diff --git a/src/plugins/north_arrow/plugin.h → src/app/qgsdecorationnortharrow.h b/src/plugins/north_arrow/plugin.h → src/app/qgsdecorationnortharrow.h
@@ -19,60 +19,39 @@
 #ifndef QGSNORTHARROWPLUGIN
 #define QGSNORTHARROWPLUGIN
 
-#include "../qgisplugin.h"
-
 #include <QObject>
 #include <QStringList>
-class QgisInterface;
+
 class QAction;
 class QToolBar;
 class QPainter;
-/**
-* \class Plugin
-* \brief North Arrow plugin for QGIS
-*
-*/
-class QgsNorthArrowPlugin: public QObject, public QgisPlugin
+
+class QgsDecorationNorthArrow: public QObject
 {
-  Q_OBJECT public:
-    /**
-     * Constructor for a plugin. The QgisInterface pointer is passed by
-     * QGIS when it attempts to instantiate the plugin.
-     * @param qI Pointer to the QgisInterface object.
-     */
-    QgsNorthArrowPlugin( QgisInterface * );
+    Q_OBJECT
+
+  public:
+    //! Constructor
+    QgsDecorationNorthArrow( QObject* parent = NULL );
     //! Destructor
-    virtual ~QgsNorthArrowPlugin();
+    virtual ~QgsDecorationNorthArrow();
+
   public slots:
-    //! init the gui
-    virtual void initGui();
-    //!set values on the gui when a project is read or the gui first loaded
+    //! set values on the gui when a project is read or the gui first loaded
     void projectRead();
+    //! save values to the project
+    void saveToProject();
+
     //! Show the dialog box
     void run();
-    // draw some arbitary text to the screen
+    //! draw some arbitary text to the screen
     void renderNorthArrow( QPainter * );
-    //! Run when the user has set a new rotation
-    void rotationChanged( int );
-    //! Refresh the map display using the mapcanvas exported via the plugin interface
-    void refreshCanvas();
-    //! unload the plugin
-    void unload();
-    //! show the help document
-    void help();
-    //! set north arrow placement
-    void setPlacement( int );
-    //! enable or disable north arrow
-    void setEnabled( bool );
-    //! enable or disable the automatic setting of the arrow direction
-    void setAutomatic( bool );
+
     //! try to calculate the direction for the north arrow. Sets the
-    // private class rotation variable. If unable to calculate the
-    // direction, the function returns false and leaves the rotation
-    // variable as is.
+    //! private class rotation variable. If unable to calculate the
+    //! direction, the function returns false and leaves the rotation
+    //! variable as is.
     bool calculateNorthDirection();
-    //! update the plugins theme when the app tells us its theme is changed
-    void setCurrentTheme( QString theThemeName );
 
   private:
 
@@ -90,10 +69,8 @@ class QgsNorthArrowPlugin: public QObject, public QgisPlugin
     // The placement index and translated text
     int mPlacementIndex;
     QStringList mPlacementLabels;
-    //! Pointer to the QGIS interface object
-    QgisInterface *qGisInterface;
-    //! Pointer to the QAction object used in the menu and toolbar
-    QAction *myQActionPointer;
+
+    friend class QgsDecorationNorthArrowDialog;
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/plugins/north_arrow/plugingui.cpp → src/app/qgsdecorationnortharrowdialog.cpp b/src/plugins/north_arrow/plugingui.cpp → src/app/qgsdecorationnortharrowdialog.cpp
@@ -9,92 +9,77 @@
  *   the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or     *
  *   (at your option) any later version.                                   *
  ***************************************************************************/
-#include "plugingui.h"
-#include "qgsapplication.h"
+
+#include "qgsdecorationnortharrowdialog.h"
+
+#include "qgsdecorationnortharrow.h"
+
+#include "qgslogger.h"
 #include "qgscontexthelp.h"
 
 #include <QPainter>
 #include <cmath>
-#include "qgslogger.h"
 
 
-QgsNorthArrowPluginGui::QgsNorthArrowPluginGui( QWidget* parent, Qt::WFlags fl )
-    : QDialog( parent, fl )
+QgsDecorationNorthArrowDialog::QgsDecorationNorthArrowDialog( QgsDecorationNorthArrow& deco, QWidget* parent )
+    : QDialog( parent ), mDeco( deco )
 {
   setupUi( this );
-}
-
-QgsNorthArrowPluginGui::~QgsNorthArrowPluginGui()
-{
-}
-
-void QgsNorthArrowPluginGui::on_buttonBox_accepted()
-{
-  // Hide the dialog
-  hide();
-  //close the dialog
-  emit rotationChanged( sliderRotation->value() );
-  emit enableAutomatic( cboxAutomatic->isChecked() );
-  emit changePlacement( cboPlacement->currentIndex() );
-  emit enableNorthArrow( cboxShow->isChecked() );
-  emit needToRefresh();
-
-  accept();
-}
 
