diff --git a/libs/ui/KisNodeDelegate.cpp b/libs/ui/KisNodeDelegate.cpp
--- a/libs/ui/KisNodeDelegate.cpp
+++ b/libs/ui/KisNodeDelegate.cpp
@@ -268,6 +268,8 @@
 {
     KisNodeViewColorScheme scm;
 
+
+
     const int thumbSize = scm.thumbnailSize();
     const qreal oldOpacity = p->opacity(); // remember previous opacity
 
diff --git a/libs/ui/KisNodeView.cpp b/libs/ui/KisNodeView.cpp
--- a/libs/ui/KisNodeView.cpp
+++ b/libs/ui/KisNodeView.cpp
@@ -194,7 +194,6 @@
 
     return QAbstractItemView::selectionCommand(index, event);
 }
-
 QRect KisNodeView::visualRect(const QModelIndex &index) const
 {
     QRect rc = QTreeView::visualRect(index);
diff --git a/libs/ui/kis_config.h b/libs/ui/kis_config.h
--- a/libs/ui/kis_config.h
+++ b/libs/ui/kis_config.h
@@ -399,6 +399,11 @@
     QString toolbarSlider(int sliderNumber, bool defaultValue = false) const;
     void setToolbarSlider(int sliderNumber, const QString &slider);
 
+
+    int layerThumbnailSize(bool defaultValue = false) const;
+    void setLayerThumbnailSize(int size);
+
+
     bool sliderLabels(bool defaultValue = false) const;
     void setSliderLabels(bool enabled);
 
diff --git a/libs/ui/kis_config.cc b/libs/ui/kis_config.cc
--- a/libs/ui/kis_config.cc
+++ b/libs/ui/kis_config.cc
@@ -1434,6 +1434,16 @@
     m_cfg.writeEntry(QString("toolbarslider_%1").arg(sliderNumber), slider);
 }
 
+int KisConfig::layerThumbnailSize(bool defaultValue) const
+{
+    return (defaultValue ? 20 : m_cfg.readEntry("layerThumbnailSize", 20));
+}
+
+void KisConfig::setLayerThumbnailSize(int size)
+{
+    m_cfg.writeEntry("layerThumbnailSize", size);
+}
+
 bool KisConfig::sliderLabels(bool defaultValue) const
 {
     return (defaultValue ? true : m_cfg.readEntry("sliderLabels", true));
diff --git a/libs/ui/kis_node_view_color_scheme.h b/libs/ui/kis_node_view_color_scheme.h
--- a/libs/ui/kis_node_view_color_scheme.h
+++ b/libs/ui/kis_node_view_color_scheme.h
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
     int visibilitySize() const;
     int visibilityMargin() const;
 
-    int thumbnailSize() const;
+    int thumbnailSize();
     int thumbnailMargin() const;
 
     int decorationSize() const;
@@ -54,13 +54,13 @@
 
     int border() const;
 
-    int rowHeight() const;
+    int rowHeight();
     int visibilityColumnWidth() const;
-    int indentation() const;
+    int indentation();
 
-    QRect relThumbnailRect() const;
+    QRect relThumbnailRect();
     QRect relDecorationRect() const;
-    QRect relExpandButtonRect() const;
+    QRect relExpandButtonRect();
 
     QColor colorLabel(int index) const;
     QVector<QColor> allColorLabels() const;
diff --git a/libs/ui/kis_node_view_color_scheme.cpp b/libs/ui/kis_node_view_color_scheme.cpp
--- a/libs/ui/kis_node_view_color_scheme.cpp
+++ b/libs/ui/kis_node_view_color_scheme.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include <QApplication>
 
 #include <QGlobalStatic>
+#include <kis_config.h>
 Q_GLOBAL_STATIC(KisNodeViewColorScheme, s_instance)
 
 struct KisNodeViewColorScheme::Private
@@ -86,9 +87,10 @@
 }
 
 
-int KisNodeViewColorScheme::thumbnailSize() const
+int KisNodeViewColorScheme::thumbnailSize()
 {
-    return 20;
+    KisConfig cfg(true);
+    return cfg.layerThumbnailSize(false);
 }
 
 int KisNodeViewColorScheme::thumbnailMargin() const
@@ -128,7 +130,7 @@
     return 1;
 }
 
-int KisNodeViewColorScheme::rowHeight() const
+int KisNodeViewColorScheme::rowHeight()
 {
     return border() + 2 * thumbnailMargin() + thumbnailSize();
 }
@@ -140,14 +142,14 @@
         border();
 }
 
-int KisNodeViewColorScheme::indentation() const
+int KisNodeViewColorScheme::indentation()
 {
     return
         2 * thumbnailMargin() + thumbnailSize() +
         border();
 }
 
-QRect KisNodeViewColorScheme::relThumbnailRect() const
+QRect KisNodeViewColorScheme::relThumbnailRect()
 {
     return QRect(-indentation(),
                  border(),
@@ -163,7 +165,7 @@
                  decorationSize());
 }
 
-QRect KisNodeViewColorScheme::relExpandButtonRect() const
+QRect KisNodeViewColorScheme::relExpandButtonRect()
 {
     const int newY = rowHeight() - decorationMargin() - decorationSize();
     QRect rc = relDecorationRect();
diff --git a/plugins/dockers/defaultdockers/kis_layer_box.h b/plugins/dockers/defaultdockers/kis_layer_box.h
--- a/plugins/dockers/defaultdockers/kis_layer_box.h
+++ b/plugins/dockers/defaultdockers/kis_layer_box.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 #include "KisViewManager.h"
 #include "kis_mainwindow_observer.h"
 #include "kis_signal_compressor.h"
+#include <QSlider>
 
 class QModelIndex;
 
