diff --git a/frontends/src/tools/xmlui.py b/frontends/src/tools/xmlui.py
index c8dffcdd..15bbb95e 100644
--- a/frontends/src/tools/xmlui.py
+++ b/frontends/src/tools/xmlui.py
@@ -324,7 +324,8 @@ class XMLUIPanel(XMLUIBase):
 
     def __init__(self, host, parsed_dom, title=None, flags=None, callback=None, profile=C.PROF_KEY_NONE):
         super(XMLUIPanel, self).__init__(host, parsed_dom, title=title, flags=flags, callback=callback, profile=profile)
-        self.ctrl_list = {}  # usefull to access ctrl
+        self.ctrl_list = {}  # input widget, used mainly for forms
+        self.widgets = {}  # allow to access any named widgets
         self._main_cont = None
         self.constructUI(parsed_dom)
 
@@ -480,6 +481,9 @@ class XMLUIPanel(XMLUIBase):
                     log.error(_("FIXME FIXME FIXME: widget type [%s] is not implemented") % type_)
                     raise NotImplementedError(_("FIXME FIXME FIXME: type [%s] is not implemented") % type_)
 
+                if name:
+                    self.widgets[name] = ctrl
+
                 if self.type == 'param' and type_ not in ('text', 'button'):
                     try:
                         ctrl._xmluiOnChange(self.onParamChange)