diff --git a/api/proto/board/board_commands.proto b/api/proto/board/board_commands.proto
index 33846c0e17..178f04f6ea 100644
--- a/api/proto/board/board_commands.proto
+++ b/api/proto/board/board_commands.proto
@@ -148,6 +148,44 @@ message PadShapeAsPolygonResponse
   repeated kiapi.common.types.PolygonWithHoles polygons = 2;
 }
 
+// PCB editor commands
+
+// returns BoardLayers
+message GetVisibleLayers
+{
+  kiapi.common.types.DocumentSpecifier board = 1;
+}
+
+message BoardLayerResponse
+{
+  kiapi.board.types.BoardLayer layer = 1;
+}
+
+message BoardLayers
+{
+  repeated kiapi.board.types.BoardLayer layers = 1;
+}
+
+message SetVisibleLayers
+{
+  kiapi.common.types.DocumentSpecifier board = 1;
+
+  repeated kiapi.board.types.BoardLayer layers = 2;
+}
+
+// returns BoardLayerResponse
+message GetActiveLayer
+{
+  kiapi.common.types.DocumentSpecifier board = 1;
+}
+
+message SetActiveLayer
+{
+  kiapi.common.types.DocumentSpecifier board = 1;
+
+  kiapi.board.types.BoardLayer layer = 2;
+}
+
 //// Interactive commands ////
 // These commands begin an interactive operation in the editor.
 // They return a response immediately, but the editor will become busy
diff --git a/api/proto/board/board_types.proto b/api/proto/board/board_types.proto
index d87276120b..3acdd9e21b 100644
--- a/api/proto/board/board_types.proto
+++ b/api/proto/board/board_types.proto
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ enum BoardLayer
   BL_User_7 = 59;
   BL_User_8 = 60;
   BL_User_9 = 61;
+  BL_Rescue = 62;
 }
 
 message NetCode
diff --git a/common/api/api_enums.cpp b/common/api/api_enums.cpp
index 12fe941077..8465cf4e53 100644
--- a/common/api/api_enums.cpp
+++ b/common/api/api_enums.cpp
@@ -213,6 +213,7 @@ PCB_LAYER_ID FromProtoEnum( board::types::BoardLayer aValue )
     case board::types::BoardLayer::BL_User_7:      return User_7;
     case board::types::BoardLayer::BL_User_8:      return User_8;
     case board::types::BoardLayer::BL_User_9:      return User_9;
+    case board::types::BoardLayer::BL_Rescue:      return Rescue;
 
     case board::types::BoardLayer::BL_UNKNOWN:     return UNDEFINED_LAYER;
     default:
@@ -288,6 +289,7 @@ board::types::BoardLayer ToProtoEnum( PCB_LAYER_ID aValue )
     case User_7:            return board::types::BoardLayer::BL_User_7;
     case User_8:            return board::types::BoardLayer::BL_User_8;
     case User_9:            return board::types::BoardLayer::BL_User_9;
+    case Rescue:            return board::types::BoardLayer::BL_Rescue;
     default:
         wxCHECK_MSG( false, board::types::BoardLayer::BL_UNKNOWN,
                      "Unhandled case in ToProtoEnum<PCB_LAYER_ID>");
diff --git a/pcbnew/api/api_handler_pcb.cpp b/pcbnew/api/api_handler_pcb.cpp
index dc29515988..13ed60fa95 100644
--- a/pcbnew/api/api_handler_pcb.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/api/api_handler_pcb.cpp
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 #include <zone.h>
 
 #include <api/common/types/base_types.pb.h>
+#include <widgets/appearance_controls.h>
 
 using namespace kiapi::common::commands;
 using types::CommandStatus;
@@ -83,6 +84,10 @@ API_HANDLER_PCB::API_HANDLER_PCB( PCB_EDIT_FRAME* aFrame ) :
             &API_HANDLER_PCB::handleSaveSelectionToString );
     registerHandler<ParseAndCreateItemsFromString, CreateItemsResponse>(
             &API_HANDLER_PCB::handleParseAndCreateItemsFromString );
+    registerHandler<GetVisibleLayers, BoardLayers>( &API_HANDLER_PCB::handleGetVisibleLayers );
+    registerHandler<SetVisibleLayers, Empty>( &API_HANDLER_PCB::handleSetVisibleLayers );
+    registerHandler<GetActiveLayer, BoardLayerResponse>( &API_HANDLER_PCB::handleGetActiveLayer );
+    registerHandler<SetActiveLayer, Empty>( &API_HANDLER_PCB::handleSetActiveLayer );
 }
 
