diff --git a/docs/manual.rst b/docs/manual.rst
index ef023a871..4c5cd2f91 100644
--- a/docs/manual.rst
+++ b/docs/manual.rst
@@ -4480,6 +4480,24 @@ upload or download rate performance.
 	};
 
 
+state_changed_alert
+-------------------
+
+Generated whenever a torrent changes its state.
+
+::	
+
+	struct state_changed_alert: torrent_alert
+	{
+		// ...
+
+		torrent_status::state_t state;
+		torrent_status::state_t prev_state;
+	};
+
+``state`` is the new state of the torrent. ``prev_state`` is the previous state.
+
+
 metadata_failed_alert
 ---------------------
 
diff --git a/include/libtorrent/alert_types.hpp b/include/libtorrent/alert_types.hpp
index 3522c9164..97641a10b 100644
--- a/include/libtorrent/alert_types.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/alert_types.hpp
@@ -196,9 +196,11 @@ namespace libtorrent
 	struct TORRENT_EXPORT state_changed_alert: torrent_alert
 	{
 		state_changed_alert(torrent_handle const& h
-			, torrent_status::state_t const& state_)
+			, torrent_status::state_t state_
+			, torrent_status::state_t prev_state_)
 			: torrent_alert(h)
 			, state(state_)
+			, prev_state(prev_state_)
 		{}
 
 		virtual std::auto_ptr<alert> clone() const
@@ -220,6 +222,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		virtual int category() const { return static_category; }
 
 		torrent_status::state_t state;
+		torrent_status::state_t prev_state;
 	};
 
 	struct TORRENT_EXPORT tracker_error_alert: tracker_alert
diff --git a/src/torrent.cpp b/src/torrent.cpp
index 6510c6332..26852d0c9 100644
--- a/src/torrent.cpp
+++ b/src/torrent.cpp
@@ -4600,9 +4600,9 @@ namespace libtorrent
 #endif
 
 		if (m_state == s) return;
-		m_state = s;
 		if (m_ses.m_alerts.should_post<state_changed_alert>())
-			m_ses.m_alerts.post_alert(state_changed_alert(get_handle(), s));
+			m_ses.m_alerts.post_alert(state_changed_alert(get_handle(), s, m_state));
+		m_state = s;
 	}
 
 	torrent_status torrent::status() const