diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/Config.pm b/lib/Slic3r/Config.pm
index 1c78843f..e5318d87 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/Config.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/Config.pm
@@ -424,9 +424,23 @@ our $Options = {
     },
     'solid_layers' => {
         label   => 'Solid layers',
-        tooltip => 'Number of solid layers to generate on top and bottom.',
+        tooltip => 'Number of solid layers to generate on top and bottom surfaces.',
         cli     => 'solid-layers=i',
         type    => 'i',
+        shortcut => [qw(top_solid_layers bottom_solid_layers)],
+    },
+    'top_solid_layers' => {
+        label   => 'Top',
+        tooltip => 'Number of solid layers to generate on top surfaces.',
+        cli     => 'top-solid-layers=i',
+        type    => 'i',
+        default => 3,
+    },
+    'bottom_solid_layers' => {
+        label   => 'Bottom',
+        tooltip => 'Number of solid layers to generate on bottom surfaces.',
+        cli     => 'bottom-solid-layers=i',
+        type    => 'i',
         default => 3,
     },
     'fill_pattern' => {
@@ -867,7 +881,11 @@ sub new {
 sub new_from_defaults {
     my $class = shift;
     my @opt_keys = 
-    return $class->new(map { $_ => $Options->{$_}{default} } (@_ ? @_ : keys %$Options));
+    return $class->new(
+        map { $_ => $Options->{$_}{default} }
+            grep !$Options->{$_}{shortcut},
+            (@_ ? @_ : keys %$Options)
+    );
 }
 
 sub new_from_cli {
@@ -972,6 +990,10 @@ sub set {
         if $deserialize && $Options->{$opt_key}{deserialize};
     
     $self->{$opt_key} = $value;
+    
+    if ($Options->{$opt_key}{shortcut}) {
+        $self->set($_, $value, $deserialize) for @{$Options->{$opt_key}{shortcut}};
+    }
 }
 
 sub set_ifndef {
@@ -1003,6 +1025,7 @@ sub save {
     
     my $ini = { _ => {} };
     foreach my $opt_key (sort keys %$self) {
+        next if $Options->{$opt_key}{shortcut};
         next if $Options->{$opt_key}{gui_only};
         $ini->{_}{$opt_key} = $self->serialize($opt_key);
     }
@@ -1055,8 +1078,9 @@ sub validate {
         if $self->perimeters < 0;
     
     # --solid-layers
-    die "Invalid value for --solid-layers\n"
-        if $self->solid_layers < 0;
+    die "Invalid value for --solid-layers\n" if defined $self->solid_layers && $self->solid_layers < 0;
+    die "Invalid value for --top-solid-layers\n"    if $self->top_solid_layers      < 0;
+    die "Invalid value for --bottom-solid-layers\n" if $self->bottom_solid_layers   < 0;
     
     # --print-center
     die "Invalid value for --print-center\n"
diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/GUI/OptionsGroup.pm b/lib/Slic3r/GUI/OptionsGroup.pm
index 9eec3791..6cfda414 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/GUI/OptionsGroup.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/GUI/OptionsGroup.pm
@@ -103,16 +103,27 @@ sub _build_line {
     }
     
