText()));
 
@@ -367,13 +366,19 @@ void QgsOptions::on_pbnSelectProjection_clicked()
 {
   QSettings settings;
   QgsLayerProjectionSelector * mySelector = new QgsLayerProjectionSelector(this);
-  mySelector->setSelectedSRSID(mGlobalSRSID);
+
+  //find out srs id of current proj4 string
+  QgsSpatialRefSys refSys;
+  if(refSys.createFromProj4(txtGlobalWKT->toPlainText()))
+    {
+      mySelector->setSelectedSRSID(refSys.srsid());
+    }
+
   if(mySelector->exec())
   {
 #ifdef QGISDEBUG
     std::cout << "------ Global Default Projection Selection Set ----------" << std::endl;
-#endif
-    mGlobalSRSID = mySelector->getCurrentSRSID();  
+#endif 
     //! @todo changes this control name in gui to txtGlobalProjString
     txtGlobalWKT->setText(mySelector->getCurrentProj4String());
 #ifdef QGISDEBUG
diff --git a/src/app/qgsoptions.h b/src/app/qgsoptions.h
index b8553436004..0ae5c34ae44 100644
--- a/src/app/qgsoptions.h
+++ b/src/app/qgsoptions.h
@@ -97,7 +97,10 @@ class QgsOptions :public QDialog, private Ui::QgsOptionsBase
     QWidget *qparent;
 
     //!Global default projection used for new layers added that have no projection
-    long mGlobalSRSID;
+    //long mGlobalSRSID;
+
+    //!Default proj4 string used for new layers added that have no projection
+    QString mGlobalProj4String;
 
 };
 
diff --git a/src/app/qgsserversourceselect.cpp b/src/app/qgsserversourceselect.cpp
index 3efa52cc82e..4ed8b4818bf 100644
--- a/src/app/qgsserversourceselect.cpp
+++ b/src/app/qgsserversourceselect.cpp
@@ -434,9 +434,12 @@ void QgsServerSourceSelect::on_btnChangeSpatialRefSys_clicked()
 
   mySelector->setOgcWmsCrsFilter(crsFilter);
 
-  long myDefaultSRS = QgsProject::instance()->readNumEntry("SpatialRefSys", "/ProjectSRSID", GEOSRS_ID);
-
-  mySelector->setSelectedSRSID(myDefaultSRS);
+  QString myDefaultProjString = QgsProject::instance()->readEntry("SpatialRefSys", "/ProjectSRSProj4String", GEOPROJ4);
+  QgsSpatialRefSys defaultSRS;
+  if(defaultSRS.createFromProj4(myDefaultProjString))
+    {
+      mySelector->setSelectedSRSID(defaultSRS.srsid());
+    }
 
   if (mySelector->exec())
   {