diff --git a/src/FileDialog.c b/src/FileDialog.c
index 4293c5a641..066fc32035 100644
--- a/src/FileDialog.c
+++ b/src/FileDialog.c
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@
 // static short module = MOD_GUI;
 
 /** GLOBALS *********************************************************/
-Session *current_session = NULL;
-AccountGroup *topgroup = NULL;    /* the current top of the heriarchy */
+static Session *current_session = NULL;
+static AccountGroup *topgroup = NULL;    /* the current top of the heriarchy */
 
 /********************************************************************\
  * fileMenubarCB -- handles file menubar choices                    * 
@@ -499,5 +499,35 @@ gncFileQuit (void)
   topgroup = NULL;
 
   }
+
+/* ======================================================== */
+
+AccountGroup *
+gncGetCurrentGroup (void)
+{
+  AccountGroup *grp;
+  grp = xaccSessionGetGroup (current_session); 
+  if (grp) return grp;
+
+  /* If we are here, then no session has yet been started ... */
+  grp = topgroup;
+  if (grp) return grp;
+
+  /* if we are here, then topgroup not yet initialized ... */
+  xaccLogEnable();
+  topgroup = xaccMallocAccountGroup();
+
+  return topgroup;
+}
   
+#if 0
+/* ======================================================== */
+/* whats this for ???? */
+
+gnc_main_window_get_session(gncUIWidget w) 
+{
+  return(current_session);
+}
+
+#endif
 /********************* END OF FILE **********************************/
diff --git a/src/FileDialog.h b/src/FileDialog.h
index a73f4a6de0..c97265abfc 100644
--- a/src/FileDialog.h
+++ b/src/FileDialog.h
@@ -86,6 +86,10 @@
  *    The user WILL NOT BE PROMPTED to confirm this action, or do do
  *    any kind of saving beforehand.
  *
+ * The gncGetCurrentGroup() routine will return the account group associated
+ *    with the current session.  It will always return a non-null value
+ *    (barring system catastrophe such as out of memory).
+ *
  * HISTORY:
  * Derived from Rob Clark's original MainWindow.c code, Dec 1998
  */
@@ -126,6 +130,11 @@ void gncFileOpenFile (const char *);
 void gncFileQuerySave (void);
 void gncFileQuit (void);
 
-extern Session *current_session;
+AccountGroup *gncGetCurrentGroup (void);
+
+/* ??? why is this needed ??? */
+/*
+Session *gnc_main_window_get_session(gncUIWidget w);
+*/
 
 #endif /* __GNC_FILE_DIALOG_H__ */
diff --git a/src/MainWindow.h b/src/MainWindow.h
index a667825417..0626caf845 100644
--- a/src/MainWindow.h
+++ b/src/MainWindow.h
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #include "ui-callbacks.h"
 #include "gnc-common.h"
-#include "Session.h"
 
 /** GLOBALS *********************************************************/
 typedef enum {
@@ -46,6 +45,5 @@ typedef enum {
 
 void     mainWindow();
 void     gnc_show_help(const gncHelpTypes t);
-Session *gnc_main_window_get_session(gncUIWidget w);
 
 #endif