diff --git a/library/Icinga/Web/Widget/Dashboard/Pane.php b/library/Icinga/Web/Widget/Dashboard/Pane.php
index 5f973885f..d4679042d 100644
--- a/library/Icinga/Web/Widget/Dashboard/Pane.php
+++ b/library/Icinga/Web/Widget/Dashboard/Pane.php
@@ -191,6 +191,21 @@ class Pane extends UserWidget
         return implode("\n", $dashlets) . "\n";
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Create, add and return a new dashlet
+     *
+     * @param   string  $title
+     * @param   string  $url
+     *
+     * @return  Dashlet
+     */
+    public function createDashlet($title, $url = null)
+    {
+        $dashlet = new Dashlet($title, $url, $this);
+        $this->addDashlet($dashlet);
+        return $dashlet;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Add a dashlet to this pane, optionally creating it if $dashlet is a string
      *
@@ -206,7 +221,7 @@ class Pane extends UserWidget
         if ($dashlet instanceof Dashlet) {
             $this->dashlets[$dashlet->getTitle()] = $dashlet;
         } elseif (is_string($dashlet) && $url !== null) {
-             $this->dashlets[$dashlet] = new Dashlet($dashlet, $url, $this);
+             $this->createDashlet($dashlet, $url);
         } else {
             throw new ConfigurationError('Invalid dashlet added: %s', $dashlet);
         }