diff --git a/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/inc/MantidAPI/Algorithm.h b/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/inc/MantidAPI/Algorithm.h
index b0b0d6f1e967..9c5a4b5a36da 100644
--- a/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/inc/MantidAPI/Algorithm.h
+++ b/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/inc/MantidAPI/Algorithm.h
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ class MANTID_API_DLL Algorithm : public IAlgorithm, public Kernel::PropertyManag
   /// Set if an exception is thrown, and not caught, within a parallel region
   bool m_parallelException;
 
-  friend class WorkspaceHistory; // Allow workspace history loading to adjust g_execCount
+  friend class WorkspaceHistory; // Allow workspace history loading to adjust g_execCount 
   static size_t g_execCount; ///< Counter to keep track of algorithm execution order
 
   // ------------------ For WorkspaceGroups ------------------------------------
diff --git a/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/inc/MantidAPI/AlgorithmHistory.h b/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/inc/MantidAPI/AlgorithmHistory.h
index 49367687a100..ce56efc5f6f5 100644
--- a/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/inc/MantidAPI/AlgorithmHistory.h
+++ b/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/inc/MantidAPI/AlgorithmHistory.h
@@ -70,8 +70,6 @@ class MANTID_API_DLL AlgorithmHistory
 
   /// add a child algorithm history record to this history object
   void addChildHistory(const AlgorithmHistory& childHist);
-  /// set the duration time this algorithm history object
-  void setDuration(const double& duration);
   // get functions
   /// get name of algorithm in history const
   const std::string& name() const {return m_name;}
@@ -89,6 +87,8 @@ class MANTID_API_DLL AlgorithmHistory
   AlgorithmHistories getChildHistories() const { return m_childHistories; }
   /// Retrieve a child algorithm history by index
   const AlgorithmHistory & getChildAlgorithmHistory(const size_t index) const;
+    /// Add operator[] access
+  const AlgorithmHistory & operator[](const size_t index) const;
   /// Retrieve the number of child algorithms
   size_t childHistorySize() const;
   /// print contents of object
@@ -106,8 +106,14 @@ class MANTID_API_DLL AlgorithmHistory
   }
   /// Create a concrete algorithm based on a history record
   boost::shared_ptr<IAlgorithm> createAlgorithm() const;
+  // Allow Algorithm::execute to change the exec count & duration after the algorithm was executed
+  friend class Algorithm;
   
 private:
+  // Set the execution count 
+  void setExecCount(std::size_t execCount) { m_execCount = execCount; }
+  /// Set the duration time 
+  void setDuration(const double& duration) { m_executionDuration = duration; }
   /// The name of the Algorithm
   std::string m_name;
   /// The version of the algorithm
diff --git a/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/src/Algorithm.cpp b/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/src/Algorithm.cpp
index ec3c7d04ec5a..358345ccfeec 100644
--- a/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/src/Algorithm.cpp
+++ b/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/src/Algorithm.cpp
@@ -616,7 +616,7 @@ namespace Mantid
 
           start_time = Mantid::Kernel::DateAndTime::getCurrentTime();
           //populate history record before execution so we can record child algorithms in it
-          AlgorithmHistory algHist(this, start_time, -1.0, Algorithm::g_execCount);
+          AlgorithmHistory algHist(this, start_time);
           m_history = boost::make_shared<AlgorithmHistory>(algHist);
           
           // Start a timer
@@ -628,6 +628,7 @@ namespace Mantid
           // Get how long this algorithm took to run
           const float duration = timer.elapsed();
           m_history->setDuration(duration);
+          m_history->setExecCount(Algorithm::g_execCount);
 
           // need it to throw before trying to run fillhistory() on an algorithm which has failed
           if(trackingHistory())
diff --git a/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmHistory.cpp b/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmHistory.cpp
index ccecd4f99737..8fa76c4b7a38 100644
--- a/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmHistory.cpp
+++ b/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmHistory.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ AlgorithmHistory::AlgorithmHistory(const Algorithm* const alg, const Kernel::Dat
   }
 }
 
-
 /// Destructor
 AlgorithmHistory::~AlgorithmHistory()
 {}
@@ -122,12 +121,15 @@ const AlgorithmHistory & AlgorithmHistory::getChildAlgorithmHistory(const size_t
   return *start;
 }
 
-/** Set the duration time of the algorithm in the history
- *  @param duration :: The time the algorithm took to execute
+/**
+ * Index operator[] access to a child algorithm history
+ * @param index ::  An index within the algorithm history
+ * @returns A reference to a const AlgorithmHistory object
+ * @throws std::out_of_range error if the index is invalid
  */
-void AlgorithmHistory::setDuration(const double& duration)
+const AlgorithmHistory& AlgorithmHistory::operator[](const size_t index) const
 {
-  m_executionDuration = duration;
+  return getChildAlgorithmHistory(index);
 }
 
 /** Prints a text representation of itself