diff --git a/bindings/python/mapnik_text_symbolizer.cpp b/bindings/python/mapnik_text_symbolizer.cpp
index 00c8d8e5d..69d793ba7 100644
--- a/bindings/python/mapnik_text_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/bindings/python/mapnik_text_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -59,6 +59,16 @@ void set_anchor(text_symbolizer & t, boost::python::tuple arg)
     t.set_anchor(extract<double>(arg[0]),extract<double>(arg[1]));
 }
 
+void set_placement_options(text_symbolizer & t, placement_type_e arg, std::string const& placements)
+{
+    t.set_placement_options(arg, placements);
+}
+
+void set_placement_options_2(text_symbolizer & t, placement_type_e arg)
+{
+    t.set_placement_options(arg, "");
+}
+
 }
 
 struct text_symbolizer_pickle_suite : boost::python::pickle_suite
@@ -195,6 +205,11 @@ void export_text_symbolizer()
         .value("CAPITALIZE",CAPITALIZE)
         ;
 
+    enumeration_<placement_type_e>("placement_type")
+        .value("SIMPLE",T_SIMPLE)
+        .value("DUMMY",T_DUMMY)
+        ;
+
     class_<text_symbolizer>("TextSymbolizer",init<expression_ptr,std::string const&, unsigned,color const&>())
         /*
         // todo - all python classes can have kwargs and default constructors
@@ -287,6 +302,10 @@ void export_text_symbolizer()
                       &text_symbolizer::get_text_opacity,
                       &text_symbolizer::set_text_opacity,
                       "Set/get the text opacity")
+        .add_property("placement",
+                      &text_symbolizer::get_label_placement,
+                      &text_symbolizer::set_label_placement,
+                      "Set/get the placement of the label")
         .add_property("text_transform",
                       &text_symbolizer::get_text_transform,
                       &text_symbolizer::set_text_transform,
@@ -310,5 +329,9 @@ void export_text_symbolizer()
         .add_property("wrap_before",
                       &text_symbolizer::get_wrap_before,
                       &text_symbolizer::set_wrap_before)
+        .add_property("placement_type", &text_symbolizer::get_placement_type)
+        .add_property("placements", &text_symbolizer::get_placements)
+        .def("set_placement_options", set_placement_options)
+        .def("set_placement_options", set_placement_options_2)
         ;
 }
diff --git a/include/mapnik/text_placements.hpp b/include/mapnik/text_placements.hpp
index 383bbcb33..7921031c0 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/text_placements.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/text_placements.hpp
@@ -93,6 +93,15 @@ enum text_transform
 
 DEFINE_ENUM( text_transform_e, text_transform );
 
+enum placement_type
+{
+    T_SIMPLE = 0,
+    T_DUMMY,
+    placement_type_MAX
+};
+
+DEFINE_ENUM( placement_type_e, placement_type );
+
 class text_placements;
 
 class text_placement_info : boost::noncopyable
diff --git a/include/mapnik/text_placements_simple.hpp b/include/mapnik/text_placements_simple.hpp
index fe0e541ca..9a52825e8 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/text_placements_simple.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/text_placements_simple.hpp
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ public:
     text_placements_simple(std::string positions);
     text_placement_info_ptr get_placement_info() const;
     void set_positions(std::string positions);
+    std::string get_positions() const;
 private:
     std::string positions_;
     std::vector<directions_t> direction_;
diff --git a/include/mapnik/text_symbolizer.hpp b/include/mapnik/text_symbolizer.hpp
index d6c023499..03beb5b04 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/text_symbolizer.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/text_symbolizer.hpp
@@ -123,6 +123,9 @@ struct MAPNIK_DECL text_symbolizer : public symbolizer_base
     justify_alignment_e get_justify_alignment() const;
     text_placements_ptr get_placement_options() const;
     void set_placement_options(text_placements_ptr placement_options);
+    void set_placement_options(placement_type_e arg, std::string const& placements);
+    placement_type_e get_placement_type() const;
+    std::string get_placements() const;
 
 private:
     expression_ptr name_;
diff --git a/src/text_placements.cpp b/src/text_placements.cpp
index aca06a5ac..9ed8b20b2 100644
--- a/src/text_placements.cpp
+++ b/src/text_placements.cpp
@@ -187,6 +187,11 @@ text_placements_simple::text_placements_simple()
     set_positions("X");
 }
 
+std::string text_placements_simple::get_positions() const
+{
+    return positions_;
+}
+
 text_placements_simple::text_placements_simple(std::string positions)
 {
     set_positions(positions);
diff --git a/src/text_symbolizer.cpp b/src/text_symbolizer.cpp
index 00a91401d..2b43527e2 100644
--- a/src/text_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/src/text_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -22,8 +22,13 @@
 
 //$Id$
 
+#include <string>
+
 //mapnik
 #include <mapnik/text_symbolizer.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/text_placements.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/text_placements_simple.hpp>
+
 // boost
 #include <boost/scoped_ptr.hpp>
 
@@ -85,6 +90,15 @@ static const char * text_transform_strings[] = {
 IMPLEMENT_ENUM( text_transform_e, text_transform_strings )
 
 
+static const char * placement_type_strings[] = {
+    "dummy",
+    "simple",
+    ""
+};
+
+
+IMPLEMENT_ENUM( placement_type_e, placement_type_strings )
+
 
 text_symbolizer::text_symbolizer(expression_ptr name, std::string const& face_name,
                                  float size, color const& fill,
@@ -553,5 +567,47 @@ void text_symbolizer::set_placement_options(text_placements_ptr placement_option
     placement_options_ = placement_options;
 }
 
+void text_symbolizer::set_placement_options(placement_type_e arg, std::string const& placements)
+{
+    text_placements_ptr placement_finder;
+    switch (arg)
+    {
+    case T_SIMPLE:
+        placement_finder = text_placements_ptr(
+            new text_placements_simple(placements));
+        break;
+
+    case T_DUMMY:
+        placement_finder = text_placements_ptr(new text_placements_dummy());
+        break;
+
+    default:
+        throw config_error(std::string("Unknown placement type"));
+        break;
+    }
+    this->set_placement_options(placement_finder);
+}
+
+placement_type_e text_symbolizer::get_placement_type() const
+{
+    text_placements_ptr placement_finder = this->get_placement_options();
+    if (dynamic_cast<text_placements_simple *>(placement_finder.get()) != NULL)
+    {
+        return T_SIMPLE;
+    }
+    return T_DUMMY;
+}
+
+std::string text_symbolizer::get_placements() const
+{
+    text_placements_ptr placement_finder = this->get_placement_options();
+    text_placements_simple *placements_simple = dynamic_cast<text_placements_simple *>(placement_finder.get());
+
+    if (placements_simple != NULL)
+    {
+        return placements_simple->get_positions();
+    }
+    return "";
+}
 
 }