diff --git a/editor/draw.js b/editor/draw.js
index e1bc1006..d030b9e9 100644
--- a/editor/draw.js
+++ b/editor/draw.js
@@ -277,7 +277,8 @@ svgedit.draw.Drawing.prototype.setCurrentLayer = function(name) {
 };
 
 // Function: svgedit.draw.Drawing.identifyLayers
-// Updates layer system
+// Updates layer system and sets the current layer to the
+// top-most layer (last <g> child of this drawing).
 svgedit.draw.Drawing.prototype.identifyLayers = function() {
 	this.all_layers = [];
 	var numchildren = this.svgElem_.childNodes.length;
@@ -341,5 +342,25 @@ svgedit.draw.Drawing.prototype.identifyLayers = function() {
 	this.current_layer.setAttribute("style","pointer-events:all");
 };
 
+// Function: svgedit.draw.Drawing.createLayer
+// Creates a new top-level layer in the drawing with the given name and 
+// sets the current layer to it.
+//
+// Parameters:
+// name - The given name
+//
+// Returns:
+// The SVGGElement of the new layer, which is also the current layer
+// of this drawing.
+svgedit.draw.Drawing.prototype.createLayer = function(name) {
+	var svgdoc = this.svgElem_.ownerDocument;
+	var new_layer = svgdoc.createElementNS(svg_ns, "g");
+	var layer_title = svgdoc.createElementNS(svg_ns, "title");
+	layer_title.textContent = name;
+	new_layer.appendChild(layer_title);
+	this.svgElem_.appendChild(new_layer);
+	this.identifyLayers();
+	return new_layer;
+};
 
 })();
diff --git a/editor/svgcanvas.js b/editor/svgcanvas.js
index 3007fb9a..f35f2cd3 100644
--- a/editor/svgcanvas.js
+++ b/editor/svgcanvas.js
@@ -6974,16 +6974,10 @@ var identifyLayers = canvas.identifyLayers = function() {
 // name - The given name
 this.createLayer = function(name) {
 	var batchCmd = new BatchCommand("Create Layer");
-	var new_layer = svgdoc.createElementNS(svgns, "g");
-	var layer_title = svgdoc.createElementNS(svgns, "title");
-	layer_title.textContent = name;
-	new_layer.appendChild(layer_title);
-	new_layer = svgcontent.appendChild(new_layer);
+	var new_layer = getCurrentDrawing().createLayer(name);
 	batchCmd.addSubCommand(new InsertElementCommand(new_layer));
 	addCommandToHistory(batchCmd);
 	clearSelection();
-	identifyLayers();
-	canvas.setCurrentLayer(name);
 	call("changed", [new_layer]);
 };
 
diff --git a/test/draw_test.html b/test/draw_test.html
index efe7a570..7168f0f2 100644
--- a/test/draw_test.html
+++ b/test/draw_test.html
@@ -355,6 +355,27 @@
 		drawing.setCurrentLayer(LAYER3);
 		equals(drawing.getCurrentLayerName(LAYER3), LAYER3);
 		equals(drawing.getCurrentLayer(), drawing.all_layers[2][1]);
+
+		cleanupSvg(svg);
+	});
+	
+	test('Test createLayer()', function() {
+		expect(6);
+		
+		var drawing = new svgedit.draw.Drawing(svg);
+		setupSvgWith3Layers(svg);
+		
+		ok(drawing.createLayer);
+		equals(typeof drawing.createLayer, typeof function(){});
+		
+		var NEW_LAYER_NAME = 'Layer A';
+		var layer_g = drawing.createLayer(NEW_LAYER_NAME);
+		equals(4, drawing.getNumLayers());
+		equals(layer_g, drawing.getCurrentLayer());
+		equals(NEW_LAYER_NAME, drawing.getCurrentLayerName());
+		equals(NEW_LAYER_NAME, drawing.getLayerName(3));
+		
+		cleanupSvg(svg);
 	});
 
   });