diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 30d10d4cb..b5c62d63e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ For a complete change history, see the SVN log.
 Current Version (0.5.2-dev, SVN trunk):
 ---------------------------------------
 
-- file.cpp: change (r#)
\ No newline at end of file
+- load_map.cpp and save_map.cpp: Added xml serialization for abstract, title, minzoom, maxzoom, and queryable attributes (r787)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/load_map.cpp b/src/load_map.cpp
index f41cb10e7..89f51d2bb 100644
--- a/src/load_map.cpp
+++ b/src/load_map.cpp
@@ -312,6 +312,7 @@ namespace mapnik
         try
         {
             name = get_attr(lay, "name", string("Unnamed"));
+            
             // XXX if no projection is given inherit from map? [DS]
             std::string srs = get_attr(lay, "srs", map.srs());
 
@@ -323,6 +324,36 @@ namespace mapnik
                 lyr.setActive( * status );
             }
 
+            optional<std::string> title =  get_opt_attr<string>(lay, "title");
+            if (title)
+            {
+                lyr.set_title( * title );
+            }
+
+            optional<std::string> abstract =  get_opt_attr<string>(lay, "abstract");
+            if (abstract)
+            {
+                lyr.set_abstract( * abstract );
+            }
+
+            optional<double> minZoom = get_opt_attr<double>(lay, "minzoom");
+            if (minZoom)
+            {
+                lyr.setMinZoom( * minZoom );
+            }
+
+            optional<double> maxZoom = get_opt_attr<double>(lay, "maxzoom");
+            if (maxZoom)
+            {
+                lyr.setMaxZoom( * maxZoom );
+            }
+
+            optional<boolean> queryable = get_opt_attr<boolean>(lay, "queryable");
+            if (queryable)
+            {
+                lyr.setQueryable( * queryable );
+            }
+                                    
             optional<boolean> clear_cache =
                 get_opt_attr<boolean>(lay, "clear_label_cache");
             if (clear_cache)
diff --git a/src/save_map.cpp b/src/save_map.cpp
index 18696cb77..8a8916956 100644
--- a/src/save_map.cpp
+++ b/src/save_map.cpp
@@ -370,13 +370,40 @@ namespace mapnik
         {
             set_attr( layer_node, "name", layer.name() );
         }
+
+        if ( layer.abstract() != "" )
+        {
+            set_attr( layer_node, "abstract", layer.abstract() );
+        }
+
+        if ( layer.title() != "" )
+        {
+            set_attr( layer_node, "title", layer.title() );
+        }
+
         if ( layer.srs() != "" )
         {
             set_attr( layer_node, "srs", layer.srs() );
         }
+        
         set_attr/*<bool>*/( layer_node, "status", layer.isActive() );
         set_attr/*<bool>*/( layer_node, "clear_label_cache", layer.clear_label_cache() );
 
+        if ( layer.getMinZoom() )
+        {
+            set_attr( layer_node, "minzoom", layer.getMinZoom() );
+        }
+
+        if ( layer.getMaxZoom() )
+        {
+            set_attr( layer_node, "maxzoom", layer.getMaxZoom() );
+        }
+
+        if ( layer.isQueryable() )
+        {
+            set_attr( layer_node, "queryable", layer.isQueryable() );
+        }
+        
         std::vector<std::string> const& style_names = layer.styles();
         for (unsigned i = 0; i < style_names.size(); ++i)
         {