diff --git a/clutter/clutter.symbols b/clutter/clutter.symbols
index c7ba7b31f..7db48dd27 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter.symbols
+++ b/clutter/clutter.symbols
@@ -1161,6 +1161,7 @@ clutter_vertex_new
 clutter_wayland_input_device_get_wl_seat
 clutter_wayland_stage_get_wl_shell_surface
 clutter_wayland_stage_get_wl_surface
+clutter_wayland_stage_set_wl_surface
 clutter_wayland_set_display
 clutter_wayland_disable_event_retrieval
 #endif
diff --git a/clutter/wayland/clutter-stage-wayland.c b/clutter/wayland/clutter-stage-wayland.c
index 9549f5430..f4120d03c 100644
--- a/clutter/wayland/clutter-stage-wayland.c
+++ b/clutter/wayland/clutter-stage-wayland.c
@@ -290,3 +290,50 @@ clutter_wayland_stage_get_wl_surface (ClutterStage *stage)
   return stage_wayland->wayland_surface;
 
 }
+
+/**
+ * clutter_wayland_stage_set_wl_surface:
+ * @stage: a #ClutterStage
+ * @surface: A Wayland surface to associate with the @stage.
+ *
+ * Allows you to explicitly provide an existing Wayland surface to associate
+ * with @stage, preventing Cogl from allocating a surface and shell surface for
+ * the stage automatically.
+ *
+ * This function must be called before @stage is shown.
+ *
+ * Note: this function can only be called when running on the Wayland
+ * platform. Calling this function at any other time has no effect.
+ *
+ * Since: 1.16
+ */
+void
+clutter_wayland_stage_set_wl_surface (ClutterStage *stage,
+                                      struct wl_surface *surface)
+{
+  ClutterStageWindow *stage_window = _clutter_stage_get_window (stage);
+  ClutterStageWayland *stage_wayland;
+  ClutterStageCogl *stage_cogl;
+
+  if (!CLUTTER_IS_STAGE_WAYLAND (stage_window))
+    return;
+
+  stage_cogl = CLUTTER_STAGE_COGL (stage_window);
+
+  if (stage_cogl->onscreen == NULL)
+    {
+      ClutterBackend *backend = clutter_get_default_backend ();
+
+      /* Use the same default dimensions as clutter_stage_cogl_realize() */
+      stage_cogl->onscreen = cogl_onscreen_new (backend->cogl_context,
+                                                800, 600);
+
+      cogl_wayland_onscreen_set_foreign_surface (stage_cogl->onscreen,
+                                                 surface);
+
+      stage_wayland = CLUTTER_STAGE_WAYLAND (stage_window);
+      stage_wayland->foreign_wl_surface = TRUE;
+    }
+  else
+    g_warning (G_STRLOC ": cannot set foreign surface for stage");
+}
diff --git a/clutter/wayland/clutter-stage-wayland.h b/clutter/wayland/clutter-stage-wayland.h
index 3c7eb4209..a8124b5b4 100644
--- a/clutter/wayland/clutter-stage-wayland.h
+++ b/clutter/wayland/clutter-stage-wayland.h
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ struct _ClutterStageWayland
   struct wl_surface *wayland_surface;
   struct wl_shell_surface *wayland_shell_surface;
   gboolean fullscreen;
+  gboolean foreign_wl_surface;
 };
 
 struct _ClutterStageWaylandClass
diff --git a/clutter/wayland/clutter-wayland.h b/clutter/wayland/clutter-wayland.h
index e56b24129..b78bc6e18 100644
--- a/clutter/wayland/clutter-wayland.h
+++ b/clutter/wayland/clutter-wayland.h
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ struct wl_shell_surface *clutter_wayland_stage_get_wl_shell_surface (ClutterStag
 
 struct wl_surface *clutter_wayland_stage_get_wl_surface (ClutterStage *stage);
 
+CLUTTER_AVAILABLE_IN_1_16
+void clutter_wayland_stage_set_wl_surface (ClutterStage *stage, struct wl_surface *surface);
+
 CLUTTER_AVAILABLE_IN_1_16
 void clutter_wayland_set_display (struct wl_display *display);
 
diff --git a/doc/reference/clutter/clutter2-sections.txt b/doc/reference/clutter/clutter2-sections.txt
index cc9e977fb..d22ec350a 100644
--- a/doc/reference/clutter/clutter2-sections.txt
+++ b/doc/reference/clutter/clutter2-sections.txt
@@ -922,6 +922,7 @@ ClutterX11XInputEventTypes
 clutter_wayland_input_device_get_wl_seat
 clutter_wayland_stage_get_wl_shell_surface
 clutter_wayland_stage_get_wl_surface
+clutter_wayland_stage_set_wl_surface
 clutter_wayland_set_display
 clutter_wayland_disable_event_retrieval
 </SECTION>