diff --git a/src/gui/qgsmaptool.cpp b/src/gui/qgsmaptool.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,12 @@
 #include <QAbstractButton>
 
 QgsMapTool::QgsMapTool( QgsMapCanvas* canvas )
-    : QObject( canvas ), mCanvas( canvas ), mCursor( Qt::CrossCursor ), mAction( NULL ), mButton( NULL )
+    : QObject( canvas )
+    , mCanvas( canvas )
+    , mCursor( Qt::CrossCursor )
+    , mAction( NULL )
+    , mButton( NULL )
+    , mToolName( QString() )
 {
 }
 

diff --git a/src/gui/qgsmaptool.h b/src/gui/qgsmaptool.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #define QGSMAPTOOL_H
 
 #include "qgsconfig.h"
+#include "qgsmessagebar.h"
 
 #include <QCursor>
 #include <QString>
@@ -45,6 +46,9 @@ class QAbstractButton;
  */
 class GUI_EXPORT QgsMapTool : public QObject
 {
+
+    Q_OBJECT
+
   public:
 
     //! virtual destructor
@@ -121,6 +125,18 @@ class GUI_EXPORT QgsMapTool : public QObject
     //! returns pointer to the tool's map canvas
     QgsMapCanvas* canvas();
 
+    //! Emit map tool changed with the old tool
+    //! @note added in 2.3
+    QString toolName() { return mToolName; }
+
+  signals:
+    //! emit a message
+    void displayMessage( QString message );
+    void displayMessage( QString message, QgsMessageBar::MessageLevel );
+
+    //! emit signal to clear previous message
+    void removeMessage();
+
   protected:
 
     //! constructor takes map canvas as a parameter
@@ -158,6 +174,8 @@ class GUI_EXPORT QgsMapTool : public QObject
     //! which will be used to set that action as active
     QAbstractButton* mButton;
 
+    //! translated name of the map tool
+    QString mToolName;
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/gui/qgsmessagebaritem.cpp b/src/gui/qgsmessagebaritem.cpp
@@ -149,9 +149,9 @@ void QgsMessageBarItem::writeContent()
     {
       // add ':' to end of title
       QString t = mTitle.trimmed();
-      if ( !t.endsWith( ":" ) && !content.isEmpty() )
+      if ( !content.isEmpty() && !t.endsWith( ":" ) && !t.endsWith( ": " ) )
         t += ": ";
-      content.prepend( QString( "<b>" ) + t + "</b>" );
+      content.prepend( QString( "<b>" ) + t + " </b>" );
     }
     mTextEdit->setText( content );
   }