diff --git a/src/gui/qgsmaptoolidentify.cpp b/src/gui/qgsmaptoolidentify.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "qgsmessageviewer.h"
 #include "qgsmaplayer.h"
 #include "qgsrasterlayer.h"
+#include "qgsrasteridentifyresult.h"
 #include "qgscoordinatereferencesystem.h"
 #include "qgsvectordataprovider.h"
 #include "qgsvectorlayer.h"
@@ -392,7 +393,7 @@ bool QgsMapToolIdentify::identifyRasterLayer( QList<IdentifyResult> *results, Qg
   if ( mCanvas->hasCrsTransformEnabled() && dprovider->crs() != mCanvas->mapRenderer()->destinationCrs() )
   {
     viewExtent = toLayerCoordinates( layer, viewExtent );
-    values = dprovider->identify( point, format );
+    values = dprovider->identify( point, format ).results();
   }
   else
   {
@@ -415,7 +416,7 @@ bool QgsMapToolIdentify::identifyRasterLayer( QList<IdentifyResult> *results, Qg
     QgsDebugMsg( QString( "width = %1 height = %2" ).arg( width ).arg( height ) );
     QgsDebugMsg( QString( "xRes = %1 yRes = %2 mapUnitsPerPixel = %3" ).arg( viewExtent.width() / width ).arg( viewExtent.height() / height ).arg( mapUnitsPerPixel ) );
 
-    values = dprovider->identify( point, format, viewExtent, width, height );
+    values = dprovider->identify( point, format, viewExtent, width, height ).results();
   }
 
   derivedAttributes.insert( tr( "(clicked coordinate)" ), point.toString() );

diff --git a/src/providers/gdal/qgsgdalprovider.cpp b/src/providers/gdal/qgsgdalprovider.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "qgsrectangle.h"
 #include "qgscoordinatereferencesystem.h"
 #include "qgsrasterbandstats.h"
+#include "qgsrasteridentifyresult.h"
 #include "qgsrasterlayer.h"
 #include "qgsrasterpyramid.h"
 
@@ -52,7 +53,8 @@
 #include "cpl_conv.h"
 #include "cpl_string.h"
 
-#define ERR(message) QGS_ERROR_MESSAGE(message,"GDAL provider")
+#define ERRMSG(message) QGS_ERROR_MESSAGE(message,"GDAL provider")
+#define ERR(message) QgsError(message,"GDAL provider")
 
 static QString PROVIDER_KEY = "gdal";
 static QString PROVIDER_DESCRIPTION = "GDAL provider";
@@ -142,7 +144,7 @@ QgsGdalProvider::QgsGdalProvider( QString const & uri, bool update )
   if ( !mGdalBaseDataset )
   {
     QString msg = QString( "Cannot open GDAL dataset %1:\n%2" ).arg( dataSourceUri() ).arg( QString::fromUtf8( CPLGetLastErrorMsg() ) );
-    appendError( ERR( msg ) );
+    appendError( ERRMSG( msg ) );
     return;
   }
 
@@ -867,13 +869,16 @@ int QgsGdalProvider::yBlockSize() const
 int QgsGdalProvider::xSize() const { return mWidth; }
 int QgsGdalProvider::ySize() const { return mHeight; }
 
-QMap<int, QVariant> QgsGdalProvider::identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, IdentifyFormat theFormat, const QgsRectangle &theExtent, int theWidth, int theHeight )
+QgsRasterIdentifyResult QgsGdalProvider::identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, IdentifyFormat theFormat, const QgsRectangle &theExtent, int theWidth, int theHeight )
 {
   QgsDebugMsg( QString( "thePoint =  %1 %2" ).arg( thePoint.x(), 0, 'g', 10 ).arg( thePoint.y(), 0, 'g', 10 ) );
 
   QMap<int, QVariant> results;
 
-  if ( theFormat != IdentifyFormatValue ) return results;
+  if ( theFormat != IdentifyFormatValue )
+  {
+    return QgsRasterIdentifyResult( ERR( tr( "Format not supported" ) ) );
+  }
 
   if ( !extent().contains( thePoint ) )
   {
@@ -882,7 +887,7 @@ QMap<int, QVariant> QgsGdalProvider::identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, Identi
     {
       results.insert( bandNo, noDataValue( bandNo ) );
     }
-    return results;
+    return QgsRasterIdentifyResult( QgsRasterDataProvider::IdentifyFormatValue, results );
   }
 
