diff --git a/python/core/auto_generated/qgsproject.sip.in b/python/core/auto_generated/qgsproject.sip.in
index 6636b3eb920..aef8b9ade4b 100644
--- a/python/core/auto_generated/qgsproject.sip.in
+++ b/python/core/auto_generated/qgsproject.sip.in
@@ -720,6 +720,7 @@ Retrieve a pointer to a registered layer by layer ID.
 .. seealso:: :py:func:`mapLayers`
 %End
 
+
     QList<QgsMapLayer *> mapLayersByName( const QString &layerName ) const;
 %Docstring
 Retrieve a list of matching registered layers by layer name.
diff --git a/src/app/locator/qgsinbuiltlocatorfilters.cpp b/src/app/locator/qgsinbuiltlocatorfilters.cpp
index 95fb13fd4cd..082d1a93d7c 100644
--- a/src/app/locator/qgsinbuiltlocatorfilters.cpp
+++ b/src/app/locator/qgsinbuiltlocatorfilters.cpp
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ void QgsActiveLayerFeaturesLocatorFilter::triggerResult( const QgsLocatorResult
   QVariantList dataList = result.userData.toList();
   QgsFeatureId id = dataList.at( 0 ).toLongLong();
   QString layerId = dataList.at( 1 ).toString();
-  QgsVectorLayer *layer = qobject_cast< QgsVectorLayer *>( QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer( layerId ) );
+  QgsVectorLayer *layer = QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer<QgsVectorLayer *>( layerId );
   if ( !layer )
     return;
 
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ void QgsAllLayersFeaturesLocatorFilter::triggerResultFromAction( const QgsLocato
   QVariantList dataList = result.userData.toList();
   QgsFeatureId fid = dataList.at( 0 ).toLongLong();
   QString layerId = dataList.at( 1 ).toString();
-  QgsVectorLayer *layer = qobject_cast< QgsVectorLayer *>( QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer( layerId ) );
+  QgsVectorLayer *layer = QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer<QgsVectorLayer *>( layerId );
   if ( !layer )
     return;
 
diff --git a/src/app/qgsapplayertreeviewmenuprovider.cpp b/src/app/qgsapplayertreeviewmenuprovider.cpp
index 162dee3dae4..1b03d086fc2 100644
--- a/src/app/qgsapplayertreeviewmenuprovider.cpp
+++ b/src/app/qgsapplayertreeviewmenuprovider.cpp
@@ -682,7 +682,7 @@ void QgsAppLayerTreeViewMenuProvider::editVectorSymbol()
     return;
 
   QString layerId = action->property( "layerId" ).toString();
-  QgsVectorLayer *layer = dynamic_cast<QgsVectorLayer *>( QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer( layerId ) );
+  QgsVectorLayer *layer = QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer<QgsVectorLayer *>( layerId );
   if ( !layer )
     return;
 
@@ -712,7 +712,7 @@ void QgsAppLayerTreeViewMenuProvider::setVectorSymbolColor( const QColor &color
     return;
 
   QString layerId = action->property( "layerId" ).toString();
-  QgsVectorLayer *layer = qobject_cast<QgsVectorLayer *>( QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer( layerId ) );
+  QgsVectorLayer *layer = QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer<QgsVectorLayer *>( layerId );
   if ( !layer )
     return;
 
