diff --git a/src/core/meta-context-private.h b/src/core/meta-context-private.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..89675d264
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/meta-context-private.h
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2019 Red Hat Inc.
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the
+ * License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program 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
+ * General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA
+ * 02111-1307, USA.
+ *
+ */
+
+#ifndef META_CONTEXT_PRIVATE_H
+#define META_CONTEXT_PRIVATE_H
+
+#include "meta/meta-context.h"
+
+struct _MetaContextClass
+{
+  GObjectClass parent_class;
+};
+
+#endif /* META_CONTEXT_PRIVATE_H */
diff --git a/src/core/meta-context.c b/src/core/meta-context.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e80b5f343
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/meta-context.c
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2019 Red Hat Inc.
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the
+ * License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program 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
+ * General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA
+ * 02111-1307, USA.
+ *
+ */
+
+#include "config.h"
+
+#include "core/meta-context-private.h"
+
+enum
+{
+  PROP_0,
+
+  PROP_NAME,
+
+  N_PROPS
+};
+
+static GParamSpec *obj_props[N_PROPS];
+
+typedef struct _MetaContextPrivate
+{
+  char *name;
+} MetaContextPrivate;
+
+G_DEFINE_TYPE_WITH_PRIVATE (MetaContext, meta_context, G_TYPE_OBJECT)
+
+static void
+meta_context_get_property (GObject    *object,
+                           guint       prop_id,
+                           GValue     *value,
+                           GParamSpec *pspec)
+{
+  MetaContext *context = META_CONTEXT (object);
+  MetaContextPrivate *priv = meta_context_get_instance_private (context);
+
+  switch (prop_id)
+    {
+    case PROP_NAME:
+      g_value_set_string (value, priv->name);
+      break;
+    default:
+      G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
+      break;
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+meta_context_set_property (GObject      *object,
+                           guint         prop_id,
+                           const GValue *value,
+                           GParamSpec   *pspec)
+{
+  MetaContext *context = META_CONTEXT (object);
+  MetaContextPrivate *priv = meta_context_get_instance_private (context);
+
+  switch (prop_id)
+    {
+    case PROP_NAME:
+      priv->name = g_value_dup_string (value);
+      break;
+    default:
+      G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
+      break;
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+meta_context_finalize (GObject *object)
+{
+  MetaContext *context = META_CONTEXT (object);
+  MetaContextPrivate *priv = meta_context_get_instance_private (context);
+
+  g_clear_pointer (&priv->name, g_free);
+
+  G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_context_parent_class)->finalize (object);
+}
+
+static void
+meta_context_class_init (MetaContextClass *klass)
+{
+  GObjectClass *object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
+
+  object_class->get_property = meta_context_get_property;
+  object_class->set_property = meta_context_set_property;
+  object_class->finalize = meta_context_finalize;
+
+  obj_props[PROP_NAME] =
+    g_param_spec_string ("name",
+                         "name",
+                         "Human readable name",
+                         NULL,
+                         G_PARAM_READWRITE |
+                         G_PARAM_CONSTRUCT_ONLY |
+                         G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS);
+  g_object_class_install_properties (object_class, N_PROPS, obj_props);
+}
+
+static void
+meta_context_init (MetaContext *context)
+{
+}
diff --git a/src/meson.build b/src/meson.build
index dd8a8b31b..817cfa2c3 100644
--- a/src/meson.build
+++ b/src/meson.build
@@ -371,6 +371,8 @@ mutter_sources = [
   'core/meta-close-dialog.c',
   'core/meta-close-dialog-default.c',
   'core/meta-close-dialog-default-private.h',
+  'core/meta-context-private.h',
+  'core/meta-context.c',
   'core/meta-fraction.c',
   'core/meta-fraction.h',
   'core/meta-gesture-tracker.c',
diff --git a/src/meta/meson.build b/src/meta/meson.build
index a096ee4dd..631857e2d 100644
--- a/src/meta/meson.build
+++ b/src/meta/meson.build
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ mutter_public_headers = [
   'meta-background-image.h',
   'meta-close-dialog.h',
   'meta-cursor-tracker.h',
+  'meta-context.h',
   'meta-dnd.h',
   'meta-idle-monitor.h',
   'meta-inhibit-shortcuts-dialog.h',
diff --git a/src/meta/meta-context.h b/src/meta/meta-context.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..288eb1387
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/meta/meta-context.h
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2019 Red Hat Inc.
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the
+ * License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program 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
+ * General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA
+ * 02111-1307, USA.
+ *
+ */
+
+#ifndef META_CONTEXT_H
+#define META_CONTEXT_H
+
+#include <glib-object.h>
+
+#include "meta/common.h"
+
+#define META_TYPE_CONTEXT (meta_context_get_type ())
+META_EXPORT
+G_DECLARE_DERIVABLE_TYPE (MetaContext, meta_context, META, CONTEXT, GObject)
+
+#endif /* META_CONTEXT_H */
diff --git a/src/meta/types.h b/src/meta/types.h
index 49fb56816..403e62b16 100644
--- a/src/meta/types.h
+++ b/src/meta/types.h
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
  *
  */
 typedef struct _MetaBackend     MetaBackend;
+typedef struct _MetaContext     MetaContext;
 typedef struct _MetaCompositor  MetaCompositor;
 typedef struct _MetaDisplay     MetaDisplay;
 typedef struct _MetaX11Display  MetaX11Display;