Index: src/app/qgisappinterface.cpp
===================================================================
--- src/app/qgisappinterface.cpp	(revision 14436)
+++ src/app/qgisappinterface.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@
            this, SIGNAL( composerWillBeRemoved( QgsComposerView* ) ) );
   connect( qgis, SIGNAL( initializationCompleted() ),
            this, SIGNAL( initializationCompleted() ) );
+  connect( qgis, SIGNAL( newProject() ),
+           this, SIGNAL( newProjectCreated() ) );
+  connect( qgis, SIGNAL( projectRead() ),
+           this, SIGNAL( projectRead() ) );
 }
 
 QgisAppInterface::~QgisAppInterface()
Index: src/gui/qgisinterface.h
===================================================================
--- src/gui/qgisinterface.h	(revision 14436)
+++ src/gui/qgisinterface.h	(working copy)
@@ -322,6 +322,24 @@
     /**This signal is emitted when the initialization is complete
        @note added in version 1.6*/
     void initializationCompleted();
+    /** emitted when a project file is successfully read
+        @note
+        This is useful for plug-ins that store properties with project files.  A
+        plug-in can connect to this signal.  When it is emitted, the plug-in
+        knows to then check the project properties for any relevant state.
+
+     */
+    void projectRead();
+    /** emitted when starting an entirely new project
+        @note
+        This is similar to projectRead(); plug-ins might want to be notified
+        that they're in a new project.  Yes, projectRead() could have been
+        overloaded to be used in the case of new projects instead.  However,
+        it's probably more semantically correct to have an entirely separate
+        signal for when this happens.
+      */
+     void newProjectCreated();
+
 };
 
 // FIXME: also in core/qgis.h