diff --git a/js/misc/util.js b/js/misc/util.js
index 7c6d11124..0221e15af 100644
--- a/js/misc/util.js
+++ b/js/misc/util.js
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ const Clutter = imports.gi.Clutter;
 const Gio = imports.gi.Gio;
 const GLib = imports.gi.GLib;
 const Lang = imports.lang;
+const Mainloop = imports.mainloop;
+const Signals = imports.signals;
 const Shell = imports.gi.Shell;
 const St = imports.gi.St;
 
@@ -398,3 +400,94 @@ function ensureActorVisibleInScrollView(scrollView, actor) {
                        time: SCROLL_TIME,
                        transition: 'easeOutQuad' });
 }
+
+const AppSettingsMonitor = new Lang.Class({
+    Name: 'AppSettingsMonitor',
+
+    _init: function(appId, schemaId) {
+        this._appId = appId;
+        this._schemaId = schemaId;
+
+        this._app = null;
+        this._settings = null;
+        this._handlers = [];
+
+        this._schemaSource = Gio.SettingsSchemaSource.get_default();
+
+        this._appSystem = Shell.AppSystem.get_default();
+        this._appSystem.connect('installed-changed',
+                                Lang.bind(this, this._onInstalledChanged));
+        this._onInstalledChanged();
+    },
+
+    get available() {
+        return this._app != null && this._settings != null;
+    },
+
+    activateApp: function() {
+        if (this._app)
+            this._app.activate();
+    },
+
+    watchSetting: function(key, callback) {
+        let handler = { id: 0, key: key, callback: callback };
+        this._handlers.push(handler);
+
+        this._connectHandler(handler);
+    },
+
+    _connectHandler: function(handler) {
+        if (!this._settings || handler.id > 0)
+            return;
+
+        handler.id = this._settings.connect('changed::' + handler.key,
+                                            handler.callback);
+        handler.callback(this._settings, handler.key);
+    },
+
+    _disconnectHandler: function(handler) {
+        if (this._settings && handler.id > 0)
+            this._settings.disconnect(handler.id);
+        handler.id = 0;
+    },
+
+    _onInstalledChanged: function() {
+        let hadApp = (this._app != null);
+        this._app = this._appSystem.lookup_app(this._appId);
+        let haveApp = (this._app != null);
+
+        if (hadApp == haveApp)
+            return;
+
+        if (haveApp)
+            this._checkSettings();
+        else
+            this._setSettings(null);
+    },
+
+    _setSettings(settings) {
+        this._handlers.forEach((handler) => { this._disconnectHandler(handler); });
+
+        let hadSettings = (this._settings != null);
+        this._settings = settings;
+        let haveSettings = (this._settings != null);
+
+        this._handlers.forEach((handler) => { this._connectHandler(handler); });
+
+        if (hadSettings != haveSettings)
+            this.emit('available-changed');
+    },
+
+    _checkSettings: function() {
+        let schema = this._schemaSource.lookup(this._schemaId, true);
+        if (schema) {
+            this._setSettings(new Gio.Settings({ settings_schema: schema }));
+        } else if (this._app) {
+            Mainloop.timeout_add_seconds(1, () => {
+                this._checkSettings();
+                return GLib.SOURCE_REMOVE;
+            });
+        }
+    }
+});
+Signals.addSignalMethods(AppSettingsMonitor.prototype);