diff --git a/src/LyXVC.cpp b/src/LyXVC.cpp
index c66ce169b0..c53996b698 100644
--- a/src/LyXVC.cpp
+++ b/src/LyXVC.cpp
@@ -313,5 +313,15 @@ bool LyXVC::undoLastEnabled() const
 	return vcs && vcs->undoLastEnabled();
 }
 
+bool LyXVC::prepareFileRevision(int rev, std::string & f)
+{
+	return vcs && vcs->prepareFileRevision(rev, f);
+}
+
+
+bool LyXVC::prepareFileRevisionEnabled()
+{
+	return vcs && vcs->prepareFileRevisionEnabled();
+}
 
 } // namespace lyx
diff --git a/src/LyXVC.h b/src/LyXVC.h
index 92db82c52c..0d9c826d5a 100644
--- a/src/LyXVC.h
+++ b/src/LyXVC.h
@@ -104,6 +104,16 @@ public:
 	void undoLast();
 	/// Does the current VC supports this operation?
 	bool undoLastEnabled() const;
+	/**
+	 * Prepare revision rev of the file into newly created temporary file
+	 * and save the filename into parameter f.
+	 * Parameter rev can be either revision number or negative number
+	 * which is interpreted as how many revision back from the current
+	 * one do we want. rev=0 is reserved for the last (committed) revision.
+	 */
+	bool prepareFileRevision(int rev, std::string & f);
+	/// Does the current VC supports this operation?
+	bool prepareFileRevisionEnabled();
 
 	/**
 	 * Generate a log file and return the filename.
diff --git a/src/VCBackend.cpp b/src/VCBackend.cpp
index fd48b79e8a..e90ddcd876 100644
--- a/src/VCBackend.cpp
+++ b/src/VCBackend.cpp
@@ -290,6 +290,18 @@ string RCS::revisionInfo(LyXVC::RevisionInfo const info)
 }
 
 
+bool RCS::prepareFileRevision(int, std::string &)
+{
+	return false;
+}
+
+
+bool RCS::prepareFileRevisionEnabled()
+{
+	return false;
+}
+
+
 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //
 // CVS
@@ -493,6 +505,18 @@ string CVS::revisionInfo(LyXVC::RevisionInfo const info)
 }
 
 
+bool CVS::prepareFileRevision(int, std::string &)
+{
+	return false;
+}
+
+
+bool CVS::prepareFileRevisionEnabled()
+{
+	return false;
+}
+
+
 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //
 // SVN
@@ -1014,6 +1038,13 @@ bool SVN::prepareFileRevision(int rev, string & f)
 }
 
 
+bool SVN::prepareFileRevisionEnabled()
+{
+	return true;
+}
+
+
+
 bool SVN::toggleReadOnlyEnabled()
 {
 	return false;
diff --git a/src/VCBackend.h b/src/VCBackend.h
index e5d03331b5..6e8ef541de 100644
--- a/src/VCBackend.h
+++ b/src/VCBackend.h
@@ -78,6 +78,11 @@ public:
 	virtual bool toggleReadOnlyEnabled() = 0;
 	/// Return revision info specified by the argument.
 	virtual std::string revisionInfo(LyXVC::RevisionInfo const info) = 0;
+
+	virtual bool prepareFileRevision(int rev, std::string & f) = 0;
+
+	virtual bool prepareFileRevisionEnabled() = 0;
+
 protected:
 	/// parse information from the version file
 	virtual void scanMaster() = 0;
@@ -152,6 +157,10 @@ public:
 
 	virtual std::string revisionInfo(LyXVC::RevisionInfo const info);
 
+	virtual bool prepareFileRevision(int rev, std::string & f);
+
+	virtual bool prepareFileRevisionEnabled();
+
 protected:
 	virtual void scanMaster();
 private:
@@ -209,6 +218,10 @@ public:
 
 	virtual std::string revisionInfo(LyXVC::RevisionInfo const info);
 
+	virtual bool prepareFileRevision(int rev, std::string & f);
+
+	virtual bool prepareFileRevisionEnabled();
+
 protected:
 	virtual void scanMaster();
 
@@ -265,6 +278,10 @@ public:
 
 	virtual std::string revisionInfo(LyXVC::RevisionInfo const info);
 
+	virtual bool prepareFileRevision(int rev, std::string & f);
+
+	virtual bool prepareFileRevisionEnabled();
+
 protected:
 	virtual void scanMaster();
 	/// Check for messages in svn output. Returns error.
@@ -275,14 +292,6 @@ protected:
 	bool isLocked() const;
 	/// acquire/release write lock for the current file
 	void fileLock(bool lock, support::FileName const & tmpf, std::string & status);
-	/**
-	 * Prepare revision rev of the file into newly created temporary file
-	 * and save the filename into parameter f.
-	 * Parameter rev can be either revision number or negative number
-	 * which is interpreted as how many revision back from the current
-	 * one do we want. rev=0 is reserved for the last (committed) revision.
-	 */
-	bool prepareFileRevision(int rev, std::string & f);
 
 private:
 	support::FileName file_;