diff --git a/clutter/clutter-actor.c b/clutter/clutter-actor.c
index c72f3959f..15bf6ddc9 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-actor.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-actor.c
@@ -10250,6 +10250,108 @@ clutter_actor_contains (ClutterActor *self,
   return FALSE;
 }
 
+/**
+ * clutter_actor_set_above_sibling:
+ * @self: a #ClutterActor
+ * @child: a #ClutterActor child of @self
+ * @sibling: (allow-none): a #ClutterActor child of @self, or %NULL
+ *
+ * Sets @child to be above @sibling in the list of children of @self.
+ *
+ * If @sibling is %NULL, @child will be the new last child of @self.
+ *
+ * This function is logically equivalent to removing @child and using
+ * clutter_actor_insert_child_above(), but it will not emit signals
+ * or change state on @child.
+ *
+ * Since: 1.10
+ */
+void
+clutter_actor_set_child_above_sibling (ClutterActor *self,
+                                       ClutterActor *child,
+                                       ClutterActor *sibling)
+{
+  g_return_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_ACTOR (self));
+  g_return_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_ACTOR (child));
+  g_return_if_fail (child->priv->parent == self);
+  g_return_if_fail (child != sibling);
+  g_return_if_fail (sibling == NULL || CLUTTER_IS_ACTOR (sibling));
+
+  if (sibling != NULL)
+    g_return_if_fail (sibling->priv->parent == self);
+
+  remove_child (self, child);
+  insert_child_above (self, child, sibling);
+
+  clutter_actor_queue_relayout (self);
+}
+
+/**
+ * clutter_actor_set_child_below_sibling:
+ * @self: a #ClutterActor
+ * @child: a #ClutterActor child of @self
+ * @sibling: (allow-none): a #ClutterActor child of @self, or %NULL
+ *
+ * Sets @child to be below @sibling in the list of children of @self.
+ *
+ * If @sibling is %NULL, @child will be the new first child of @self.
+ *
+ * This function is logically equivalent to removing @self and using
+ * clutter_actor_insert_child_below(), but it will not emit signals
+ * or change state on @child.
+ *
+ * Since: 1.10
+ */
+void
+clutter_actor_set_child_below_sibling (ClutterActor *self,
+                                       ClutterActor *child,
+                                       ClutterActor *sibling)
+{
+  g_return_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_ACTOR (self));
+  g_return_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_ACTOR (child));
+  g_return_if_fail (child->priv->parent == self);
+  g_return_if_fail (child != sibling);
+  g_return_if_fail (sibling == NULL || CLUTTER_IS_ACTOR (sibling));
+
+  if (sibling != NULL)
+    g_return_if_fail (sibling->priv->parent == self);
+
+  remove_child (self, child);
+  insert_child_below (self, child, sibling);
+
+  clutter_actor_queue_relayout (self);
+}
+
+/**
+ * clutter_actor_set_child_at_index:
+ * @self: a #ClutterActor
+ * @child: a #ClutterActor child of @self
+ * @index_: the new index for @child
+ *
+ * Changes the index of @child in the list of children of @self.
+ *
+ * This function is logically equivalent to removing @child and
+ * calling clutter_actor_insert_child_at_index(), but it will not
+ * emit signals or change state on @child.
+ *
+ * Since: 1.10
+ */
+void
+clutter_actor_set_child_at_index (ClutterActor *self,
+                                  ClutterActor *child,
+                                  gint          index_)
+{
+  g_return_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_ACTOR (self));
+  g_return_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_ACTOR (child));
+  g_return_if_fail (child->priv->parent == self);
+  g_return_if_fail (index_ <= self->priv->n_children);
+
+  remove_child (self, child);
+  insert_child_at_index (self, child, GINT_TO_POINTER (index_));
+
+  clutter_actor_queue_relayout (self);
+}
+
 /**
  * clutter_actor_raise:
  * @self: A #ClutterActor
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-actor.h b/clutter/clutter-actor.h
index fee443c4b..53949b7df 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-actor.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter-actor.h
@@ -469,6 +469,16 @@ ClutterActor *        clutter_actor_get_parent                (ClutterActor
 gboolean              clutter_actor_contains                  (ClutterActor          *self,
 							       ClutterActor          *descendant);
 ClutterActor*         clutter_actor_get_stage                 (ClutterActor          *actor);
+void                  clutter_actor_set_child_below_sibling   (ClutterActor          *self,
+                                                               ClutterActor          *child,
+                                                               ClutterActor          *sibling);
+void                  clutter_actor_set_child_above_sibling   (ClutterActor          *self,
+                                                               ClutterActor          *child,
+                                                               ClutterActor          *sibling);
+void                  clutter_actor_set_child_at_index        (ClutterActor          *self,
+                                                               ClutterActor          *child,
+                                                               gint                   index_);
+
 void                  clutter_actor_raise                     (ClutterActor          *self,
                                                                ClutterActor          *below);
 void                  clutter_actor_lower                     (ClutterActor          *self,
diff --git a/tests/conform/test-actor-graph.c b/tests/conform/test-actor-graph.c
index fcf55def8..f0fc56408 100644
--- a/tests/conform/test-actor-graph.c
+++ b/tests/conform/test-actor-graph.c
@@ -170,7 +170,8 @@ actor_raise_child (TestConformSimpleFixture *fixture,
   iter = clutter_actor_get_child_at_index (actor, 1);
   g_assert_cmpstr (clutter_actor_get_name (iter), ==, "bar");
 
-  clutter_actor_raise (iter, clutter_actor_get_child_at_index (actor, 2));
+  clutter_actor_set_child_above_sibling (actor, iter,
+                                         clutter_actor_get_child_at_index (actor, 2));
 
   g_assert_cmpstr (clutter_actor_get_name (clutter_actor_get_child_at_index (actor, 0)),
                    ==,
@@ -183,7 +184,7 @@ actor_raise_child (TestConformSimpleFixture *fixture,
                    "bar");
 
   iter = clutter_actor_get_child_at_index (actor, 0);
-  clutter_actor_raise_top (iter);
+  clutter_actor_set_child_above_sibling (actor, iter, NULL);
 
   g_assert_cmpstr (clutter_actor_get_name (clutter_actor_get_child_at_index (actor, 0)),
                    ==,
@@ -223,7 +224,8 @@ actor_lower_child (TestConformSimpleFixture *fixture,
   iter = clutter_actor_get_child_at_index (actor, 1);
   g_assert_cmpstr (clutter_actor_get_name (iter), ==, "bar");
 
-  clutter_actor_lower (iter, clutter_actor_get_child_at_index (actor, 0));
+  clutter_actor_set_child_below_sibling (actor, iter,
+                                         clutter_actor_get_child_at_index (actor, 0));
 
   g_assert_cmpstr (clutter_actor_get_name (clutter_actor_get_child_at_index (actor, 0)),
                    ==,
@@ -236,7 +238,7 @@ actor_lower_child (TestConformSimpleFixture *fixture,
                    "baz");
 
   iter = clutter_actor_get_child_at_index (actor, 2);
-  clutter_actor_lower_bottom (iter);
+  clutter_actor_set_child_below_sibling (actor, iter, NULL);
 
   g_assert_cmpstr (clutter_actor_get_name (clutter_actor_get_child_at_index (actor, 0)),
                    ==,