diff --git a/clutter/clutter-event.c b/clutter/clutter-event.c
index a74338ecd..2f9cf178a 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-event.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-event.c
@@ -765,6 +765,29 @@ clutter_get_current_event_time (void)
   return CLUTTER_CURRENT_TIME;
 }
 
+/**
+ * clutter_get_current_event:
+ *
+ * If an event is currently being processed, return that event.
+ * This function is intended to be used to access event state
+ * that might not be exposed by higher-level widgets.  For
+ * example, to get the key modifier state from a Button 'clicked'
+ * event.
+ *
+ * Return value: (transfer none): The current ClutterEvent, or %NULL if none
+ *
+ * Since: 1.2
+ */
+G_CONST_RETURN ClutterEvent *
+clutter_get_current_event (void)
+{
+  ClutterMainContext *context = _clutter_context_get_default ();
+
+  g_return_val_if_fail (context != NULL, NULL);
+
+  return context->current_event;
+}
+
 /**
  * clutter_input_device_get_device_type:
  * @device: a #ClutterInputDevice
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-event.h b/clutter/clutter-event.h
index 9ce23455b..03d91549c 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-event.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter-event.h
@@ -507,6 +507,7 @@ ClutterScrollDirection clutter_event_get_scroll_direction   (ClutterEvent     *e
 guint32                clutter_keysym_to_unicode            (guint             keyval);
 
 guint32                clutter_get_current_event_time       (void);
+G_CONST_RETURN ClutterEvent *clutter_get_current_event      (void);
 
 ClutterInputDeviceType clutter_input_device_get_device_type (ClutterInputDevice *device);
 gint                   clutter_input_device_get_device_id   (ClutterInputDevice *device);
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-main.c b/clutter/clutter-main.c
index 642085774..3b0f3997e 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-main.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-main.c
@@ -2166,36 +2166,13 @@ clutter_do_event (ClutterEvent *event)
   _clutter_stage_queue_event (event->any.stage, event);
 }
 
-/**
- * _clutter_process_event
- * @event: a #ClutterEvent.
- *
- * Does the actual work of processing an event that was queued earlier
- * out of clutter_do_event().
- */
-void
-_clutter_process_event (ClutterEvent *event)
+static void
+_clutter_process_event_details (ClutterActor        *stage,
+                                ClutterMainContext  *context,
+                                ClutterEvent        *event)
 {
-  /* FIXME: This should probably be clutter_cook_event() - it would
-   * take a raw event from the backend and 'cook' it so its more tasty.
-   *
-  */
-  ClutterMainContext  *context;
-  ClutterBackend      *backend;
-  ClutterActor        *stage;
   ClutterInputDevice  *device = NULL;
 
-  context = _clutter_context_get_default ();
-  backend = context->backend;
-  stage   = CLUTTER_ACTOR(event->any.stage);
-
-  if (!stage)
-    return;
-
-  CLUTTER_TIMESTAMP (EVENT, "Event received");
-
-  context->last_event_time = clutter_event_get_time (event);
-
   switch (event->type)
     {
       case CLUTTER_NOTHING:
@@ -2393,6 +2370,37 @@ _clutter_process_event (ClutterEvent *event)
     }
 }
 
+/**
+ * _clutter_process_event
+ * @event: a #ClutterEvent.
+ *
+ * Does the actual work of processing an event that was queued earlier
+ * out of clutter_do_event().
+ */
+void
+_clutter_process_event (ClutterEvent *event)
+{
+  ClutterMainContext  *context;
+  ClutterBackend      *backend;
+  ClutterActor        *stage;
+
+  context = _clutter_context_get_default ();
+  backend = context->backend;
+  stage   = CLUTTER_ACTOR(event->any.stage);
+
+  if (!stage)
+    return;
+
+  CLUTTER_TIMESTAMP (EVENT, "Event received");
+
+  context->last_event_time = clutter_event_get_time (event);
+
+  context->current_event = event;
+  _clutter_process_event_details (stage, context, event);
+  context->current_event = NULL;
+}
+
+
 /**
  * clutter_get_actor_by_gid
  * @id: a #ClutterActor ID.
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-private.h b/clutter/clutter-private.h
index db9a6d2d0..651fbea16 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-private.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter-private.h
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ struct _ClutterMainContext
   GSList              *input_devices;   /* For extra input devices, i.e
                                            MultiTouch */
 
+  ClutterEvent *current_event;
   guint32 last_event_time;
 
   gulong redraw_count;
diff --git a/doc/reference/clutter/clutter-sections.txt b/doc/reference/clutter/clutter-sections.txt
index e7dafd772..c2c432bce 100644
--- a/doc/reference/clutter/clutter-sections.txt
+++ b/doc/reference/clutter/clutter-sections.txt
@@ -977,6 +977,7 @@ clutter_input_device_get_device_type
 
 <SUBSECTION>
 clutter_get_current_event_time
+clutter_get_current_event
 
 <SUBSECTION Standard>
 CLUTTER_TYPE_EVENT