diff --git a/IPython/core/displayhook.py b/IPython/core/displayhook.py
index f60a764..55accc5 100644
--- a/IPython/core/displayhook.py
+++ b/IPython/core/displayhook.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ from IPython.config.configurable import Configurable
 from IPython.core import prompts
 import IPython.utils.generics
 import IPython.utils.io
-from IPython.utils.traitlets import Instance
+from IPython.utils.traitlets import Instance, Int
 from IPython.utils.warn import warn
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ class DisplayHook(Configurable):
     """
 
     shell = Instance('IPython.core.interactiveshell.InteractiveShellABC')
+    # Each call to the In[] prompt raises it by 1, even the first.
+    prompt_count = Int(0)
 
     def __init__(self, shell=None, cache_size=1000,
                  colors='NoColor', input_sep='\n',
@@ -100,9 +102,6 @@ class DisplayHook(Configurable):
                                     pad_left=pad_left)
         self.set_colors(colors)
 
-        # other more normal stuff
-        # b/c each call to the In[] prompt raises it by 1, even the first.
-        self.prompt_count = 0
         # Store the last prompt string each time, we need it for aligning
         # continuation and auto-rewrite prompts
         self.last_prompt = ''
diff --git a/IPython/core/prompts.py b/IPython/core/prompts.py
index 3cfba55..753659c 100644
--- a/IPython/core/prompts.py
+++ b/IPython/core/prompts.py
@@ -371,7 +371,14 @@ class Prompt1(BasePrompt):
         # auto-call prompts used in the auto_rewrite() method.
         self.col_p_ni = self.col_p.replace('\001','').replace('\002','') 
         self.col_norm_ni = Colors.normal        
-        
+
+    def peek_next_prompt(self):
+        """Get the next prompt, but don't increment the counter."""
+        self.cache.prompt_count += 1
+        next_prompt = str_safe(self.p_str)
+        self.cache.prompt_count -= 1
+        return next_prompt
+
     def __str__(self):
         self.cache.prompt_count += 1
         self.cache.last_prompt = str_safe(self.p_str_nocolor).split('\n')[-1]
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/qt/console/frontend_widget.py b/IPython/frontend/qt/console/frontend_widget.py
index 873a1f0..a228782 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/qt/console/frontend_widget.py
+++ b/IPython/frontend/qt/console/frontend_widget.py
@@ -352,6 +352,7 @@ class FrontendWidget(HistoryConsoleWidget):
         # before writing a new prompt.
         self.kernel_manager.sub_channel.flush()
 
+        # TODO: The reply now has the next_prompt and prompt_number keys.
         status = reply['content']['status']
         if status == 'error':
             self._handle_execute_error(reply)
diff --git a/IPython/zmq/ipkernel.py b/IPython/zmq/ipkernel.py
index 3b1c9cd..d9f9afc 100755
--- a/IPython/zmq/ipkernel.py
+++ b/IPython/zmq/ipkernel.py
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ Things to do:
 
 # Standard library imports.
 import __builtin__
-from code import CommandCompiler
 import os
 import sys
 import time
@@ -31,9 +30,7 @@ from IPython.zmq.zmqshell import ZMQInteractiveShell
 from IPython.external.argparse import ArgumentParser
 from IPython.utils.traitlets import Instance
 from IPython.zmq.session import Session, Message
-from completer import KernelCompleter
 from iostream import OutStream
-from displayhook import DisplayHook
 from exitpoller import ExitPollerUnix, ExitPollerWindows
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -58,7 +55,7 @@ class Kernel(Configurable):
 
         # Build dict of handlers for message types
         msg_types = [ 'execute_request', 'complete_request', 
-                      'object_info_request' ]
+                      'object_info_request', 'prompt_request' ]
         self.handlers = {}
         for msg_type in msg_types:
             self.handlers[msg_type] = getattr(self, msg_type)
@@ -120,7 +117,15 @@ class Kernel(Configurable):
             reply_content = exc_content
         else:
             reply_content = {'status' : 'ok'}
-            
+
+        # Compute the prompt information
+        prompt_number = self.shell.displayhook.prompt_count
+        reply_content['prompt_number'] = prompt_number        
+        prompt_string = self.shell.displayhook.prompt1.peek_next_prompt()
+        next_prompt = {'prompt_string' : prompt_string,
+                       'prompt_number' : prompt_number+1}
+        reply_content['next_prompt'] = next_prompt
+
         # Flush output before sending the reply.
         sys.stderr.flush()
         sys.stdout.flush()
@@ -200,6 +205,15 @@ class Kernel(Configurable):
 
         return symbol, []
 
+    def prompt_request(self, ident, parent):
+        prompt_number = self.shell.displayhook.prompt_count
+        prompt_string = self.shell.displayhook.prompt1.peek_next_prompt()
+        content = {'prompt_string' : prompt_string,
+                   'prompt_number' : prompt_number+1}
+        msg = self.session.send(self.reply_socket, 'prompt_reply',
+                                content, parent, ident)
+        print >> sys.__stdout__, msg
+
     def start(self):
         while True:
             ident = self.reply_socket.recv()
diff --git a/IPython/zmq/zmqshell.py b/IPython/zmq/zmqshell.py
index 720a0ea..fb7b88f 100644
--- a/IPython/zmq/zmqshell.py
+++ b/IPython/zmq/zmqshell.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ from IPython.utils.traitlets import Instance, Type, Dict
 from IPython.zmq.session import extract_header
 
 
-class ZMQDisplayTrap(DisplayHook):
+class ZMQDisplayHook(DisplayHook):
 
     session = Instance('IPython.zmq.session.Session')
     pub_socket = Instance('zmq.Socket')
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class ZMQDisplayTrap(DisplayHook):
 class ZMQInteractiveShell(InteractiveShell):
     """A subclass of InteractiveShell for ZMQ."""
 
-    displayhook_class = Type(ZMQDisplayTrap)
+    displayhook_class = Type(ZMQDisplayHook)
 
     def system(self, cmd):
         cmd = self.var_expand(cmd, depth=2)