diff --git a/src/frontend/commands.c b/src/frontend/commands.c
index 3fb5136d4..027b9a0d9 100644
--- a/src/frontend/commands.c
+++ b/src/frontend/commands.c
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ struct comm spcp_coms[] = {
       NULL,
       "[plotname] ... : Throw away all the data in the plot." } ,
     { "setplot", com_splot, FALSE, TRUE,
-      { 0400, 0, 0, 0 }, E_DEFHMASK, 0, 1,
+      { 0400, 0, 0, 0 }, E_DEFHMASK, 0, 4,
       NULL,
       "[plotname] : Change the current working plot." } ,
     { "setcirc", com_scirc, TRUE, FALSE,
@@ -736,7 +736,7 @@ struct comm nutcp_coms[] = {
       NULL,
       "[plotname] ... : Throw away all the data in the plot." } ,
     { "setplot", com_splot, FALSE, TRUE,
-      { 0400, 0, 0, 0 }, E_DEFHMASK, 0, 1,
+      { 0400, 0, 0, 0 }, E_DEFHMASK, 0, 4,
       NULL,
       "[plotname] : Change the current working plot." } ,
     { "setcirc", com_scirc, TRUE, FALSE,
diff --git a/src/frontend/postcoms.c b/src/frontend/postcoms.c
index 2322592c0..425587071 100644
--- a/src/frontend/postcoms.c
+++ b/src/frontend/postcoms.c
@@ -1179,6 +1179,17 @@ DelPlotWindows(struct plot *pl)
 #endif
 }
 
+/* Helper for com_splot(). */
+
+static int new_str(wordlist **pwl, char **ps)
+{
+    *pwl = (*pwl)->wl_next;
+    if (!*pwl)
+        return 1;
+    tfree(*ps);
+    *ps = copy((*pwl)->wl_word);
+    return 0;
+}
 
 /*
  * command 'setplot'
@@ -1196,6 +1207,18 @@ com_splot(wordlist *wl)
 
     if (wl) {
         plot_setcur(wl->wl_word);
+
+        if (cieq(wl->wl_word, "new")) {
+            /* The user may also supply, name, title and typename strings.
+             * The typename is the 'true name' used in commands!
+             */
+
+            if (new_str(&wl, &plot_cur->pl_typename))
+                return;
+            if (new_str(&wl, &plot_cur->pl_title))
+                return;
+            new_str(&wl, &plot_cur->pl_name);
+        }
         return;
     }