diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-event-private.h b/clutter/clutter/clutter-event-private.h
index dd4d3420a..4edeb5be4 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-event-private.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-event-private.h
@@ -4,6 +4,15 @@
 
 G_BEGIN_DECLS
 
+typedef struct _ClutterModifierSet ClutterModifierSet;
+
+struct _ClutterModifierSet
+{
+  ClutterModifierType pressed;
+  ClutterModifierType latched;
+  ClutterModifierType locked;
+};
+
 CLUTTER_EXPORT
 ClutterEvent * clutter_event_key_new (ClutterEventType     type,
                                       ClutterEventFlags    flags,
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-event.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-event.c
index 8e258f7ea..2e66fe560 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-event.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-event.c
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ struct _ClutterKeyEvent
   ClutterInputDevice *device;
   ClutterInputDevice *source_device;
 
+  ClutterModifierSet raw_modifiers;
   ClutterModifierType modifier_state;
   uint32_t keyval;
   uint16_t hardware_keycode;
@@ -695,6 +696,36 @@ clutter_event_get_key_unicode (const ClutterEvent *event)
     return clutter_keysym_to_unicode (event->key.keyval);
 }
 
+/**
+ * clutter_event_get_key_state:
+ * @event: a #ClutterEvent of type %CLUTTER_KEY_PRESS
+ *   or %CLUTTER_KEY_RELEASE
+ * @pressed: (out): Return location for pressed modifiers
+ * @latched: (out): Return location for latched modifiers
+ * @locked: (out): Return location for locked modifiers
+ *
+ * Returns the modifier state decomposed into independent
+ * pressed/latched/locked states. The effective state is a
+ * composition of these 3 states, see clutter_event_get_state().
+ **/
+void
+clutter_event_get_key_state (const ClutterEvent  *event,
+                             ClutterModifierType *pressed,
+                             ClutterModifierType *latched,
+                             ClutterModifierType *locked)
+{
+  g_return_if_fail (event != NULL);
+  g_return_if_fail (event->type == CLUTTER_KEY_PRESS ||
+                    event->type == CLUTTER_KEY_RELEASE);
+
+  if (pressed)
+    *pressed = event->key.raw_modifiers.pressed;
+  if (latched)
+    *latched = event->key.raw_modifiers.latched;
+  if (locked)
+    *locked = event->key.raw_modifiers.locked;
+}
+
 /**
  * clutter_event_get_event_sequence:
  * @event: a #ClutterEvent of type %CLUTTER_TOUCH_BEGIN,
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-event.h b/clutter/clutter/clutter-event.h
index 92a07b205..81f489b19 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-event.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-event.h
@@ -205,6 +205,11 @@ guint16                 clutter_event_get_key_code              (const ClutterEv
 CLUTTER_EXPORT
 gunichar                clutter_event_get_key_unicode           (const ClutterEvent     *event);
 CLUTTER_EXPORT
+void                    clutter_event_get_key_state             (const ClutterEvent     *event,
+                                                                 ClutterModifierType    *pressed,
+                                                                 ClutterModifierType    *latched,
+                                                                 ClutterModifierType    *locked);
+CLUTTER_EXPORT
 guint32                 clutter_event_get_button                (const ClutterEvent     *event);
 CLUTTER_EXPORT
 ClutterActor *          clutter_event_get_related               (const ClutterEvent     *event);