diff --git a/Ledger.cpp b/Ledger.cpp
index 2328cc2ce1..3641b1cb0d 100644
--- a/Ledger.cpp
+++ b/Ledger.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ using namespace boost;
 using namespace std;
 
 Ledger::Ledger(const uint160& masterID, uint64 startAmount) :
-	mFeeHeld(0), mTimeStamp(0), mLedgerSeq(0), mCurrent(true)
+	mFeeHeld(0), mTimeStamp(0), mLedgerSeq(0), mClosed(false)
 {
 	mTransactionMap=SHAMap::pointer(new SHAMap());
 	mAccountStateMap=SHAMap::pointer(new SHAMap());
@@ -25,11 +25,18 @@ Ledger::Ledger(const uint160& masterID, uint64 startAmount) :
 Ledger::Ledger(const uint256 &parentHash, const uint256 &transHash, const uint256 &accountHash,
 	uint64 feeHeld, uint64 timeStamp, uint32 ledgerSeq)
 		: mParentHash(parentHash), mTransHash(transHash), mAccountHash(accountHash),
-		mFeeHeld(feeHeld), mTimeStamp(timeStamp), mLedgerSeq(ledgerSeq), mCurrent(false)
+		mFeeHeld(feeHeld), mTimeStamp(timeStamp), mLedgerSeq(ledgerSeq), mClosed(false)
 {
 	updateHash();
 }
 
+Ledger::Ledger(Ledger &prevLedger, uint64 ts) : mTimeStamp(ts), mClosed(false)
+{
+	prevLedger.updateHash();
+	mParentHash=prevLedger.mHash;
+	mLedgerSeq=prevLedger.mLedgerSeq+1;
+}
+
 void Ledger::updateHash()
 {
 	Serializer s(116);
@@ -84,7 +91,7 @@ Transaction::pointer Ledger::getTransaction(const uint256& transID)
 	SHAMapItem::pointer item=mTransactionMap->peekItem(transID);
 	if(!item) return Transaction::pointer();
 	Transaction *t=new Transaction(item->getData(), true);
-	if(t->getStatus()==NEW) t->setStatus(mCurrent ? INCLUDED : COMMITTED, mLedgerSeq);
+	if(t->getStatus()==NEW) t->setStatus(mClosed ? COMMITTED : INCLUDED, mLedgerSeq);
 	return Transaction::pointer(t);
 }
 
@@ -192,6 +199,13 @@ Ledger::TransResult Ledger::hasTransaction(Transaction::pointer trans)
 	}
 }
 
+Ledger::pointer Ledger::closeLedger(uint64 timeStamp)
+{ // close this ledger, return a pointer to the next ledger
+  // CAUTION: New ledger needs its SHAMap's connected to storage
+	setClosed();
+	return Ledger::pointer(new Ledger(*this, timeStamp));
+}
+
 #if 0
 // TODO: we should probably make a shared pointer type for each of these PB types
 newcoin::FullLedger* Ledger::createFullLedger()
diff --git a/Ledger.h b/Ledger.h
index 37ccf22c1a..953e22d372 100644
--- a/Ledger.h
+++ b/Ledger.h
@@ -41,13 +41,17 @@ private:
 	uint256 mHash, mParentHash, mTransHash, mAccountHash;
 	uint64 mFeeHeld, mTimeStamp;
 	uint32 mLedgerSeq;
-	bool mCurrent;
+	bool mClosed;
 	
 	SHAMap::pointer mTransactionMap, mAccountStateMap;
 
 	mutable boost::recursive_mutex mLock;
 	
+	Ledger(const Ledger&);				// no implementation
+	Ledger& operator=(const Ledger&);	// no implementation
+
 protected:
+	Ledger(Ledger&, uint64 timestamp);	// ledger after this one
 	void updateHash();
 
 	bool addAccountState(AccountState::pointer);
@@ -57,13 +61,11 @@ protected:
 
 public:
 	Ledger(const uint160& masterID, uint64 startAmount); // used for the starting bootstrap ledger
-	Ledger(const Ledger &ledger);
 	Ledger(const uint256 &parentHash, const uint256 &transHash, const uint256 &accountHash,
 	 uint64 feeHeld, uint64 timeStamp, uint32 ledgerSeq); // used for received ledgers
 
-	void setCurrent(void) { mCurrent=true; }
-	void clearCurrent(void) { mCurrent=false; }
-	bool isCurrent(void) { return mCurrent; }
+	void setClosed(void) { mClosed=true; }
+	bool isClosed(void) { return mClosed; }
 
 	// ledger signature operations
 	void addRaw(Serializer &s);
@@ -89,7 +91,7 @@ public:
 	TransResult removeTransaction(Transaction::pointer trans);
 	TransResult hasTransaction(Transaction::pointer trans);
 
-	bool closeLedger();
+	Ledger::pointer closeLedger(uint64 timestamp);
 	bool isCompatible(boost::shared_ptr<Ledger> other);
 	bool signLedger(std::vector<unsigned char> &signature, const LocalHanko &hanko, int32 confidence);
 };
diff --git a/NewcoinAddress.h b/NewcoinAddress.h
index f3b1dc1c5b..59a8881f9b 100644
--- a/NewcoinAddress.h
+++ b/NewcoinAddress.h
@@ -20,9 +20,8 @@ public:
 	bool SetPubKey(const std::vector<unsigned char>& vchPubKey);
 
 	bool IsValid();
-
-	uint160 GetHash160();
-	std::string GetString();
+	uint160 GetHash160() const;
+	std::string GetString() const;
 };
 
 #endif