   QgsRectangle myExtent = theExtent;
@@ -945,15 +950,14 @@ QMap<int, QVariant> QgsGdalProvider::identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, Identi
 
     if ( !myBlock )
     {
-      results.clear();
-      return results;
+      return QgsRasterIdentifyResult( ERR( tr( "Cannot read data" ) ) );
     }
 
     double value = myBlock->value( r, c );
 
     results.insert( i, value );
   }
-  return results;
+  return QgsRasterIdentifyResult( QgsRasterDataProvider::IdentifyFormatValue, results );
 }
 
 int QgsGdalProvider::capabilities() const
@@ -2313,7 +2317,7 @@ void QgsGdalProvider::initBaseDataset()
     // if there are no subdatasets, then close the dataset
     if ( mSubLayers.size() == 0 )
     {
-      appendError( ERR( tr( "Cannot get GDAL raster band: %1" ).arg( msg ) ) );
+      appendError( ERRMSG( tr( "Cannot get GDAL raster band: %1" ).arg( msg ) ) );
 
       GDALDereferenceDataset( mGdalBaseDataset );
       mGdalBaseDataset = NULL;

diff --git a/src/providers/gdal/qgsgdalprovider.h b/src/providers/gdal/qgsgdalprovider.h
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ class QgsGdalProvider : public QgsRasterDataProvider, QgsGdalProviderBase
     */
     bool isValid();
 
-    QMap<int, QVariant> identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, IdentifyFormat theFormat, const QgsRectangle &theExtent = QgsRectangle(), int theWidth = 0, int theHeight = 0 );
+    QgsRasterIdentifyResult identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, IdentifyFormat theFormat, const QgsRectangle &theExtent = QgsRectangle(), int theWidth = 0, int theHeight = 0 );
 
     /**
      * \brief   Returns the caption error text for the last error in this provider

diff --git a/src/providers/grass/qgsgrassrasterprovider.cpp b/src/providers/grass/qgsgrassrasterprovider.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 #include "qgslogger.h"
 #include "qgsgrass.h"
+#include "qgsrasteridentifyresult.h"
 #include "qgsgrassrasterprovider.h"
 #include "qgsconfig.h"
 
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@
 #include <QHash>
 
 #define ERR(message) QGS_ERROR_MESSAGE(message,"GRASS provider")
+#define ERROR(message) QgsError(message,"GRASS provider")
 
 static QString PROVIDER_KEY = "grassraster";
 static QString PROVIDER_DESCRIPTION = "GRASS raster provider";
@@ -432,20 +434,23 @@ int QgsGrassRasterProvider::yBlockSize() const
 int QgsGrassRasterProvider::xSize() const { return mCols; }
 int QgsGrassRasterProvider::ySize() const { return mRows; }
 
-QMap<int, QVariant> QgsGrassRasterProvider::identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, IdentifyFormat theFormat, const QgsRectangle &theExtent, int theWidth, int theHeight )
+QgsRasterIdentifyResult QgsGrassRasterProvider::identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, IdentifyFormat theFormat, const QgsRectangle &theExtent, int theWidth, int theHeight )
 {
   Q_UNUSED( theExtent );
   Q_UNUSED( theWidth );
   Q_UNUSED( theHeight );
   QgsDebugMsg( "Entered" );
   QMap<int, QVariant> results;
 
-  if ( theFormat != IdentifyFormatValue ) return results;
+  if ( theFormat != IdentifyFormatValue )
+  {
+    return QgsRasterIdentifyResult( ERROR( tr( "Format not supported" ) ) );
+  }
 
   if ( !extent().contains( thePoint ) )
   {
     results.insert( 1, noDataValue( 1 ) );
-    return results;
+    return QgsRasterIdentifyResult( IdentifyFormatValue, results );
   }
 
   // TODO: use doubles instead of strings
@@ -455,7 +460,10 @@ QMap<int, QVariant> QgsGrassRasterProvider::identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint,
   bool ok;
   double value = mRasterValue.value( thePoint.x(), thePoint.y(), &ok );
 
-  if ( !ok ) return results;
+  if ( !ok )
+  {
+    return QgsRasterIdentifyResult( ERROR( tr( "Cannot read data" ) ) );
+  }
 
   if ( qIsNaN( value ) ) value = noDataValue( 1 );
 