 
@@ -917,3 +922,94 @@ HANDLER_RESULT<CreateItemsResponse> API_HANDLER_PCB::handleParseAndCreateItemsFr
     CreateItemsResponse response;
     return response;
 }
+
+
+HANDLER_RESULT<BoardLayers> API_HANDLER_PCB::handleGetVisibleLayers( GetVisibleLayers&      aMsg,
+                                                                     const HANDLER_CONTEXT& aCtx )
+{
+    HANDLER_RESULT<bool> documentValidation = validateDocument( aMsg.board() );
+
+    if( !documentValidation )
+        return tl::unexpected( documentValidation.error() );
+
+    BoardLayers response;
+
+    for( PCB_LAYER_ID layer : frame()->GetBoard()->GetVisibleLayers() )
+        response.add_layers( ToProtoEnum<PCB_LAYER_ID, board::types::BoardLayer>( layer ) );
+
+    return response;
+}
+
+
+HANDLER_RESULT<Empty> API_HANDLER_PCB::handleSetVisibleLayers( SetVisibleLayers&      aMsg,
+                                                               const HANDLER_CONTEXT& aCtx )
+{
+    if( std::optional<ApiResponseStatus> busy = checkForBusy() )
+        return tl::unexpected( *busy );
+
+    HANDLER_RESULT<bool> documentValidation = validateDocument( aMsg.board() );
+
+    if( !documentValidation )
+        return tl::unexpected( documentValidation.error() );
+
+    LSET visible;
+    LSET enabled = frame()->GetBoard()->GetEnabledLayers();
+
+    for( int layerIdx : aMsg.layers() )
+    {
+        PCB_LAYER_ID layer =
+                FromProtoEnum<PCB_LAYER_ID>( static_cast<board::types::BoardLayer>( layerIdx ) );
+
+        if( enabled.Contains( layer ) )
+            visible.set( layer );
+    }
+
+    frame()->GetBoard()->SetVisibleLayers( visible );
+    frame()->GetAppearancePanel()->OnBoardChanged();
+    frame()->GetCanvas()->SyncLayersVisibility( frame()->GetBoard() );
+    frame()->Refresh();
+    return Empty();
+}
+
+
+HANDLER_RESULT<BoardLayerResponse> API_HANDLER_PCB::handleGetActiveLayer(
+            GetActiveLayer& aMsg, const HANDLER_CONTEXT& aCtx )
+{
+    HANDLER_RESULT<bool> documentValidation = validateDocument( aMsg.board() );
+
+    if( !documentValidation )
+        return tl::unexpected( documentValidation.error() );
+
+    BoardLayerResponse response;
+    response.set_layer(
+            ToProtoEnum<PCB_LAYER_ID, board::types::BoardLayer>( frame()->GetActiveLayer() ) );
+
+    return response;
+}
+
+
+HANDLER_RESULT<Empty> API_HANDLER_PCB::handleSetActiveLayer( SetActiveLayer&        aMsg,
+                                                             const HANDLER_CONTEXT& aCtx )
+{
+    if( std::optional<ApiResponseStatus> busy = checkForBusy() )
+        return tl::unexpected( *busy );
+
+    HANDLER_RESULT<bool> documentValidation = validateDocument( aMsg.board() );
+
+    if( !documentValidation )
+        return tl::unexpected( documentValidation.error() );
+
+    PCB_LAYER_ID layer = FromProtoEnum<PCB_LAYER_ID>( aMsg.layer() );
+
+    if( !frame()->GetBoard()->GetEnabledLayers().Contains( layer ) )
+    {
+        ApiResponseStatus err;
+        err.set_status( ApiStatusCode::AS_BAD_REQUEST );
+        err.set_error_message( fmt::format( "Layer {} is not a valid layer for the given board",
+                                            magic_enum::enum_name( layer ) ) );
+        return tl::unexpected( err );
+    }
+
+    frame()->SetActiveLayer( layer );
+    return Empty();
+}
diff --git a/pcbnew/api/api_handler_pcb.h b/pcbnew/api/api_handler_pcb.h
index 0e6246c057..a3709735cc 100644
--- a/pcbnew/api/api_handler_pcb.h
+++ b/pcbnew/api/api_handler_pcb.h
@@ -102,6 +102,16 @@ private:
     HANDLER_RESULT<commands::CreateItemsResponse> handleParseAndCreateItemsFromString(
                 commands::ParseAndCreateItemsFromString& aMsg, const HANDLER_CONTEXT& aCtx );
 
+    HANDLER_RESULT<BoardLayers> handleGetVisibleLayers( GetVisibleLayers& aMsg,
+                                                        const HANDLER_CONTEXT& aCtx );
+
+    HANDLER_RESULT<Empty> handleSetVisibleLayers( SetVisibleLayers& aMsg,
+                                                  const HANDLER_CONTEXT& aCtx );
+
+    HANDLER_RESULT<BoardLayerResponse> handleGetActiveLayer( GetActiveLayer& aMsg,
+            const HANDLER_CONTEXT& aCtx );
+    HANDLER_RESULT<Empty> handleSetActiveLayer( SetActiveLayer& aMsg, const HANDLER_CONTEXT& aCtx );
+
 protected:
     std::unique_ptr<COMMIT> createCommit() override;