@@ -805,7 +805,7 @@ void QgsAppLayerTreeViewMenuProvider::setSymbolLegendNodeColor( const QColor &co
   std::unique_ptr< QgsSymbol > newSymbol( originalSymbol->clone() );
   newSymbol->setColor( color );
   node->setSymbol( newSymbol.release() );
-  if ( QgsVectorLayer *layer = qobject_cast<QgsVectorLayer *>( QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer( layerId ) ) )
+  if ( QgsVectorLayer *layer = QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer<QgsVectorLayer *>( layerId ) )
   {
     layer->emitStyleChanged();
   }
diff --git a/src/app/qgslabelpropertydialog.cpp b/src/app/qgslabelpropertydialog.cpp
index 1b94e26485d..abe1a7c64c0 100644
--- a/src/app/qgslabelpropertydialog.cpp
+++ b/src/app/qgslabelpropertydialog.cpp
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ void QgsLabelPropertyDialog::buttonBox_clicked( QAbstractButton *button )
 void QgsLabelPropertyDialog::init( const QString &layerId, const QString &providerId, int featureId, const QString &labelText )
 {
   //get feature attributes
-  QgsVectorLayer *vlayer = dynamic_cast<QgsVectorLayer *>( QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer( layerId ) );
+  QgsVectorLayer *vlayer = QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer<QgsVectorLayer *>( layerId );
   if ( !vlayer )
   {
     return;
diff --git a/src/app/qgsmaptoollabel.cpp b/src/app/qgsmaptoollabel.cpp
index 2bdb268e374..a09b10c87f7 100644
--- a/src/app/qgsmaptoollabel.cpp
+++ b/src/app/qgsmaptoollabel.cpp
@@ -690,7 +690,7 @@ bool QgsMapToolLabel::diagramCanShowHide( QgsVectorLayer *vlayer, int &showCol )
 QgsMapToolLabel::LabelDetails::LabelDetails( const QgsLabelPosition &p )
   : pos( p )
 {
-  layer = qobject_cast<QgsVectorLayer *>( QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer( pos.layerID ) );
+  layer = QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer<QgsVectorLayer *>( pos.layerID );
   if ( layer && layer->labelsEnabled() && !p.isDiagram )
   {
     settings = layer->labeling()->settings( pos.providerID );
diff --git a/src/core/fieldformatter/qgsvaluerelationfieldformatter.cpp b/src/core/fieldformatter/qgsvaluerelationfieldformatter.cpp
index 861cbb4de06..db79a5a155d 100644
--- a/src/core/fieldformatter/qgsvaluerelationfieldformatter.cpp
+++ b/src/core/fieldformatter/qgsvaluerelationfieldformatter.cpp
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ QgsValueRelationFieldFormatter::ValueRelationCache QgsValueRelationFieldFormatte
 {
   ValueRelationCache cache;
 
-  QgsVectorLayer *layer = qobject_cast<QgsVectorLayer *>( QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer( config.value( QStringLiteral( "Layer" ) ).toString() ) );
+  QgsVectorLayer *layer = QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer<QgsVectorLayer *>( config.value( QStringLiteral( "Layer" ) ).toString() );
 
   if ( !layer )
     return cache;
diff --git a/src/core/qgsmimedatautils.cpp b/src/core/qgsmimedatautils.cpp
index 8cf81988175..c693abbd310 100644
--- a/src/core/qgsmimedatautils.cpp
+++ b/src/core/qgsmimedatautils.cpp
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ QgsVectorLayer *QgsMimeDataUtils::Uri::vectorLayer( bool &owner, QString &error
       return nullptr;
     }
     QString layerId = url.queryItemValue( QStringLiteral( "layerid" ) );
-    QgsVectorLayer *vectorLayer = qobject_cast< QgsVectorLayer *>( QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer( layerId ) );
+    QgsVectorLayer *vectorLayer = QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer<QgsVectorLayer *>( layerId );
     if ( !vectorLayer )
     {
       error = QObject::tr( "Cannot get memory layer." );
diff --git a/src/core/qgsproject.h b/src/core/qgsproject.h
index 36d3f0554ba..bc25b3c5563 100644
--- a/src/core/qgsproject.h
+++ b/src/core/qgsproject.h
@@ -702,6 +702,30 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsProject : public QObject, public QgsExpressionContextGenera
      */
     QgsMapLayer *mapLayer( const QString &layerId ) const;
 
+#ifndef SIP_RUN
+
+    /**
+     * Retrieve a pointer to a registered layer by \p layerId converted
+     * to type T. This is a convenience template.
+     * A nullptr will be returned if the layer is not found or
+     * if it cannot be cast to type T.
+     *
+     * \code{cpp}
+     * QgsVectorLayer *layer = project->mapLayer<QgsVectorLayer*>( layerId );
+     * \endcode
+     *
+     * \see mapLayer()
+     * \see mapLayers()
+     *
+     * \since QGIS 3.6
+     */
+    template <class T>
+    T mapLayer( const QString &layerId ) const
+    {
+      return qobject_cast<T>( mapLayer( layerId ) );
+    }
+#endif
+
     /**
      * Retrieve a list of matching registered layers by layer name.
      * \param layerName name of layers to match
diff --git a/src/gui/editorwidgets/qgsvaluerelationconfigdlg.cpp b/src/gui/editorwidgets/qgsvaluerelationconfigdlg.cpp
index 61b77a5e76d..2f553a8bf10 100644
--- a/src/gui/editorwidgets/qgsvaluerelationconfigdlg.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/editorwidgets/qgsvaluerelationconfigdlg.cpp
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ QVariantMap QgsValueRelationConfigDlg::config()
 