     my @fields = ();
+    my @field_labels = ();
     foreach my $opt_key (@{$line->{options}}) {
         my $opt = first { $_->{opt_key} eq $opt_key } @{$self->options};
         push @fields, $self->_build_field($opt);
+        push @field_labels, $opt->{label};
     }
     if (@fields > 1 || $line->{sidetext}) {
         my $sizer = Wx::BoxSizer->new(wxHORIZONTAL);
-        $sizer->Add($_, 0, wxALIGN_CENTER_VERTICAL, 0) for @fields;
-        my $sidetext = Wx::StaticText->new($self->parent, -1, $line->{sidetext}, wxDefaultPosition, wxDefaultSize);
-        $sidetext->SetFont($self->{sidetext_font});
-        $sizer->Add($sidetext, 0, wxLEFT | wxALIGN_CENTER_VERTICAL , 4);
+        for my $i (0 .. $#fields) {
+            if (@fields > 1) {
+                my $field_label = Wx::StaticText->new($self->parent, -1, "$field_labels[$i]:", wxDefaultPosition, wxDefaultSize);
+                $field_label->SetFont($self->{sidetext_font});
+                $sizer->Add($field_label, 0, wxALIGN_CENTER_VERTICAL, 0);
+            }
+            $sizer->Add($fields[$i], 0, wxALIGN_CENTER_VERTICAL, 0);
+        }
+        if ($line->{sidetext}) {
+            my $sidetext = Wx::StaticText->new($self->parent, -1, $line->{sidetext}, wxDefaultPosition, wxDefaultSize);
+            $sidetext->SetFont($self->{sidetext_font});
+            $sizer->Add($sidetext, 0, wxLEFT | wxALIGN_CENTER_VERTICAL , 4);
+        }
         $grid_sizer->Add($sizer);
     } else {
         $grid_sizer->Add($fields[0], 0, ($line->{full_width} ? wxEXPAND : 0) | wxALIGN_CENTER_VERTICAL, 0);
diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/GUI/Tab.pm b/lib/Slic3r/GUI/Tab.pm
index fbab74eb..45b23504 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/GUI/Tab.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/GUI/Tab.pm
@@ -396,11 +396,11 @@ sub build {
         },
         {
             title => 'Horizontal shells',
-            options => [qw(solid_layers)],
+            options => [qw(top_solid_layers bottom_solid_layers)],
             lines => [
                 {
                     label   => 'Solid layers',
-                    options => [qw(solid_layers)],
+                    options => [qw(top_solid_layers bottom_solid_layers)],
                 },
             ],
         },
diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/Layer/Region.pm b/lib/Slic3r/Layer/Region.pm
index a23a85b6..564a436a 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/Layer/Region.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/Layer/Region.pm
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ sub prepare_fill_surfaces {
     
     # if no solid layers are requested, turn top/bottom surfaces to internal
     # note that this modifies $self->surfaces in place
-    if ($Slic3r::Config->solid_layers == 0) {
+    if ($Slic3r::Config->top_solid_layers == 0 && $Slic3r::Config->bottom_solid_layers == 0) {
         $_->surface_type(S_TYPE_INTERNAL) for grep $_->surface_type != S_TYPE_INTERNAL, @surfaces;
     }
     
diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/Print.pm b/lib/Slic3r/Print.pm
index 652a1dee..06ef9e5c 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/Print.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/Print.pm
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ sub _trigger_config {
     $self->config->set_ifndef('bridge_speed',           $self->config->infill_speed);
     $self->config->set_ifndef('solid_infill_speed',     $self->config->infill_speed);
     $self->config->set_ifndef('top_solid_infill_speed', $self->config->solid_infill_speed);
+    $self->config->set_ifndef('top_solid_layers',       $self->config->solid_layers);
+    $self->config->set_ifndef('bottom_solid_layers',    $self->config->solid_layers);
     
     # G-code flavors
     $self->config->set('extrusion_axis', 'A') if $self->config->gcode_flavor eq 'mach3';
@@ -629,7 +631,7 @@ sub write_gcode {
     print $fh "; $_\n" foreach split /\R/, $Slic3r::Config->notes;
     print $fh "\n" if $Slic3r::Config->notes;
     
-    for (qw(layer_height perimeters solid_layers fill_density perimeter_speed infill_speed travel_speed scale)) {
+    for (qw(layer_height perimeters top_solid_layers bottom_solid_layers fill_density perimeter_speed infill_speed travel_speed scale)) {
         printf $fh "; %s = %s\n", $_, $Slic3r::Config->$_;
     }
     for (qw(nozzle_diameter filament_diameter extrusion_multiplier)) {
diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/Print/Object.pm b/lib/Slic3r/Print/Object.pm
index 3d7066a3..2760fa6f 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/Print/Object.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/Print/Object.pm
@@ -344,8 +344,9 @@ sub discover_horizontal_shells {
                 Slic3r::debugf "Layer %d has %d surfaces of type '%s'\n",
                     $i, scalar(@surfaces), ($type == S_TYPE_TOP ? 'top' : 'bottom');
                 
+                my $solid_layers = S_TYPE_TOP ? $Slic3r::Config->top_solid_layers : $Slic3r::Config->bottom_solid_layers;
                 for (my $n = $type == S_TYPE_TOP ? $i-1 : $i+1; 
-                        abs($n - $i) <= $Slic3r::Config->solid_layers-1; 
+                        abs($n - $i) <= $solid_layers-1; 
                         $type == S_TYPE_TOP ? $n-- : $n++) {
                     
                     next if $n < 0 || $n >= $self->layer_count;