-void QgsNorthArrowPluginGui::on_buttonBox_rejected()
-{
-  reject();
-}
-
-void QgsNorthArrowPluginGui::setRotation( int theInt )
-{
-  rotatePixmap( theInt );
-  //sliderRotation->setValue(theInt);
+  // rotation
+  rotatePixmap( mDeco.mRotationInt );
   // signal/slot connection defined in 'designer' causes the slider to
   // be moved to reflect the change in the spinbox.
-  spinAngle->setValue( theInt );
-}
+  spinAngle->setValue( mDeco.mRotationInt );
 
-void QgsNorthArrowPluginGui::setPlacementLabels( QStringList& labels )
-{
+  // placement
   cboPlacement->clear();
-  cboPlacement->addItems( labels );
+  cboPlacement->addItems( mDeco.mPlacementLabels );
+  cboPlacement->setCurrentIndex( mDeco.mPlacementIndex );
+
+  // enabled
+  cboxShow->setChecked( mDeco.mEnable );
+
+  // automatic
+  cboxAutomatic->setChecked( mDeco.mAutomatic );
 }
 
-void QgsNorthArrowPluginGui::setPlacement( int placementIndex )
+QgsDecorationNorthArrowDialog::~QgsDecorationNorthArrowDialog()
 {
-  cboPlacement->setCurrentIndex( placementIndex );
 }
 
-void QgsNorthArrowPluginGui::setEnabled( bool theBool )
+void QgsDecorationNorthArrowDialog::on_buttonBox_helpRequested()
 {
-  cboxShow->setChecked( theBool );
+  QgsContextHelp::run( metaObject()->className() );
 }
 
-void QgsNorthArrowPluginGui::setAutomatic( bool theBool )
+void QgsDecorationNorthArrowDialog::on_buttonBox_accepted()
 {
-  cboxAutomatic->setChecked( theBool );
+  mDeco.mRotationInt = sliderRotation->value();
+  mDeco.mPlacementIndex = cboPlacement->currentIndex();
+  mDeco.mEnable = cboxShow->isChecked();
+  mDeco.mAutomatic = cboxAutomatic->isChecked();
+
+  accept();
 }
 
-void QgsNorthArrowPluginGui::setAutomaticDisabled()
+void QgsDecorationNorthArrowDialog::on_buttonBox_rejected()
 {
-  cboxAutomatic->setEnabled( false );
+  reject();
 }
 
 
-//overides function by the same name created in .ui
-void QgsNorthArrowPluginGui::on_spinAngle_valueChanged( int theInt )
+void QgsDecorationNorthArrowDialog::on_spinAngle_valueChanged( int theInt )
 {
   Q_UNUSED( theInt );
 }
 
-void QgsNorthArrowPluginGui::on_sliderRotation_valueChanged( int theInt )
+void QgsDecorationNorthArrowDialog::on_sliderRotation_valueChanged( int theInt )
 {
   rotatePixmap( theInt );
 }
 
-void QgsNorthArrowPluginGui::rotatePixmap( int theRotationInt )
+void QgsDecorationNorthArrowDialog::rotatePixmap( int theRotationInt )
 {
   QPixmap myQPixmap;
   QString myFileNameQString = ":/images/north_arrows/default.png";
@@ -157,7 +142,7 @@ void QgsNorthArrowPluginGui::rotatePixmap( int theRotationInt )
 // Called when the widget has been resized.
 //
 
-void QgsNorthArrowPluginGui::resizeEvent( QResizeEvent *theResizeEvent )
+void QgsDecorationNorthArrowDialog::resizeEvent( QResizeEvent *theResizeEvent )
 {
   Q_UNUSED( theResizeEvent );
   rotatePixmap( sliderRotation->value() );

diff --git a/src/plugins/north_arrow/plugingui.h → src/app/qgsdecorationnortharrowdialog.h b/src/plugins/north_arrow/plugingui.h → src/app/qgsdecorationnortharrowdialog.h
@@ -12,49 +12,31 @@
 #ifndef QGSNORTHARROWPLUGINGUI_H
 #define QGSNORTHARROWPLUGINGUI_H
 
-#include "ui_pluginguibase.h"
-#include "qgscontexthelp.h"
+#include "ui_qgsdecorationnortharrowdialog.h"
 
-/**
-@author Tim Sutton
-*/
-class QgsNorthArrowPluginGui : public QDialog, private Ui::QgsNorthArrowPluginGuiBase
+class QgsDecorationNorthArrow;
+
+class QgsDecorationNorthArrowDialog : public QDialog, private Ui::QgsDecorationNorthArrowDialog
 {
     Q_OBJECT
 
   public:
-    QgsNorthArrowPluginGui( QWidget* parent = 0, Qt::WFlags fl = 0 );
-    ~QgsNorthArrowPluginGui();
+    QgsDecorationNorthArrowDialog( QgsDecorationNorthArrow& deco, QWidget* parent = 0 );
+    ~QgsDecorationNorthArrowDialog();
 
   private:
     void rotatePixmap( int theRotationInt );
-    //    void paintEvent( QPaintEvent * );//overloads qwidget
     void resizeEvent( QResizeEvent * ); //overloads qwidget
 