 void QgsValueRelationConfigDlg::setConfig( const QVariantMap &config )
 {
-  QgsVectorLayer *lyr = qobject_cast<QgsVectorLayer *>( QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer( config.value( QStringLiteral( "Layer" ) ).toString() ) );
+  QgsVectorLayer *lyr = QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer<QgsVectorLayer *>( config.value( QStringLiteral( "Layer" ) ).toString() );
   mLayerName->setLayer( lyr );
   mKeyColumn->setField( config.value( QStringLiteral( "Key" ) ).toString() );
   mValueColumn->setField( config.value( QStringLiteral( "Value" ) ).toString() );
diff --git a/src/plugins/geometry_checker/qgsgeometrycheckersetuptab.cpp b/src/plugins/geometry_checker/qgsgeometrycheckersetuptab.cpp
index d0e78b4464e..d64518d3169 100644
--- a/src/plugins/geometry_checker/qgsgeometrycheckersetuptab.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/geometry_checker/qgsgeometrycheckersetuptab.cpp
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ QList<QgsVectorLayer *> QgsGeometryCheckerSetupTab::getSelectedLayers()
     if ( item->checkState() == Qt::Checked )
     {
       QString layerId = item->data( LayerIdRole ).toString();
-      QgsVectorLayer *layer = qobject_cast<QgsVectorLayer *>( QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer( layerId ) );
+      QgsVectorLayer *layer = QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer<QgsVectorLayer *>( layerId );
       if ( layer )
       {
         layers.append( layer );
@@ -253,8 +253,8 @@ void QgsGeometryCheckerSetupTab::runChecks()
       }
     }
   }
-  QgsVectorLayer *lineLayerCheckLayer = ui.comboLineLayerIntersection->isEnabled() ? dynamic_cast<QgsVectorLayer *>( QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer( ui.comboLineLayerIntersection->currentData().toString() ) ) : nullptr;
-  QgsVectorLayer *followBoundaryCheckLayer = ui.comboBoxFollowBoundaries->isEnabled() ? dynamic_cast<QgsVectorLayer *>( QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer( ui.comboBoxFollowBoundaries->currentData().toString() ) ) : nullptr;
+  QgsVectorLayer *lineLayerCheckLayer = ui.comboLineLayerIntersection->isEnabled() ? QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer<QgsVectorLayer *>( ui.comboLineLayerIntersection->currentData().toString() ) : nullptr;
+  QgsVectorLayer *followBoundaryCheckLayer = ui.comboBoxFollowBoundaries->isEnabled() ? QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer<QgsVectorLayer *>( ui.comboBoxFollowBoundaries->currentData().toString() ) : nullptr;
   if ( layers.contains( lineLayerCheckLayer ) || layers.contains( followBoundaryCheckLayer ) )
   {
     QMessageBox::critical( this, tr( "Check Geometries" ), tr( "The selected input layers cannot contain a layer also selected for a topology check." ) );
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ void QgsGeometryCheckerSetupTab::runChecks()
   // LineLayerIntersection check is enabled, make sure there is also a feature pool for that layer
   if ( ui.checkLineLayerIntersection->isChecked() && !featurePools.keys().contains( ui.comboLineLayerIntersection->currentData().toString() ) )
   {
-    QgsVectorLayer *layer = dynamic_cast<QgsVectorLayer *>( QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer( ui.comboLineLayerIntersection->currentData().toString() ) );
+    QgsVectorLayer *layer = QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer<QgsVectorLayer *>( ui.comboLineLayerIntersection->currentData().toString() );
     Q_ASSERT( layer );
     featurePools.insert( layer->id(), new QgsVectorDataProviderFeaturePool( layer, selectedOnly ) );
   }
diff --git a/src/plugins/geometry_checker/qgsgeometrycheckfactory.cpp b/src/plugins/geometry_checker/qgsgeometrycheckfactory.cpp
index dc753885021..a3b8c3d98fb 100644
--- a/src/plugins/geometry_checker/qgsgeometrycheckfactory.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/geometry_checker/qgsgeometrycheckfactory.cpp
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ template<> QgsGeometryCheck *QgsGeometryCheckFactoryT<QgsGeometryFollowBoundarie
   QgsSettings().setValue( sSettingsGroup + "checkFollowBoundaries", ui.checkBoxFollowBoundaries->isChecked() );
   if ( ui.checkBoxFollowBoundaries->isEnabled() && ui.checkBoxFollowBoundaries->isChecked() )
   {
-    QgsVectorLayer *checkLayer = qobject_cast<QgsVectorLayer *>( QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer( ui.comboBoxFollowBoundaries->currentData().toString() ) );
+    QgsVectorLayer *checkLayer = QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer<QgsVectorLayer *>( ui.comboBoxFollowBoundaries->currentData().toString() );
     return new QgsGeometryFollowBoundariesCheck( context, QVariantMap(), checkLayer );
   }
   else
diff --git a/src/plugins/globe/qgsglobefeatureidentify.cpp b/src/plugins/globe/qgsglobefeatureidentify.cpp
index 78e58142304..73806918c8b 100644
--- a/src/plugins/globe/qgsglobefeatureidentify.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/globe/qgsglobefeatureidentify.cpp
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ void QgsGlobeFeatureIdentifyCallback::onHit( osgEarth::ObjectID id )
   std::string layerId;
   if ( feature->getUserValue( "qgisLayerId", layerId ) )
   {
-    QgsVectorLayer *lyr = qobject_cast<QgsVectorLayer *>( QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer( QString::fromStdString( layerId ) ) );
+    QgsVectorLayer *lyr = QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer<QgsVectorLayer *>( QString::fromStdString( layerId ) );
 #endif
     if ( lyr )
     {
diff --git a/src/plugins/topology/checkDock.cpp b/src/plugins/topology/checkDock.cpp
index 7ee19ce5f04..4e5753ab0d0 100644
--- a/src/plugins/topology/checkDock.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/topology/checkDock.cpp
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ void checkDock::deleteErrors()
 
