Fixed bug where the banner message was syntax highlighted when the frontend connected to a new kernel.

IPython/frontend/qt/console/console_widget.py

@@ -216,13 +216,13 b' class ConsoleWidget(QtGui.QWidget):'
                     pass
         return False
 
-    def clear(self, keep_input=False):
+    def clear(self, keep_input=True):
         """ Clear the console, then write a new prompt. If 'keep_input' is set,
             restores the old input buffer when the new prompt is written.
         """
-        self._control.clear()
         if keep_input:
             input_buffer = self.input_buffer
+        self._control.clear()
         self._show_prompt()
         if keep_input:
             self.input_buffer = input_buffer
@@ -1074,12 +1074,6 b' class ConsoleWidget(QtGui.QWidget):'
             self._reading_callback = lambda: \
                 callback(self.input_buffer.rstrip('\n'))
 
-    def _reset(self):
-        """ Clears the console and resets internal state variables.
-        """
-        self._control.clear()
-        self._executing = self._reading = False
-
     def _set_continuation_prompt(self, prompt, html=False):
         """ Sets the continuation prompt.
 

IPython/frontend/qt/console/frontend_widget.py

@@ -239,7 +239,7 b' class FrontendWidget(HistoryConsoleWidget, BaseFrontendMixin):'
         """ Called when the KernelManager channels have started listening or 
             when the frontend is assigned an already listening KernelManager.
         """
-        self._reset()
+        self._control.clear()
         self._append_plain_text(self._get_banner())
         self._show_interpreter_prompt()
 
@@ -247,8 +247,8 b' class FrontendWidget(HistoryConsoleWidget, BaseFrontendMixin):'
         """ Called when the KernelManager channels have stopped listening or
             when a listening KernelManager is removed from the frontend.
         """
-        # FIXME: Print a message here?
-        pass
+        self._executing = self._reading = False
+        self._highlighter.highlighting_on = False
 
     #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
     # 'FrontendWidget' interface