diff --git a/python/gui/qgisinterface.sip b/python/gui/qgisinterface.sip
index 5c4f7ebe32c..31485a0f385 100644
--- a/python/gui/qgisinterface.sip
+++ b/python/gui/qgisinterface.sip
@@ -398,6 +398,10 @@ class QgisInterface : QObject
      * @note added in 1.9 */
     virtual QList<QgsMapLayer *> editableLayers( bool modified = false ) const = 0;
 
+    /** Get timeout for timed messages: default of 5 seconds
+     * @note added in 1.9 */
+    virtual int messageTimeout() = 0;
+
   signals:
     /** Emited whenever current (selected) layer changes.
      *  The pointer to layer can be null if no layer is selected
diff --git a/src/app/qgisapp.cpp b/src/app/qgisapp.cpp
index c60699eba8c..215bebcbd51 100644
--- a/src/app/qgisapp.cpp
+++ b/src/app/qgisapp.cpp
@@ -488,7 +488,6 @@ QgisApp::QgisApp( QSplashScreen *splash, bool restorePlugins, QWidget * parent,
   mInfoBar = new QgsMessageBar( centralWidget );
   mInfoBar->setSizePolicy( QSizePolicy::Minimum, QSizePolicy::Fixed );
   centralLayout->addWidget( mInfoBar, 0, 0, 1, 1 );
-  mMessageTimeout = settings.value( "/qgis/messageTimeout", 5 ).toInt();
 
   //set the focus to the map canvas
   mMapCanvas->setFocus();
@@ -1218,6 +1217,12 @@ void QgisApp::setAppStyleSheet()
   }
 }
 
+int QgisApp::messageTimeout()
+{
+  QSettings settings;
+  return settings.value( "/qgis/messageTimeout", 5 ).toInt();
+}
+
 void QgisApp::createMenus()
 {
   /*
diff --git a/src/app/qgisapp.h b/src/app/qgisapp.h
index 58d547f15f8..9df93dbcfee 100644
--- a/src/app/qgisapp.h
+++ b/src/app/qgisapp.h
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ class QgisApp : public QMainWindow, private Ui::MainWindow
 
     /** Get timeout for timed messages: default of 5 seconds
      * @note added in 1.9 */
-    int messageTimeout() { return mMessageTimeout; }
+    int messageTimeout();
 
 #ifdef Q_OS_WIN
     //! ugly hack
@@ -543,11 +543,6 @@ class QgisApp : public QMainWindow, private Ui::MainWindow
     //! layer selection changed
     void legendLayerSelectionChanged( void );
 
-    /** Set timeout for timed messages
-     * @param t timeout in seconds
-     * @note added in 1.9 */
-    void setMessageTimeout( int t ) { mMessageTimeout = t; }
-
     //! Watch for QFileOpenEvent.
     virtual bool event( QEvent * event );
 
@@ -1342,9 +1337,6 @@ class QgisApp : public QMainWindow, private Ui::MainWindow
     QgsMessageBar *mInfoBar;
     QWidget *mMacrosWarn;
 
-    //! timeout for timed messages
-    int mMessageTimeout;
-
 #ifdef HAVE_TOUCH
     bool gestureEvent( QGestureEvent *event );
     void tapAndHoldTriggered( QTapAndHoldGesture *gesture );
diff --git a/src/app/qgisappinterface.cpp b/src/app/qgisappinterface.cpp
index feeb51596c3..cd992f284b4 100644
--- a/src/app/qgisappinterface.cpp
+++ b/src/app/qgisappinterface.cpp
@@ -485,3 +485,8 @@ QList<QgsMapLayer *> QgisAppInterface::editableLayers( bool modified ) const
 {
   return qgis->editableLayers( modified );
 }
+
+int QgisAppInterface::messageTimeout()
+{
+  return qgis->messageTimeout();
+}
diff --git a/src/app/qgisappinterface.h b/src/app/qgisappinterface.h
index 83b0665cbd9..b7fe4bb4d0b 100644
--- a/src/app/qgisappinterface.h
+++ b/src/app/qgisappinterface.h
@@ -353,6 +353,10 @@ class QgisAppInterface : public QgisInterface
      * @note added in 1.9 */
     virtual QList<QgsMapLayer *> editableLayers( bool modified = false ) const;
 
+    /** Get timeout for timed messages: default of 5 seconds
+     * @note added in 1.9 */
+    virtual int messageTimeout();
+
   signals:
     void currentThemeChanged( QString );
 
diff --git a/src/app/qgsoptions.cpp b/src/app/qgsoptions.cpp
index 3728681f5d3..00b7d3cd581 100644
--- a/src/app/qgsoptions.cpp
+++ b/src/app/qgsoptions.cpp
@@ -1081,7 +1081,6 @@ void QgsOptions::saveOptions()
   QgisApp::instance()->setAppStyleSheet();
 
   settings.setValue( "/qgis/messageTimeout", mMessageTimeoutSpnBx->value() );
-  QgisApp::instance()->setMessageTimeout( mMessageTimeoutSpnBx->value() );
 
   // rasters settings
   settings.setValue( "/Raster/defaultRedBand", spnRed->value() );
diff --git a/src/gui/qgisinterface.h b/src/gui/qgisinterface.h
index 74de83e1e35..1b349942c8e 100644
--- a/src/gui/qgisinterface.h
+++ b/src/gui/qgisinterface.h
@@ -446,6 +446,10 @@ class GUI_EXPORT QgisInterface : public QObject
      * @note added in 1.9 */
     virtual QList<QgsMapLayer *> editableLayers( bool modified = false ) const = 0;
 
+    /** Get timeout for timed messages: default of 5 seconds
+     * @note added in 1.9 */
+    virtual int messageTimeout() = 0;
+
   signals:
     /** Emited whenever current (selected) layer changes.
      *  The pointer to layer can be null if no layer is selected