Index: src/ui/dialog/layers.h
===================================================================
--- src/ui/dialog/layers.h	(revision 22775)
+++ src/ui/dialog/layers.h	(working copy)
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@
 
     bool _rowSelectFunction( Glib::RefPtr<Gtk::TreeModel> const & model, Gtk::TreeModel::Path const & path, bool b );
 
+    void _updateItemsSelected(Inkscape::Selection *selection);
+
     void _updateLayer(SPObject *layer);
     bool _checkForUpdated(const Gtk::TreePath &path, const Gtk::TreeIter& iter, SPObject* layer);
 
@@ -97,6 +99,9 @@
     sigc::connection _addedConnection;
     sigc::connection _removedConnection;
 
+    // Hooked to item selection
+    sigc::connection _itemSelectionConnection;
+
     // Internal
     sigc::connection _selectedConnection;
 
Index: src/ui/dialog/layers.cpp
===================================================================
--- src/ui/dialog/layers.cpp	(revision 22775)
+++ src/ui/dialog/layers.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 #include "desktop.h"
 #include "desktop-style.h"
+#include "desktop-handles.h"
 #include "document.h"
 #include "helper/action.h"
 #include "inkscape.h"
@@ -51,7 +52,8 @@
 
 enum {
     COL_VISIBLE = 1,
-    COL_LOCKED
+    COL_LOCKED,
+    COL_SELECTED
 };
 
 enum {
@@ -284,6 +286,7 @@
         add(_colVisible);
         add(_colLocked);
         add(_colLabel);
+        add(_colSelected);
     }
     virtual ~ModelColumns() {}
 
@@ -291,6 +294,7 @@
     Gtk::TreeModelColumn<Glib::ustring> _colLabel;
     Gtk::TreeModelColumn<bool> _colVisible;
     Gtk::TreeModelColumn<bool> _colLocked;
+    Gtk::TreeModelColumn<bool> _colSelected;
 };
 
 void LayersPanel::_updateLayer( SPObject *layer ) {
@@ -311,6 +315,11 @@
         stopGoing = true;
     }
 
+    // update the item selection state of the layers
+    row[_model->_colSelected] = _desktop ?
+            sp_desktop_selection(_desktop)->includes(row[_model->_colObject]) :
+            false;        
+
     return stopGoing;
 }
 
@@ -384,6 +393,7 @@
                 row[_model->_colLabel] = child->label() ? child->label() : SP_OBJECT_ID(child);
                 row[_model->_colVisible] = SP_IS_ITEM(child) ? !SP_ITEM(child)->isHidden() : false;
                 row[_model->_colLocked] = SP_IS_ITEM(child) ? SP_ITEM(child)->isLocked() : false;
+                row[_model->_colSelected] = false;
 
                 if ( target && child == target ) {
                     _tree.expand_to_path( _store->get_path(iter) );
@@ -506,6 +516,23 @@
                                   newValue? _("Lock layer") : _("Unlock layer"));
             }
             break;
+
+            case COL_SELECTED:
+            {
+                bool newValue = !row[_model->_colSelected];
+                row[_model->_colSelected] = newValue;
+                if (_desktop) {
+                    // maybe sel->toggle() could be used too, if it doesn't get
+                    // out of sync
+                    Inkscape::Selection *sel = sp_desktop_selection(_desktop);
+                    if (newValue) {
+                        sel->add(row[_model->_colObject]);
+                    }
+                    else {
+                        sel->remove(row[_model->_colObject]);
+                    }
+                }
+            }
         }
     }
 }
@@ -625,9 +652,19 @@
     }
 
     int nameColNum = _tree.append_column_editable("Name", _model->_colLabel) - 1;
-
     _tree.set_expander_column( *_tree.get_column(nameColNum) );
 
+    Inkscape::UI::Widget::ImageToggler *selRenderer = manage( new Inkscape::UI::Widget::ImageToggler(
+        INKSCAPE_ICON_OBJECT_VISIBLE, INKSCAPE_ICON_OBJECT_HIDDEN) );
+    int selectedColNum = _tree.append_column("sel", *selRenderer) - 1;
+    selRenderer->signal_pre_toggle().connect( sigc::mem_fun(*this, &LayersPanel::_preToggle) );
+    selRenderer->signal_toggled().connect( sigc::bind( sigc::mem_fun(*this, &LayersPanel::_toggled), (int)COL_SELECTED) );
+    selRenderer->property_activatable() = true;
+    col = _tree.get_column(selectedColNum);
+    if ( col ) {
+        col->add_attribute( selRenderer->property_active(), _model->_colSelected );
+    }
+
     _compositeSettings.setSubject(&_subject);
 
     _selectedConnection = _tree.get_selection()->signal_changed().connect( sigc::mem_fun(*this, &LayersPanel::_pushTreeSelectionToCurrent) );
@@ -752,6 +789,10 @@
     }
 }
 
+void LayersPanel::_updateItemsSelected(Inkscape::Selection */*selection*/)
+{
+    _updateLayer(0);
+}
 
 void LayersPanel::setDesktop( SPDesktop* desktop )
 {
@@ -761,6 +802,7 @@
         _layerChangedConnection.disconnect();
         _layerUpdatedConnection.disconnect();
         _changedConnection.disconnect();
+        _itemSelectionConnection.disconnect();
         if ( _mgr ) {
             _mgr = 0;
         }
@@ -779,6 +821,9 @@
                 _changedConnection = _mgr->connectChanged( sigc::mem_fun(*this, &LayersPanel::_layersChanged) );
             }
 
+            sp_desktop_selection(_desktop)->connectChanged(
+                    sigc::mem_fun(*this, &LayersPanel::_updateItemsSelected) );
+
             _layersChanged();
         }
     }