diff --git a/phpgwapi/inc/class.egw_framework.inc.php b/phpgwapi/inc/class.egw_framework.inc.php
index 9935f48d18..8413b9ba99 100644
--- a/phpgwapi/inc/class.egw_framework.inc.php
+++ b/phpgwapi/inc/class.egw_framework.inc.php
@@ -1233,6 +1233,40 @@ abstract class egw_framework
 			$response->includeScript($GLOBALS['egw_info']['server']['webserver_url'].$path);
 		}
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Set a preference via ajax
+	 *
+	 * User either need run rights for preference app, or setting of preference will be silently ignored!
+	 *
+	 * @param string $app
+	 * @param string $name
+	 * @param string $value
+	 */
+	public static function ajax_set_preference($app, $name, $value)
+	{
+		//error_log(__METHOD__."('$app', '$name', '$value')");
+		if ($GLOBALS['egw_info']['user']['apps']['preferences'])
+		{
+			$GLOBALS['egw']->preferences->read_repository();
+			$GLOBALS['egw']->preferences->change($app, $name, $value);
+			$GLOBALS['egw']->preferences->save_repository(True);
+		}
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Get preferences of a certain application via ajax
+	 *
+	 * @param string $app
+	 */
+	public static function ajax_get_preference($app)
+	{
+		if (preg_match('/^[a-z0-9_]+$/i', $app))
+		{
+			$response = egw_json_response::get();
+			$response->script('window.egw.set_preferences('.json_encode($GLOBALS['egw_info']['user']['preferences'][$app]).', "'.$app.'");');
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 // Init all static variables
diff --git a/phpgwapi/inc/class.egw_json.inc.php b/phpgwapi/inc/class.egw_json.inc.php
index e64337d4eb..a633cb3a05 100644
--- a/phpgwapi/inc/class.egw_json.inc.php
+++ b/phpgwapi/inc/class.egw_json.inc.php
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ class egw_json_request
 {
 
 	private static $_hadJSONRequest = false;
-	
+
 	public static function isJSONRequest()
 	{
 		return self::$_hadJSONRequest;
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class egw_json_request
 	{
 		// Remember that we currently are in a JSON request - e.g. used in the redirect code
 		self::$_hadJSONRequest = true;
-		
+
 		if (empty($input_data))
 		{
 			$this->handleRequest($menuaction, array());
@@ -109,6 +109,13 @@ class egw_json_request
 			case 'template':
 				$menuaction = $appName.'.'.$className.'.'.$functionName;
 				list($template) = explode('_', $className);
+				if ($className == 'egw_framework')	// allow to use egw_framework to call framework / template used by user
+				{
+					$template = $GLOBALS['egw_info']['user']['preferences']['common']['template_set'];
+					if (empty($template)) $template = 'idots';
+					$className = $template.'_framework';
+					//error_log(__METHOD__."('$menuaction', ".array($parameters).") --> template='$template', className='$className'");
+				}
 				break;
 		}
 
@@ -133,7 +140,7 @@ class egw_json_request
 			$ajaxClass = CreateObject($appName.'.'.$className);
 		}
 
-		// for Ajax: no need to load the "standard" javascript files, 
+		// for Ajax: no need to load the "standard" javascript files,
 		// they are already loaded, in fact jquery has a problem if loaded twice
 		egw_framework::js_files(array());
 
@@ -189,7 +196,7 @@ class egw_json_response
 		}
 		return self::$response;
 	}
-	
+
 	public static function isJSONResponse()
 	{
 		return isset(self::$response);
@@ -449,7 +456,7 @@ class egw_json_response
 			'params' => $params
 		);
 	}
-	
+
 	/**
 	 * Destructor
 	 */
diff --git a/phpgwapi/js/jsapi/egw.js b/phpgwapi/js/jsapi/egw.js
index 95aed28c77..cdd7c8f13c 100644
--- a/phpgwapi/js/jsapi/egw.js
+++ b/phpgwapi/js/jsapi/egw.js
@@ -72,9 +72,12 @@ else
 		/**
 		 * Query an EGroupware user preference
 		 * 
+		 * If a prefernce is not already loaded (only done for "common" by default), it is synchroniosly queryed from the server!
+		 * 
 		 * @param string _name name of the preference, eg. 'dateformat'
 		 * @param string _app='common'
 		 * @return string preference value
+		 * @todo add a callback to query it asynchron
 		 */
 		preference: function(_name, _app) 
 		{
@@ -82,11 +85,30 @@ else
 			
 			if (typeof this.prefs[_app] == 'undefined')
 			{
-				throw 'Prefs for application "'+_app+'" are NOT loaded!';
+				xajax_doXMLHTTPsync('home.egw_framework.ajax_get_preference.template', _app);
+				
+				if (typeof this.prefs[_app] == 'undefined') this.prefs[_app] = {};
 			}
 			return this.prefs[_app][_name];
 		},
 		
+		/**
+		 * Set a preference and sends it to the server
+		 * 
+		 * Server will silently ignore setting preferences, if user has no right to do so!
+		 * 
+		 * @param string _app application name or "common"
+		 * @param string _name name of the pref
+		 * @param string _val value of the pref
+		 */
+		set_preference: function(_app, _name, _val)
+		{
+			xajax_doXMLHTTP('home.egw_framework.ajax_set_preference.template', _app, _name, _val);
+			
+			// update own preference cache, if _app prefs are loaded (dont update otherwise, as it would block loading of other _app prefs!)
+			if (typeof this.prefs[_app] != 'undefined') this.prefs[_app][_name] = _val;
+		},
+		
 		/**
 		 * Translations
 		 *