Index: source/blender/makesdna/DNA_view3d_types.h
===================================================================
--- source/blender/makesdna/DNA_view3d_types.h	(revision 16404)
+++ source/blender/makesdna/DNA_view3d_types.h	(working copy)
@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@
 	float winmat1[4][4];  // persp(1) storage, for swap matrices
 	float viewmat1[4][4];
 	
-	float viewquat[4], dist, zfac, pad0;	/* zfac is initgrabz() result */
+	float viewquat[4], dist, zfac;	/* zfac is initgrabz() result */
+	int lay_used; /* used while drawing */
 
 	short persp;
 	short view;
Index: source/blender/src/drawview.c
===================================================================
--- source/blender/src/drawview.c	(revision 16404)
+++ source/blender/src/drawview.c	(working copy)
@@ -3023,9 +3023,12 @@
 		for(SETLOOPER(G.scene->set, base))
 			object_handle_update(base->object);   // bke_object.h
 	}
-
-	for(base= G.scene->base.first; base; base= base->next)
+	
+	v3d->lay_used = 0;
+	for(base= G.scene->base.first; base; base= base->next) {
 		object_handle_update(base->object);   // bke_object.h
+		v3d->lay_used |= base->lay;
+	}
 
 	/* shadow buffers, before we setup matrices */
 	if(draw_glsl_material(NULL, v3d->drawtype))
Index: source/blender/src/header_view3d.c
===================================================================
--- source/blender/src/header_view3d.c	(revision 16404)
+++ source/blender/src/header_view3d.c	(working copy)
@@ -5733,19 +5733,26 @@
  		
 		/* LAYERS */
 		if(G.obedit==NULL && G.vd->localview==0) {
+			int icon;
 			uiBlockBeginAlign(block);
-			for(a=0; a<5; a++)
-				uiDefButBitI(block, TOG, 1<<a, B_LAY+a, "",	(short)(xco+a*(XIC/2)), (short)(YIC/2),(short)(XIC/2),(short)(YIC/2), &(G.vd->lay), 0, 0, 0, 0, "Toggles Layer visibility (Num, Shift Num)");
-			for(a=0; a<5; a++)
-				uiDefButBitI(block, TOG, 1<<(a+10), B_LAY+10+a, "",(short)(xco+a*(XIC/2)), 0,			XIC/2, (YIC)/2, &(G.vd->lay), 0, 0, 0, 0, "Toggles Layer visibility (Alt Num, Alt Shift Num)");
-		
+			for(a=0; a<5; a++) {
+				icon = (G.vd->lay_used & 1<<a) ? ICON_ZOOMOUT : ICON_BLANK1;
+				uiDefIconButBitI(block, TOG, 1<<a, B_LAY+a, icon, (short)(xco+a*(XIC/2)), (short)(YIC/2),(short)(XIC/2),(short)(YIC/2), &(G.vd->lay), 0, 0, 0, 0, "Toggles Layer visibility (Alt Num, Alt Shift Num)");
+			}
+			for(a=0; a<5; a++) {
+				icon = (G.vd->lay_used & 1<<(a+10)) ? ICON_ZOOMOUT : ICON_BLANK1;
+				uiDefIconButBitI(block, TOG, 1<<(a+10), B_LAY+10+a, icon, (short)(xco+a*(XIC/2)), 0,			XIC/2, (YIC)/2, &(G.vd->lay), 0, 0, 0, 0, "Toggles Layer visibility (Alt Num, Alt Shift Num)");
+			}
 			xco+= 5;
 			uiBlockBeginAlign(block);
-			for(a=5; a<10; a++)
-				uiDefButBitI(block, TOG, 1<<a, B_LAY+a, "",	(short)(xco+a*(XIC/2)), (short)(YIC/2),(short)(XIC/2),(short)(YIC/2), &(G.vd->lay), 0, 0, 0, 0, "Toggles Layer visibility (Num, Shift Num)");
-			for(a=5; a<10; a++)
-				uiDefButBitI(block, TOG, 1<<(a+10), B_LAY+10+a, "",(short)(xco+a*(XIC/2)), 0,			XIC/2, (YIC)/2, &(G.vd->lay), 0, 0, 0, 0, "Toggles Layer visibility (Alt Num, Alt Shift Num)");
-
+			for(a=5; a<10; a++) {
+				icon = (G.vd->lay_used & 1<<a) ? ICON_ZOOMOUT : ICON_BLANK1;
+				uiDefIconButBitI(block, TOG, 1<<a, B_LAY+a, icon, (short)(xco+a*(XIC/2)), (short)(YIC/2),(short)(XIC/2),(short)(YIC/2), &(G.vd->lay), 0, 0, 0, 0, "Toggles Layer visibility (Alt Num, Alt Shift Num)");
+			}
+			for(a=5; a<10; a++) {
+				icon = (G.vd->lay_used & 1<<(a+10)) ? ICON_ZOOMOUT : ICON_BLANK1;
+				uiDefIconButBitI(block, TOG, 1<<(a+10), B_LAY+10+a, icon, (short)(xco+a*(XIC/2)), 0,			XIC/2, (YIC)/2, &(G.vd->lay), 0, 0, 0, 0, "Toggles Layer visibility (Alt Num, Alt Shift Num)");
+			}
 			uiBlockEndAlign(block);
 		
 			xco+= (a-2)*(XIC/2)+3;