diff --git a/gui/drawwindow.py b/gui/drawwindow.py
index 9e49c1c..808885b 100644
--- a/gui/drawwindow.py
+++ b/gui/drawwindow.py
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class Window(gtk.Window):
 
         #filename is a property so that all changes will update the title
         self.filename = None
-
+        self.filenames = []
         self.eraser_mode_radius_change = 3*(0.3) # can go back to exact original with brush_smaller_cb()
         self.eraser_mode_original_radius = None
         
@@ -91,6 +91,15 @@ class Window(gtk.Window):
             self.set_title("MyPaint")
     filename = property(get_filename, set_filename)
 
+    def get_filenames(self):
+        return self.filenames
+
+    # Something goes wrong with this, my knowledge in python is too low for now
+    #def set_filenames(self,*list):
+    #    self.set_filename(list[0])
+    #    self.filenames = list[:]
+    #filenames = property(get_filenames, set_filenames)
+
     def create_ui(self):
         ag = self.action_group = gtk.ActionGroup('WindowActions')
         # FIXME: this xml menu only creates unneeded information duplication, I think.
@@ -100,6 +109,7 @@ class Window(gtk.Window):
             <menu action='FileMenu'>
               <menuitem action='New'/>
               <menuitem action='Open'/>
+              <menuitem action='OpenAsLayers' />
               <menuitem action='OpenRecent'/>
               <separator/>
               <menuitem action='Save'/>
@@ -217,6 +227,7 @@ class Window(gtk.Window):
             ('FileMenu',     None, 'File'),
             ('New',          None, 'New', '<control>N', None, self.new_cb),
             ('Open',         None, 'Open...', '<control>O', None, self.open_cb),
+            ('OpenAsLayers',         None, 'Open as layers', '<control><alt>O', None, self.open_multifile_cb),
             ('OpenRecent',   None, 'Open Recent', 'F3', None, self.open_recent_cb),
             ('Save',         None, 'Save', '<control>S', None, self.save_cb),
             ('SaveAs',       None, 'Save As...', '<control><shift>S', None, self.save_as_cb),
@@ -739,6 +750,24 @@ class Window(gtk.Window):
             self.reset_view_cb(None)
             self.tdw.recenter_document()
 
+    def open_multifile(self, filenames):
+        filenames.reverse() # to match layers order from bottom to top
+        try:
+            self.doc.load_multifile(filenames)
+        except document.SaveLoadError, e:
+            d = gtk.MessageDialog(self, type=gtk.MESSAGE_ERROR, buttons=gtk.BUTTONS_OK)
+            d.set_markup(str(e))
+            d.run()
+            d.destroy()
+        else:
+            self.filename = os.path.abspath(filenames[0])
+            self.filenames = filenames[:]
+            for i, fname in enumerate(filenames):
+                self.filenames[i] = os.path.abspath(fname)
+            print 'Loaded from', self.filenames[0]
+            self.reset_view_cb(None)
+            self.tdw.recenter_document()
+
     @with_wait_cursor
     def save_file(self, filename, **options):
         try:
@@ -833,6 +862,37 @@ class Window(gtk.Window):
         else:
             self.save_file(self.filename)
 
+    def open_multifile_cb(self, action):
+        if not self.confirm_destructive_action():
+            return
+        dialog = gtk.FileChooserDialog("Open..", self,
+                                       gtk.FILE_CHOOSER_ACTION_OPEN,
+                                       (gtk.STOCK_CANCEL, gtk.RESPONSE_CANCEL,
+                                        gtk.STOCK_OPEN, gtk.RESPONSE_OK))
+        dialog.set_select_multiple(True);
+        dialog.set_default_response(gtk.RESPONSE_OK)
+
+        filters = [ #name, patterns
+        ("All Recognized Formats", ("*.png", "*.jpg", "*.jpeg")),
+        ("PNG (*.png)", ("*.png",)),
+        ("JPEG (*.jpg; *.jpeg)", ("*.jpg", "*.jpeg")),
+        ]
+        for name, patterns in filters:
+            f = gtk.FileFilter()
+            f.set_name(name)
+            for p in patterns:
+                f.add_pattern(p)
+            dialog.add_filter(f)
+
+        if self.filename:
+            dialog.set_filename(self.filename)
+        try:
+            if dialog.run() == gtk.RESPONSE_OK:
+                self.open_multifile(dialog.get_filenames())
+        finally:
+            dialog.destroy()
+
+
 
     def init_save_dialog(self):
         dialog = gtk.FileChooserDialog("Save..", self,
diff --git a/lib/document.py b/lib/document.py
index 83d6ebc..efe649b 100644
--- a/lib/document.py
+++ b/lib/document.py
@@ -255,6 +255,19 @@ class Document():
         self.command_stack.clear()
         self.unsaved_painting_time = 0.0
 
+    def load_multifile(self, filenames):
+        for i, filename in enumerate(filenames):
+            if not os.path.isfile(filename):
+                raise SaveLoadError, 'File does not exist: ' + repr(filename)
+            if not os.access(filename,os.R_OK):
+                raise SaveLoadError, 'You do not have the necessary permissions to open file: ' + repr(fname)
+        trash, ext = os.path.splitext(filenames[0])
+        ext = ext.lower().replace('.', '')
+        load = getattr(self, 'load_multifile_' + ext, self.unsupported)
+        load(filenames)
+        self.command_stack.clear()
+        self.unsaved_painting_time = 0.0
+
     def unsupported(self, filename):
         raise SaveLoadError, 'Unknown file format extension: ' + repr(filename)
 
@@ -288,6 +301,26 @@ class Document():
     def load_png(self, filename):
         self.load_from_pixbuf(gdk.pixbuf_new_from_file(filename))
 
+    def load_multifile_png(self, filenames):
+        self.clear()  # this leaves one empty layer
+
+        for filename in filenames:
+            pixbuf = gdk.pixbuf_new_from_file(filename)
+            self.add_layer(insert_idx=0)
+            last_pixbuf = pixbuf
+            t1 = time.time()
+            self.load_layer_from_pixbuf(pixbuf, 0, 0)
+            #self.layers[0].opacity = helpers.clamp(1.0, 0.0, 1.0)
+            print '  %.3fs converting pixbuf to layer format' % (time.time() - t1)
+
+        if len(self.layers) > 1:
+            # remove the still present initial empty top layer
+            self.select_layer(len(self.layers)-1)
+            self.remove_layer()
+            # this leaves the topmost layer selected
+
+
+
     def load_jpg(self, filename):
         self.load_from_pixbuf(gdk.pixbuf_new_from_file(filename))
     load_jpeg = load_jpg