diff --git a/db/database.cpp b/db/database.cpp
index b40005f1779..fb243302083 100644
--- a/db/database.cpp
+++ b/db/database.cpp
@@ -24,4 +24,32 @@ namespace mongo {
 
     bool Database::_openAllFiles = false;
 
+    bool Database::setProfilingLevel( int newLevel , string& errmsg ){
+        if ( profile == newLevel )
+            return true;
+        
+        if ( newLevel < 0 || newLevel > 2 ){
+            errmsg = "profiling level has to be >=0 and <= 2";
+            return false;
+        }
+        
+        if ( newLevel == 0 ){
+            profile = 0;
+            return true;
+        }
+        
+        assert( cc().database() == this );
+
+        if ( ! nsdetails( profileName.c_str() ) ){
+            BSONObjBuilder spec;
+            spec.appendBool( "capped", true );
+            spec.append( "size", 131072.0 );
+            if ( ! userCreateNS( profileName.c_str(), spec.done(), errmsg , true ) ){
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+        profile = newLevel;
+        return true;
+    }
+
 } // namespace mongo
diff --git a/db/database.h b/db/database.h
index 99864d829a8..3fd162b6158 100644
--- a/db/database.h
+++ b/db/database.h
@@ -158,13 +158,18 @@ namespace mongo {
             if( e ) return e;
             return suitableFile( size )->createExtent( ns, size, capped );
         }
-
+        
         MongoDataFile* newestFile() {
             int n = (int) files.size();
             if ( n > 0 ) n--;
             return getFile(n);
         }
         
+        /**
+         * @return true if success, false otherwise
+         */
+        bool setProfilingLevel( int newLevel , string& errmsg );
+
         vector<MongoDataFile*> files;
         string name; // "alleyinsider"
         string path;
diff --git a/db/dbcommands.cpp b/db/dbcommands.cpp
index 57afa00b10c..f7159562bfb 100644
--- a/db/dbcommands.cpp
+++ b/db/dbcommands.cpp
@@ -294,17 +294,7 @@ namespace mongo {
             if ( p == -1 )
                 ok = true;
             else if ( p >= 0 && p <= 2 ) {
-                if( p && nsdetails(cc().database()->profileName.c_str()) == 0 ) {
-                    BSONObjBuilder spec;
-                    spec.appendBool( "capped", true );
-                    spec.append( "size", 131072.0 );
-
-                    if ( !userCreateNS( cc().database()->profileName.c_str(), spec.done(), errmsg, true ) ) {
-                        return false;
-                    }
-                }
-                ok = true;
-                cc().database()->profile = p;
+                ok = cc().database()->setProfilingLevel( p , errmsg );
             }
             return ok;
         }
diff --git a/jstests/profile1.js b/jstests/profile1.js
index d9abffe16b7..ea53b09f09f 100644
--- a/jstests/profile1.js
+++ b/jstests/profile1.js
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ var capped_size = db.system.profile.storageSize();
 assert.gt(capped_size, 999, "D");
 assert.lt(capped_size, 2000, "E");
 
+assert.eq( 4 , db.system.profile.find().count() , "E2" );
+
 /* Make sure we can't drop if profiling is still on */
 assert.throws( function(z){ db.getCollection("system.profile").drop(); } )