@@ -127,6 +128,8 @@
     void updateAvailableLabels();
     void updateLayerFiltering();
 
+    void slotUpdateThumbnailIconSize();
+
 
     // Opacity keyframing
     void slotKeyframeChannelAdded(KisKeyframeChannel *channel);
@@ -160,6 +163,9 @@
     KisAction* m_selectOpaque;
     KisSignalCompressor m_thumbnailCompressor;
     KisSignalCompressor m_colorLabelCompressor;
+    KisSignalCompressor m_thumbnailSizeCompressor;
+
+    QSlider* thumbnailSizeSlider;
 
     KisNodeSP m_activeNode;
     QPointer<KisKeyframeChannel> m_opacityChannel;
diff --git a/plugins/dockers/defaultdockers/kis_layer_box.cpp b/plugins/dockers/defaultdockers/kis_layer_box.cpp
--- a/plugins/dockers/defaultdockers/kis_layer_box.cpp
+++ b/plugins/dockers/defaultdockers/kis_layer_box.cpp
@@ -155,8 +155,9 @@
     , m_wdgLayerBox(new Ui_WdgLayerBox)
     , m_thumbnailCompressor(500, KisSignalCompressor::FIRST_INACTIVE)
     , m_colorLabelCompressor(900, KisSignalCompressor::FIRST_INACTIVE)
+    , m_thumbnailSizeCompressor(100, KisSignalCompressor::FIRST_INACTIVE)
 {
-    KisConfig cfg(true);
+    KisConfig cfg(false);
 
     QWidget* mainWidget = new QWidget(this);
     setWidget(mainWidget);
@@ -256,6 +257,40 @@
 
     connect(&m_thumbnailCompressor, SIGNAL(timeout()), SLOT(updateThumbnail()));
     connect(&m_colorLabelCompressor, SIGNAL(timeout()), SLOT(updateAvailableLabels()));
+
+
+
+    // set up the configure menu for changing thumbnail size
+    QMenu* configureMenu = new QMenu(this);
+    configureMenu->setStyleSheet("margin: 6px");
+    configureMenu->addSection(i18n("Thumbnail Size"));
+
+    m_wdgLayerBox->configureLayerDockerToolbar->setMenu(configureMenu);
+    m_wdgLayerBox->configureLayerDockerToolbar->setIcon(KisIconUtils::loadIcon("configure"));
+    m_wdgLayerBox->configureLayerDockerToolbar->setIconSize(QSize(13, 13));
+
+    m_wdgLayerBox->configureLayerDockerToolbar->setPopupMode(QToolButton::InstantPopup);
+
+
+    // add horizontal slider
+    thumbnailSizeSlider = new QSlider(this);
+    thumbnailSizeSlider->setOrientation(Qt::Horizontal);
+    thumbnailSizeSlider->setRange(20, 80);
+
+    thumbnailSizeSlider->setValue(cfg.layerThumbnailSize(false)); // grab this from the kritarc
+
+    thumbnailSizeSlider->setMinimumHeight(20);
+    thumbnailSizeSlider->setMinimumWidth(40);
+    thumbnailSizeSlider->setTickInterval(5);
+
+
+    QWidgetAction *sliderAction= new QWidgetAction(this);
+    sliderAction->setDefaultWidget(thumbnailSizeSlider);
+    configureMenu->addAction(sliderAction);
+
+
+    connect(thumbnailSizeSlider, SIGNAL(sliderMoved(int)), &m_thumbnailSizeCompressor, SLOT(start()));
+    connect(&m_thumbnailSizeCompressor, SIGNAL(timeout()), SLOT(slotUpdateThumbnailIconSize()));
 }
 
 KisLayerBox::~KisLayerBox()
@@ -1008,5 +1043,16 @@
     m_wdgLayerBox->listLayers->slotUpdateIcons();
 }
 
+void KisLayerBox::slotUpdateThumbnailIconSize()
+{
+    KisConfig cfg(false);
+    cfg.setLayerThumbnailSize(thumbnailSizeSlider->value());
+
+    // this is a hack to force the layers list to update its display and
+    // re-layout all the layers with the new thumbnail size
+    resize(this->width()+1, this->height()+1);
+    resize(this->width()-1, this->height()-1);
+}
+
 
 #include "moc_kis_layer_box.cpp"
diff --git a/plugins/dockers/defaultdockers/wdglayerbox.ui b/plugins/dockers/defaultdockers/wdglayerbox.ui
--- a/plugins/dockers/defaultdockers/wdglayerbox.ui
+++ b/plugins/dockers/defaultdockers/wdglayerbox.ui
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
    <rect>
     <x>0</x>
     <y>0</y>
-    <width>238</width>
-    <height>83</height>
+    <width>220</width>
+    <height>384</height>
    </rect>
   </property>
   <layout class="QVBoxLayout" name="verticalLayout">
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
     </layout>
    </item>
    <item>
-    <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="opacityLayout" stretch="0,0">
+    <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="opacityLayout" stretch="0,0,0">
      <property name="topMargin">
       <number>0</number>
      </property>
@@ -92,6 +92,13 @@
        </property>
       </widget>
      </item>
+     <item>
+      <widget class="QToolButton" name="configureLayerDockerToolbar">
+       <property name="text">
+        <string>...</string>
+       </property>
+      </widget>
+     </item>
     </layout>
    </item>
    <item>