diff --git a/python/core/qgsmaplayer.sip b/python/core/qgsmaplayer.sip
index 4fb0505270d..2c231eaa29e 100644
--- a/python/core/qgsmaplayer.sip
+++ b/python/core/qgsmaplayer.sip
@@ -188,7 +188,17 @@ public:
      */
     virtual QString lastError();
 
-    /** Returns layer's spatial reference system */
+    /** Returns layer's spatial reference system
+    @note This was introduced in QGIS 1.4
+    */
+    
+    const QgsCoordinateReferenceSystem& crs();
+
+    /** Returns layer's spatial reference system
+    @note This method is here for API compatibility
+    and will be deprecited in 2.0
+    @see crs()
+    */
     const QgsCoordinateReferenceSystem& srs();
     
     /** Sets layer's spatial reference system */
diff --git a/src/core/qgsmaplayer.cpp b/src/core/qgsmaplayer.cpp
index 6e643f021a6..d5fc5b66e81 100644
--- a/src/core/qgsmaplayer.cpp
+++ b/src/core/qgsmaplayer.cpp
@@ -427,8 +427,15 @@ void QgsMapLayer::setSubLayerVisibility( QString name, bool vis )
   // NOOP
 }
 
+const QgsCoordinateReferenceSystem& QgsMapLayer::crs()
+{
+  return *mCRS;
+}
+
 const QgsCoordinateReferenceSystem& QgsMapLayer::srs()
 {
+  // This will be dropped in QGIS 2.0 due to conflicting name
+  // Please use crs() in the future
   return *mCRS;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/core/qgsmaplayer.h b/src/core/qgsmaplayer.h
index 0e069ef32b2..d856ea70ce9 100644
--- a/src/core/qgsmaplayer.h
+++ b/src/core/qgsmaplayer.h
@@ -190,7 +190,16 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsMapLayer : public QObject
      */
     virtual QString lastError();
 
-    /** Returns layer's spatial reference system */
+    /** Returns layer's spatial reference system
+    @note This was introduced in QGIS 1.4
+    */
+    const QgsCoordinateReferenceSystem& crs();
+
+    /** Returns layer's spatial reference system
+    @note This method is here for API compatibility
+    and will be deprecited in 2.0
+    @see crs()
+    */
     const QgsCoordinateReferenceSystem& srs();
 
     /** Sets layer's spatial reference system */