diff --git a/IPython/frontend/qt/console/console_widget.py b/IPython/frontend/qt/console/console_widget.py
index 1d32620..79ef1d0 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/qt/console/console_widget.py
+++ b/IPython/frontend/qt/console/console_widget.py
@@ -369,8 +369,7 @@ class ConsoleWidget(QtGui.QPlainTextEdit):
             'keep_input' is set, restores the old input buffer when the new
             prompt is written.
         """
-        super(ConsoleWidget, self).clear()
-        
+        QtGui.QPlainTextEdit.clear(self)
         input_buffer = ''
         if self._reading:
             self._reading = False
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/qt/console/frontend_widget.py b/IPython/frontend/qt/console/frontend_widget.py
index 9e336d2..db1ab48 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/qt/console/frontend_widget.py
+++ b/IPython/frontend/qt/console/frontend_widget.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # Standard library imports
 import signal
+import sys
 
 # System library imports
 from pygments.lexers import PythonLexer
@@ -256,6 +257,13 @@ class FrontendWidget(HistoryConsoleWidget):
         self._complete_pos = self.textCursor().position()
         return True
 
+    def _get_banner(self):
+        """ Gets a banner to display at the beginning of a session.
+        """
+        banner = 'Python %s on %s\nType "help", "copyright", "credits" or ' \
+            '"license" for more information.'
+        return banner % (sys.version, sys.platform)
+
     def _get_context(self, cursor=None):
         """ Gets the context at the current cursor location.
         """
@@ -280,7 +288,11 @@ class FrontendWidget(HistoryConsoleWidget):
     def _started_channels(self):
         """ Called when the kernel manager has started listening.
         """
-        self.clear()
+        QtGui.QPlainTextEdit.clear(self)
+        if self._reading:
+            self._reading = False
+        self.appendPlainText(self._get_banner())
+        self._show_prompt()
 
     def _stopped_channels(self):
         """ Called when the kernel manager has stopped listening.
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/qt/console/ipython_widget.py b/IPython/frontend/qt/console/ipython_widget.py
index b26b639..ee08223 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/qt/console/ipython_widget.py
+++ b/IPython/frontend/qt/console/ipython_widget.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 from PyQt4 import QtCore, QtGui
 
 # Local imports
+from IPython.core.usage import default_banner
 from frontend_widget import FrontendWidget
 
 
@@ -51,6 +52,15 @@ class IPythonWidget(FrontendWidget):
         self.execute('run %s' % path, hidden=hidden)
 
     #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    # 'FrontendWidget' protected interface
+    #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    def _get_banner(self):
+        """ Reimplemented to a return IPython's default banner.
+        """
+        return default_banner
+
+    #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
     # 'IPythonWidget' interface
     #---------------------------------------------------------------------------