Index: source/blender/src/drawview.c
===================================================================
--- source/blender/src/drawview.c	(revision 16197)
+++ source/blender/src/drawview.c	(working copy)
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@
 #include "BIF_retopo.h"
 #include "BIF_screen.h"
 #include "BIF_space.h"
+#include "BIF_editdeform.h"
 
 #ifdef WITH_VERSE
 #include "BIF_verse.h"
@@ -149,6 +150,7 @@
 #include "BSE_trans_types.h"
 #include "BSE_time.h"
 #include "BSE_view.h"
+#include "BSE_edit.h"
 
 #include "BPY_extern.h"
 
@@ -1744,8 +1746,11 @@
 			uiBlockEndAlign(block);
 	
 			if(defstr[0]) {
-				uiDefBut(block, LABEL, 1, "Vertex Deform Groups",		10, 40, 290, 20, NULL, 0.0, 0.0, 0, 0, "");
+				uiDefBut(block, LABEL, 1, "Vertex Deform Groups",		10, 40, 150, 20, NULL, 0.0, 0.0, 0, 0, "");
 
+				uiDefBut(block, BUT,B_OBJECTPANEL_VGROUPSET,    "Set",        160, 40, 70, 20, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, "Sets vertex group as active");
+				uiDefBut(block, BUT,B_OBJECTPANEL_VGROUPSEL,    "Select",        230, 40, 70, 20, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, "Selects vertices of vertex group");
+
 				uiBlockBeginAlign(block);
 				uiDefButF(block, NUM, B_NOP, "Weight:",			10, 20, 150, 19, tfp->defweightp, 0.0f, 1.0f, 10, 3, "Weight value");
 				uiDefButI(block, MENU, REDRAWVIEW3D, defstr,	160, 20, 140, 19, &tfp->curdef, 0.0, 0.0, 0, 0, "Current Vertex Group");
@@ -2257,6 +2262,27 @@
 	case B_TRANSFORMSPACECLEAR:
 		BIF_clearTransformOrientation();
 		allqueue(REDRAWVIEW3D, 1);
+		break;
+	case B_OBJECTPANEL_VGROUPSET:
+		{
+			ob->actdef = tfp->curdef+1;
+			allqueue(REDRAWBUTSEDIT, 1);
+			allqueue(REDRAWOOPS, 0);
+			break;
+		}
+	case B_OBJECTPANEL_VGROUPSEL:
+		{
+			int oldactdef = ob->actdef;
+			// there's no need to clear selection since this button is showed only when exactly
+			// one vertex is selected and that belongs to the group that we are about to select
+			ob->actdef = tfp->curdef+1;
+			sel_verts_defgroup(1);
+			ob->actdef = oldactdef;
+			allqueue(REDRAWVIEW3D, 1);
+			allqueue(REDRAWOOPS, 0);
+			countall();
+			break;
+		}
 	}
 }
 
Index: source/blender/include/butspace.h
===================================================================
--- source/blender/include/butspace.h	(revision 16197)
+++ source/blender/include/butspace.h	(working copy)
@@ -171,6 +171,8 @@
 #define B_OBJECTPANELDIMS 	1015
 #define B_TRANSFORMSPACEADD	1016
 #define B_TRANSFORMSPACECLEAR	1017
+#define B_OBJECTPANEL_VGROUPSET 1018
+#define B_OBJECTPANEL_VGROUPSEL 1019
 
 /* *********************** */
 #define B_LAMPBUTS		1200
Index: source/blender/src/editdeform.c
===================================================================
--- source/blender/src/editdeform.c	(revision 16197)
+++ source/blender/src/editdeform.c	(working copy)
@@ -132,8 +132,6 @@
 		break;
 	}
 	
-	countall();
-	
 }
 
 /* check if deform vertex has defgroup index */