@@ -468,7 +476,7 @@ QMap<int, QVariant> QgsGrassRasterProvider::identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint,
 
   results.insert( 1, value );
 
-  return results;
+  return QgsRasterIdentifyResult( IdentifyFormatValue, results );
 }
 
 int QgsGrassRasterProvider::capabilities() const

diff --git a/src/providers/grass/qgsgrassrasterprovider.h b/src/providers/grass/qgsgrassrasterprovider.h
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ class QgsGrassRasterProvider : public QgsRasterDataProvider
     */
     bool isValid();
 
-    QMap<int, QVariant> identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, IdentifyFormat theFormat, const QgsRectangle &theExtent = QgsRectangle(), int theWidth = 0, int theHeight = 0 );
+    QgsRasterIdentifyResult identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, IdentifyFormat theFormat, const QgsRectangle &theExtent = QgsRectangle(), int theWidth = 0, int theHeight = 0 );
 
     /**
      * \brief   Returns the caption error text for the last error in this provider

diff --git a/src/providers/wcs/qgswcsprovider.cpp b/src/providers/wcs/qgswcsprovider.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "qgswcsprovider.h"
 #include "qgscoordinatetransform.h"
 #include "qgsdatasourceuri.h"
+#include "qgsrasteridentifyresult.h"
 #include "qgsrasterlayer.h"
 #include "qgsrectangle.h"
 #include "qgscoordinatereferencesystem.h"
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@
 
 #define ERR(message) QGS_ERROR_MESSAGE(message,"WCS provider")
 #define SRVERR(message) QGS_ERROR_MESSAGE(message,"WCS server")
+#define ERROR(message) QgsError(message,"WCS provider")
 
 static QString WCS_KEY = "wcs";
 static QString WCS_DESCRIPTION = "OGC Web Coverage Service version 1.0/1.1 data provider";
@@ -1593,14 +1595,17 @@ QString QgsWcsProvider:: htmlRow( const QString &text1, const QString &text2 )
   return "<tr>" + htmlCell( text1 ) +  htmlCell( text2 ) + "</tr>";
 }
 
-QMap<int, QVariant> QgsWcsProvider::identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, IdentifyFormat theFormat, const QgsRectangle &theExtent, int theWidth, int theHeight )
+QgsRasterIdentifyResult QgsWcsProvider::identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, IdentifyFormat theFormat, const QgsRectangle &theExtent, int theWidth, int theHeight )
 {
   QgsDebugMsg( QString( "thePoint =  %1 %2" ).arg( thePoint.x(), 0, 'g', 10 ).arg( thePoint.y(), 0, 'g', 10 ) );
   QgsDebugMsg( QString( "theWidth = %1 theHeight = %2" ).arg( theWidth ).arg( theHeight ) );
   QgsDebugMsg( "theExtent = " + theExtent.toString() );
   QMap<int, QVariant> results;
 
-  if ( theFormat != IdentifyFormatValue ) return results;
+  if ( theFormat != IdentifyFormatValue )
+  {
+    return QgsRasterIdentifyResult( ERROR( tr( "Format not supported" ) ) );
+  }
 
   if ( !extent().contains( thePoint ) )
   {
@@ -1609,7 +1614,7 @@ QMap<int, QVariant> QgsWcsProvider::identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, Identif
     {
       results.insert( i, noDataValue( i ) );
     }
-    return results;
+    return QgsRasterIdentifyResult( IdentifyFormatValue, results );
   }
 
   QgsRectangle myExtent = theExtent;
@@ -1659,7 +1664,7 @@ QMap<int, QVariant> QgsWcsProvider::identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, Identif
   if ( !mCachedGdalDataset ||
        !mCachedViewExtent.contains( thePoint ) )
   {
-    return results; // should not happen
+    return QgsRasterIdentifyResult( ERROR( tr( "Read data error" ) ) );
   }
 
   double x = thePoint.x();
@@ -1686,8 +1691,7 @@ QMap<int, QVariant> QgsWcsProvider::identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, Identif
     if ( err != CPLE_None )
     {
       QgsLogger::warning( "RasterIO error: " + QString::fromUtf8( CPLGetLastErrorMsg() ) );
-      results.clear();
-      return results;
+      return QgsRasterIdentifyResult( ERROR( tr( "RasterIO error: " ) + QString::fromUtf8( CPLGetLastErrorMsg() ) ) );
     }
 