 void checkDock::parseErrorListByLayer( const QString &layerId )
 {
-  QgsVectorLayer *layer = qobject_cast<QgsVectorLayer *>( QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer( layerId ) );
+  QgsVectorLayer *layer = QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer<QgsVectorLayer *>( layerId );
   QList<TopolError *>::Iterator it = mErrorList.begin();
 
   while ( it != mErrorList.end() )
diff --git a/tests/src/core/testqgstranslateproject.cpp b/tests/src/core/testqgstranslateproject.cpp
index bae84442f1e..6eca8988718 100644
--- a/tests/src/core/testqgstranslateproject.cpp
+++ b/tests/src/core/testqgstranslateproject.cpp
@@ -167,8 +167,8 @@ void TestQgsTranslateProject::translateProject()
   QgsProject::instance()->read( projectFileName );
 
   //with the qm file containing translation from en to de, the project should be in german and renamed with postfix .de
-  QgsVectorLayer *points_layer = qobject_cast<QgsVectorLayer *>( QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer( "points_240d6bd6_9203_470a_994a_aae13cd9fa04" ) );
-  QgsVectorLayer *lines_layer = qobject_cast<QgsVectorLayer *>( QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer( "lines_a677672a_bf5d_410d_98c9_d326a5719a1b" ) );
+  QgsVectorLayer *points_layer = QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer<QgsVectorLayer *>( "points_240d6bd6_9203_470a_994a_aae13cd9fa04" );
+  QgsVectorLayer *lines_layer = QgsProject::instance()->mapLayer<QgsVectorLayer *>( "lines_a677672a_bf5d_410d_98c9_d326a5719a1b" );
 
   //LAYER NAMES
   //lines -> Linien