diff --git a/src/edt/edt/edtRecentConfigurationPage.cc b/src/edt/edt/edtRecentConfigurationPage.cc
index 6c4b998cc..554f85be0 100644
--- a/src/edt/edt/edtRecentConfigurationPage.cc
+++ b/src/edt/edt/edtRecentConfigurationPage.cc
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ RecentConfigurationPage::item_clicked (QTreeWidgetItem *item)
         ex.read (cv_index);
       }
 
-      mp_view->set_current_layer (cv_index, lp);
+      mp_view->set_or_request_current_layer (cv_index, lp);
 
     } else {
       dispatcher ()->config_set (c->cfg_name, v);
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayerControlPanel.cc b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayerControlPanel.cc
index 4c5c8f884..b0038635d 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayerControlPanel.cc
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayerControlPanel.cc
@@ -505,16 +505,14 @@ LayerControlPanel::cm_insert ()
 
     BEGIN_PROTECTED_CLEANUP
 
-    transaction (tl::to_string (QObject::tr ("Insert views")));
+    transaction (tl::to_string (QObject::tr ("Insert layer view")));
 
     props.set_source (tl::to_string (n));
     mp_view->init_layer_properties (props);
+
     const LayerPropertiesNode &lp = mp_view->insert_layer (sel, props);
 
-    if (transacting ()) {
-      manager ()->queue (this, new LayerSelectionClearOp ());
-    }
-    mp_layer_list->set_current (sel);
+    set_current_layer (sel);
 
     commit ();
 
@@ -565,18 +563,12 @@ LayerControlPanel::cm_group ()
 
     mp_view->insert_layer (ins_pos, node);
 
-    if (transacting ()) {
-      manager ()->queue (this, new LayerSelectionClearOp ());
-    }
+    set_current_layer (*sel.rbegin ());
 
     commit ();
 
-    end_updates ();
-
     emit order_changed ();
 
-    mp_layer_list->set_current (*sel.rbegin ());
-
   }
 
   END_PROTECTED_CLEANUP { recover (); }
@@ -1907,8 +1899,14 @@ LayerControlPanel::do_update_content ()
 }
 
 void
-LayerControlPanel::set_current_layer (const lay::LayerPropertiesConstIterator &l) const
+LayerControlPanel::set_current_layer (const lay::LayerPropertiesConstIterator &l)
 {
+  if (transacting ()) {
+    manager ()->queue (this, new LayerSelectionClearOp ());
+  }
+
+  end_updates ();
+
   mp_layer_list->set_current (l);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayerControlPanel.h b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayerControlPanel.h
index 6fd767e74..7276bdfbe 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayerControlPanel.h
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayerControlPanel.h
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ public:
    *
    *  This will also select this layer.
    */
-  void set_current_layer (const lay::LayerPropertiesConstIterator &l) const;
+  void set_current_layer (const lay::LayerPropertiesConstIterator &l);
 
   /**
    *  @brief Return the current layer index
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutView.cc b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutView.cc
index cdd930078..fe3c642b7 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutView.cc
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutView.cc
@@ -1709,7 +1709,41 @@ LayoutView::enable_edits (bool enable)
   }
 }
 
-void 
+bool
+LayoutView::set_or_request_current_layer (unsigned int cv_index, const db::LayerProperties &lp)
+{
+  bool ok = set_current_layer (cv_index, lp);
+  if (ok) {
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  if (! mp_control_panel) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  const lay::CellView &cv = cellview (cv_index);
+  if (! cv.is_valid ()) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  if (QMessageBox::question (this, tr ("Create Layer"), tr ("Layer %1 does not exist yet. Create it now?").arg (tl::to_qstring (lp.to_string ()))) == QMessageBox::Yes) {
+
+    lay::LayerPropertiesNode lpn;
+    lpn.set_source (lay::ParsedLayerSource (lp, cv_index));
+    init_layer_properties (lpn);
+
+    transaction (tl::to_string (QObject::tr ("Create new layer")));
+    set_current_layer (lay::LayerPropertiesConstIterator (& insert_layer (end_layers (), lpn)));
+    commit ();
+
+    return true;
+
+  }
+
+  return false;
+}
+
+bool
 LayoutView::set_current_layer (unsigned int cv_index, const db::LayerProperties &lp) 
 {
   //  rename the ones that got shifted.
@@ -1717,13 +1751,14 @@ LayoutView::set_current_layer (unsigned int cv_index, const db::LayerProperties
   while (! l.at_end ()) {
     if (l->source (true).cv_index () == int (cv_index) && l->source (true).layer_props ().log_equal (lp)) {
       set_current_layer (l);
-      break;
+      return true;
     }
     ++l;
   }
+  return false;
 }
 
-void 
+void
 LayoutView::set_current_layer (const lay::LayerPropertiesConstIterator &l) 
 {
   if (mp_control_panel) {
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutView.h b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutView.h
index 77c29d23d..66469b163 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutView.h
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutView.h
@@ -780,8 +780,18 @@ public:
    *
    *  This method will look up that layer in the layer view tree and select that layer.
    *  This method will also select this layer.
+   *
+   *  Returns false if the layer is not a valid one.
    */
-  void set_current_layer (unsigned int cv_index, const db::LayerProperties &properties);
+  bool set_current_layer (unsigned int cv_index, const db::LayerProperties &properties);
+
+  /**
+   *  @brief Sets the currently active layer by layer properties and cell view index
+   *
+   *  If the layer does not exist, the user will be asked whether to create the layer.
+   *  Returns false if the layer is not a valid one and the user defined to create the layer.
+   */
+  bool set_or_request_current_layer (unsigned int cv_index, const db::LayerProperties &properties);
 
   /**
    *  @brief Sets the currently active layer