diff --git a/cogl/Makefile.am b/cogl/Makefile.am
index 43934ad33..41ac43197 100644
--- a/cogl/Makefile.am
+++ b/cogl/Makefile.am
@@ -151,11 +151,13 @@ libclutter_cogl_la_SOURCES = $(BUILT_SOURCES) $(cogl_sources_c)
 
 if SUPPORT_GLX
 libclutter_cogl_la_SOURCES += \
-       $(srcdir)/winsys/cogl-glx.c
+       $(srcdir)/winsys/cogl-glx.c \
+       $(srcdir)/winsys/cogl-xlib.c
 endif
 if SUPPORT_EGL_PLATFORM_POWERVR_X11
 libclutter_cogl_la_SOURCES += \
-       $(srcdir)/winsys/cogl-eglx.c
+       $(srcdir)/winsys/cogl-eglx.c \
+       $(srcdir)/winsys/cogl-xlib.c
 endif
 if SUPPORT_EGL_PLATFORM_POWERVR_NULL
 libclutter_cogl_la_SOURCES += \
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-internal.h b/cogl/cogl-internal.h
index 5783f0201..8987401ef 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-internal.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl-internal.h
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@
 #include "cogl.h"
 #include "cogl-matrix-stack.h"
 
+#ifdef COGL_HAS_XLIB_SUPPORT
+#include <X11/Xlib.h>
+#endif
+
 typedef enum
 {
   COGL_FRONT_WINDING_CLOCKWISE,
@@ -128,4 +132,39 @@ _cogl_get_max_texture_image_units (void);
 void
 _cogl_flush_face_winding (void);
 
+#ifdef COGL_HAS_XLIB_SUPPORT
+
+/*
+ * CoglX11FilterReturn:
+ * @COGL_XLIB_FILTER_CONTINUE: The event was not handled, continues the
+ *                            processing
+ * @COGL_XLIB_FILTER_REMOVE: Remove the event, stops the processing
+ *
+ * Return values for the #CoglX11FilterFunc function.
+ */
+typedef enum _CoglXlibFilterReturn {
+  COGL_XLIB_FILTER_CONTINUE,
+  COGL_XLIB_FILTER_REMOVE
+} CoglXlibFilterReturn;
+
+/*
+ * cogl_xlib_handle_event:
+ * @xevent: pointer to XEvent structure
+ *
+ * This function processes a single X event; it can be used to hook
+ * into external X event retrieval (for example that done by Clutter
+ * or GDK).
+ *
+ * Return value: #CoglXlibFilterReturn. %COGL_XLIB_FILTER_REMOVE
+ * indicates that Cogl has internally handled the event and the
+ * caller should do no further processing. %COGL_XLIB_FILTER_CONTINUE
+ * indicates that Cogl is either not interested in the event,
+ * or has used the event to update internal state without taking
+ * any exclusive action.
+ */
+CoglXlibFilterReturn
+_cogl_xlib_handle_event (XEvent *xevent);
+
+#endif /* COGL_HAS_XLIB_SUPPORT */
+
 #endif /* __COGL_INTERNAL_H */
diff --git a/cogl/winsys/cogl-xlib.c b/cogl/winsys/cogl-xlib.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f403f5d4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cogl/winsys/cogl-xlib.c
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+/*
+ * Cogl
+ *
+ * An object oriented GL/GLES Abstraction/Utility Layer
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2010 Intel Corporation.
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with this library; if not, write to the
+ * Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330,
+ * Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
+ *
+ * Authors:
+ *  Robert Bragg <robert@linux.intel.com>
+ *
+ */
+
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include "config.h"
+#endif
+
+#include <cogl.h>
+#include <cogl-internal.h>
+#include <cogl-handle.h>
+#include <cogl-context.h>
+#include <cogl-framebuffer-private.h>
+
+#include <X11/Xlib.h>
+
+CoglXlibFilterReturn
+_cogl_xlib_handle_event (XEvent *xevent)
+{
+  _COGL_GET_CONTEXT (ctx, COGL_XLIB_FILTER_CONTINUE);
+
+  switch (xevent->type)
+    {
+      /* TODO... */
+    default:
+      break;
+    }
+
+  return COGL_XLIB_FILTER_CONTINUE;
+}
+