     // Apply user no data
@@ -1700,7 +1704,7 @@ QMap<int, QVariant> QgsWcsProvider::identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, Identif
     results.insert( i, value );
   }
 
-  return results;
+  return QgsRasterIdentifyResult( IdentifyFormatValue, results );
 }
 
 QgsCoordinateReferenceSystem QgsWcsProvider::crs()

diff --git a/src/providers/wcs/qgswcsprovider.h b/src/providers/wcs/qgswcsprovider.h
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ class QgsWcsProvider : public QgsRasterDataProvider, QgsGdalProviderBase
     int xSize() const;
     int ySize() const;
     QString metadata();
-    QMap<int, QVariant> identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, IdentifyFormat theFormat, const QgsRectangle &theExtent = QgsRectangle(), int theWidth = 0, int theHeight = 0 );
+    QgsRasterIdentifyResult identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, IdentifyFormat theFormat, const QgsRectangle &theExtent = QgsRectangle(), int theWidth = 0, int theHeight = 0 );
     QString lastErrorTitle();
     QString lastError();
     QString lastErrorFormat();

diff --git a/src/providers/wms/qgswmsprovider.cpp b/src/providers/wms/qgswmsprovider.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include "qgscoordinatetransform.h"
 #include "qgsdatasourceuri.h"
 #include "qgsfeaturestore.h"
+#include "qgsrasteridentifyresult.h"
 #include "qgsrasterlayer.h"
 #include "qgsrectangle.h"
 #include "qgscoordinatereferencesystem.h"
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@
 
 #define ERR(message) QGS_ERROR_MESSAGE(message,"WMS provider")
 #define SRVERR(message) QGS_ERROR_MESSAGE(message,"WMS server")
+#define ERROR(message) QgsError(message,"WMS provider")
 
 static QString WMS_KEY = "wms";
 static QString WMS_DESCRIPTION = "OGC Web Map Service version 1.3 data provider";
@@ -3871,22 +3873,25 @@ QString QgsWmsProvider::metadata()
   return metadata;
 }
 
-QMap<int, QVariant> QgsWmsProvider::identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, IdentifyFormat theFormat, const QgsRectangle &theExtent, int theWidth, int theHeight )
+QgsRasterIdentifyResult QgsWmsProvider::identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, IdentifyFormat theFormat, const QgsRectangle &theExtent, int theWidth, int theHeight )
 {
   QgsDebugMsg( QString( "theFormat = %1" ).arg( theFormat ) );
   QStringList resultStrings;
   QMap<int, QVariant> results;
 
   QString format;
   format = mIdentifyFormats.value( theFormat );
-  if ( format.isEmpty() ) return results;
+  if ( format.isEmpty() )
+  {
+    return QgsRasterIdentifyResult( ERROR( tr( "Format not supported" ) ) );
+  }
 
   QgsDebugMsg( QString( "theFormat = %1 format = %2" ).arg( theFormat ).arg( format ) );
 
   if ( !extent().contains( thePoint ) )
   {
     results.insert( 1, "" );
-    return results;
+    return QgsRasterIdentifyResult( theFormat, results );
   }
 
   QgsRectangle myExtent = theExtent;
@@ -4252,7 +4257,7 @@ QMap<int, QVariant> QgsWmsProvider::identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, Identif
   }
 #endif
 
-  return results;
+  return QgsRasterIdentifyResult( theFormat, results );
 }
 
 void QgsWmsProvider::identifyReplyFinished()

diff --git a/src/providers/wms/qgswmsprovider.h b/src/providers/wms/qgswmsprovider.h
@@ -656,7 +656,7 @@ class QgsWmsProvider : public QgsRasterDataProvider
      */
     QString metadata();
 
-    QMap<int, QVariant> identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, IdentifyFormat theFormat, const QgsRectangle &theExtent = QgsRectangle(), int theWidth = 0, int theHeight = 0 );
+    QgsRasterIdentifyResult identify( const QgsPoint & thePoint, IdentifyFormat theFormat, const QgsRectangle &theExtent = QgsRectangle(), int theWidth = 0, int theHeight = 0 );
 
     /**
      * \brief   Returns the caption error text for the last error in this provider