Index: python/gui/qgsmapcanvas.sip
===================================================================
--- python/gui/qgsmapcanvas.sip	(revision 10775)
+++ python/gui/qgsmapcanvas.sip	(working copy)
@@ -93,6 +93,9 @@
     //! Zoom to the next extent (view)
     void zoomToNextExtent();
 
+    // ! Clears the list of extents and sets current extent as first item
+    void clearExtentHistory();
+
     /**Zooms to the extend of the selected features*/
     void zoomToSelected();
 
@@ -254,6 +257,12 @@
     //! Emit map tool changed event
     void mapToolSet(QgsMapTool *tool);
 
+    //! Emitted when zoom last status changed
+    void zoomLastStatusChanged( bool );
+
+    //! Emitted when zoom next status changed
+    void zoomNextStatusChanged( bool );
+
   protected:
 
     //! Overridden key press event
Index: src/app/legend/qgslegend.cpp
===================================================================
--- src/app/legend/qgslegend.cpp	(revision 10775)
+++ src/app/legend/qgslegend.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -543,7 +543,10 @@
 
   // first layer?
   if ( mMapCanvas->layerCount() == 1 )
+  {
     mMapCanvas->zoomToFullExtent();
+    mMapCanvas->clearExtentHistory(); 
+  }
   setCurrentItem( llayer );
   //make the QTreeWidget item up-to-date
   doItemsLayout();
Index: src/app/qgisapp.cpp
===================================================================
--- src/app/qgisapp.cpp	(revision 10775)
+++ src/app/qgisapp.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -445,6 +445,7 @@
   //finally show all the application settings as initialised above
   QgsApplication::showSettings();
   mMapCanvas->freeze( false );
+  mMapCanvas->clearExtentHistory();	// reset zoomnext/zoomlast
 } // QgisApp ctor
 
 
@@ -1642,6 +1643,10 @@
 
   connect( QgsProject::instance(), SIGNAL( layerLoaded( int, int ) ), this, SLOT( showProgress( int, int ) ) );
 
+  // Connect status from ZoomLast/ZoomNext to corresponding action
+  connect( mMapCanvas, SIGNAL( zoomLastStatusChanged( bool ) ), mActionZoomLast, SLOT( setEnabled( bool ) ) );
+  connect( mMapCanvas, SIGNAL( zoomNextStatusChanged( bool ) ), mActionZoomNext, SLOT( setEnabled( bool ) ) );
+
 }
 void QgisApp::createCanvas()
 {
@@ -3049,6 +3054,7 @@
 
   mMapCanvas->freeze( false );
   mMapCanvas->refresh();
+  mMapCanvas->clearExtentHistory();
 
   mMapCanvas->mapRenderer()->setProjectionsEnabled( FALSE );
 
Index: src/gui/qgsmapcanvas.cpp
===================================================================
--- src/gui/qgsmapcanvas.cpp	(revision 10775)
+++ src/gui/qgsmapcanvas.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -506,6 +506,9 @@
 
   mLastExtent.append( extent() ) ;
   mLastExtentIndex = mLastExtent.size() - 1;
+  // update controls' enabled state
+  emit zoomLastStatusChanged( mLastExtentIndex > 0 );
+  emit zoomNextStatusChanged( mLastExtentIndex < mLastExtent.size() - 1 );
   // notify canvas items of change
   updateCanvasItemPositions();
 
@@ -557,7 +560,7 @@
     return;
   }
 
-  if ( mLastExtentIndex > 1 )
+  if ( mLastExtentIndex > 0 )
   {
     mLastExtentIndex--;
     mMapRenderer->setExtent( mLastExtent[mLastExtentIndex] );
@@ -565,9 +568,12 @@
     updateScale();
     if ( mMapOverview )
       mMapOverview->drawExtentRect();
+    refresh();
+    // update controls' enabled state
+    emit zoomLastStatusChanged( mLastExtentIndex > 0 );
+    emit zoomNextStatusChanged( mLastExtentIndex < mLastExtent.size() - 1 );
   }
 
-  refresh();
 } // zoomToPreviousExtent
 
 void QgsMapCanvas::zoomToNextExtent()
@@ -584,10 +590,22 @@
     updateScale();
     if ( mMapOverview )
       mMapOverview->drawExtentRect();
+    refresh();
+    // update controls' enabled state
+    emit zoomLastStatusChanged( mLastExtentIndex > 0 );
+    emit zoomNextStatusChanged( mLastExtentIndex < mLastExtent.size() - 1 );
   }
-  refresh();
 }// zoomToNextExtent
 
+void QgsMapCanvas::clearExtentHistory()
+{
+  mLastExtent.clear();	// clear the zoom history list
+  mLastExtent.append( extent() ) ;	// set the current extent in the list
+  mLastExtentIndex = mLastExtent.size() - 1;
+  // update controls' enabled state
+  emit zoomLastStatusChanged( mLastExtentIndex > 0 );
+  emit zoomNextStatusChanged( mLastExtentIndex < mLastExtent.size() - 1 );
+}// clearExtentHistory
 
 
 bool QgsMapCanvas::hasCrsTransformEnabled()
@@ -1334,6 +1352,7 @@
   {
     QDomNode node = nodes.item( 0 );
     mMapRenderer->readXML( node );
+    clearExtentHistory();	// clear the extent history on project load
   }
   else
   {
Index: src/gui/qgsmapcanvas.h
===================================================================
--- src/gui/qgsmapcanvas.h	(revision 10775)
+++ src/gui/qgsmapcanvas.h	(working copy)
@@ -146,6 +146,9 @@
     //! Zoom to the Next extent (view)
     void zoomToNextExtent();
 
+    // ! Clears the list of extents and sets current extent as first item
+    void clearExtentHistory();
+
     /**Zooms to the extend of the selected features*/
     void zoomToSelected();
 
@@ -317,6 +320,12 @@
     //! Emitted when selection in any layer gets changed
     void selectionChanged( QgsMapLayer * layer );
 
+    //! Emitted when zoom last status changed
+    void zoomLastStatusChanged( bool );
+
+    //! Emitted when zoom next status changed
+    void zoomNextStatusChanged( bool );
+
   protected:
     //! Overridden key press event
     void keyPressEvent( QKeyEvent * e );