-  signals:
-    //void drawRasterLayer(QString);
-    //void drawVectorrLayer(QString,QString,QString);
-    void rotationChanged( int );
-    void changePlacement( int );
-    // enable NorthArrow
-    void enableNorthArrow( bool );
-    void enableAutomatic( bool );
-    void needToRefresh();
-
-  public slots:
-    void setRotation( int );
-    void setPlacementLabels( QStringList& );
-    void setPlacement( int );
-    void setEnabled( bool );
-    void setAutomatic( bool );
-    void setAutomaticDisabled();
-
   private slots:
     void on_buttonBox_accepted();
     void on_buttonBox_rejected();
-    void on_buttonBox_helpRequested() { QgsContextHelp::run( metaObject()->className() ); }
+    void on_buttonBox_helpRequested();
     void on_spinAngle_valueChanged( int theInt );
     void on_sliderRotation_valueChanged( int theInt );
+
+  protected:
+    QgsDecorationNorthArrow& mDeco;
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/plugins/CMakeLists.txt b/src/plugins/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ SET (CMAKE_LIBRARY_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY ${QGIS_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/${QGIS_PLUGIN_SUBDI
 ADD_SUBDIRECTORY(delimited_text)
 ADD_SUBDIRECTORY(diagram_overlay)
 ADD_SUBDIRECTORY(interpolation)
-ADD_SUBDIRECTORY(north_arrow)
 ADD_SUBDIRECTORY(scale_bar)
 ADD_SUBDIRECTORY(oracle_raster)
 ADD_SUBDIRECTORY(raster_terrain_analysis)

diff --git a/src/plugins/north_arrow/CMakeLists.txt b/src/plugins/north_arrow/CMakeLists.txt
diff --git a/src/plugins/north_arrow/README b/src/plugins/north_arrow/README
diff --git a/src/plugins/north_arrow/images/logo.jpg b/src/plugins/north_arrow/images/logo.jpg
diff --git a/src/plugins/north_arrow/images/logo.xcf b/src/plugins/north_arrow/images/logo.xcf
diff --git a/src/plugins/north_arrow/north_arrow.svg b/src/plugins/north_arrow/north_arrow.svg
diff --git a/src/plugins/north_arrow/northarrow_plugin.qrc b/src/plugins/north_arrow/northarrow_plugin.qrc
diff --git a/src/ui/qgisapp.ui b/src/ui/qgisapp.ui
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@
       <string>&amp;Decorations</string>
      </property>
      <addaction name="mActionDecorationCopyright"/>
+     <addaction name="mActionDecorationNorthArrow"/>
     </widget>
     <addaction name="mActionPan"/>
     <addaction name="mActionZoomIn"/>
@@ -1502,6 +1503,18 @@
     <string>Creates a copyright label that is displayed on the map canvas.</string>
    </property>
   </action>
+  <action name="mActionDecorationNorthArrow">
+   <property name="icon">
+    <iconset resource="../../images/images.qrc">
+     <normaloff>:/images/themes/default/plugins/north_arrow.png</normaloff>:/images/themes/default/plugins/north_arrow.png</iconset>
+   </property>
+   <property name="text">
+    <string>&amp;North Arrow</string>
+   </property>
+   <property name="whatsThis">
+    <string>&quot;Creates a north arrow that is displayed on the map canvas&quot;</string>
+   </property>
+  </action>
  </widget>
  <resources>
   <include location="../../images/images.qrc"/>

diff --git a/src/plugins/north_arrow/pluginguibase.ui → src/ui/qgsdecorationnortharrowdialog.ui b/src/plugins/north_arrow/pluginguibase.ui → src/ui/qgsdecorationnortharrowdialog.ui
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <ui version="4.0">
- <class>QgsNorthArrowPluginGuiBase</class>
- <widget class="QDialog" name="QgsNorthArrowPluginGuiBase">
+ <class>QgsDecorationNorthArrowDialog</class>
+ <widget class="QDialog" name="QgsDecorationNorthArrowDialog">
   <property name="geometry">
    <rect>
     <x>0</x>
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
    </rect>
   </property>
   <property name="windowTitle">
-   <string>North Arrow Plugin</string>
+   <string>North Arrow Decoration</string>
   </property>
   <property name="windowIcon">
    <iconset>
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
        <string>Preview of north arrow</string>
       </property>
       <property name="frameShape">
-       <enum>QFrame::Box</enum>
+       <enum>QFrame::StyledPanel</enum>
       </property>
       <property name="scaledContents">
        <bool>false</bool>
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
        <set>Qt::AlignCenter</set>
       </property>
      </widget>
-     <widget class="QWidget" name="">
+     <widget class="QWidget" name="layoutWidget">
       <layout class="QGridLayout" name="gridLayout">
        <item row="0" column="0">
         <widget class="QLabel" name="textLabel6">
@@ -189,9 +189,7 @@
   <tabstop>cboxAutomatic</tabstop>
   <tabstop>buttonBox</tabstop>
  </tabstops>
- <resources>
-  <include location="northarrow_plugin.qrc"/>
- </resources>
+ <resources/>
  <connections>
   <connection>
    <sender>sliderRotation</sender>