diff --git a/js/ui/shellEntry.js b/js/ui/shellEntry.js
index 18fe7d199..6952a3e20 100644
--- a/js/ui/shellEntry.js
+++ b/js/ui/shellEntry.js
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ const EntryMenu = new Lang.Class({
     },
 
     _updatePasteItem: function() {
-        this._clipboard.get_text(Lang.bind(this,
+        this._clipboard.get_text(St.ClipboardType.CLIPBOARD, Lang.bind(this,
             function(clipboard, text) {
                 this._pasteItem.setSensitive(text && text != '');
             }));
@@ -106,11 +106,11 @@ const EntryMenu = new Lang.Class({
 
     _onCopyActivated: function() {
         let selection = this._entry.clutter_text.get_selection();
-        this._clipboard.set_text(selection);
+        this._clipboard.set_text(St.ClipboardType.CLIPBOARD, selection);
     },
 
     _onPasteActivated: function() {
-        this._clipboard.get_text(Lang.bind(this,
+        this._clipboard.get_text(St.ClipboardType.CLIPBOARD, Lang.bind(this,
             function(clipboard, text) {
                 if (!text)
                     return;
diff --git a/src/st/st-clipboard.c b/src/st/st-clipboard.c
index 6d98c959d..c4458e208 100644
--- a/src/st/st-clipboard.c
+++ b/src/st/st-clipboard.c
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ struct _EventFilterData
   gpointer                user_data;
 };
 
+static Atom __atom_primary = None;
 static Atom __atom_clip = None;
 static Atom __utf8_string = None;
 static Atom __atom_targets = None;
@@ -197,6 +198,9 @@ st_clipboard_init (StClipboard *self)
   dpy = clutter_x11_get_default_display ();
 
   /* Only create once */
+  if (__atom_primary == None)
+    __atom_primary = XInternAtom (dpy, "PRIMARY", 0);
+
   if (__atom_clip == None)
     __atom_clip = XInternAtom (dpy, "CLIPBOARD", 0);
 
@@ -298,9 +302,16 @@ st_clipboard_get_default (void)
   return default_clipboard;
 }
 
+static Atom
+atom_for_clipboard_type (StClipboardType type)
+{
+  return type == ST_CLIPBOARD_TYPE_CLIPBOARD ? __atom_clip : __atom_primary;
+}
+
 /**
  * st_clipboard_get_text:
  * @clipboard: A #StCliboard
+ * @type: The type of clipboard data you want
  * @callback: (scope async): function to be called when the text is retreived
  * @user_data: data to be passed to the callback
  *
@@ -310,6 +321,7 @@ st_clipboard_get_default (void)
  */
 void
 st_clipboard_get_text (StClipboard            *clipboard,
+                       StClipboardType         type,
                        StClipboardCallbackFunc callback,
                        gpointer                user_data)
 {
@@ -333,7 +345,7 @@ st_clipboard_get_text (StClipboard            *clipboard,
   clutter_x11_trap_x_errors (); /* safety on */
 
   XConvertSelection (dpy,
-                     __atom_clip,
+                     atom_for_clipboard_type (type),
                      __utf8_string, __utf8_string,
                      clipboard->priv->clipboard_window,
                      CurrentTime);
@@ -344,14 +356,15 @@ st_clipboard_get_text (StClipboard            *clipboard,
 /**
  * st_clipboard_set_text:
  * @clipboard: A #StClipboard
+ * @type: The type of clipboard that you want to set
  * @text: text to copy to the clipboard
  *
  * Sets text as the current contents of the clipboard.
- *
  */
 void
-st_clipboard_set_text (StClipboard *clipboard,
-                       const gchar *text)
+st_clipboard_set_text (StClipboard     *clipboard,
+                       StClipboardType  type,
+                       const gchar     *text)
 {
   StClipboardPrivate *priv;
   Display *dpy;
@@ -370,7 +383,8 @@ st_clipboard_set_text (StClipboard *clipboard,
 
   clutter_x11_trap_x_errors ();
 
-  XSetSelectionOwner (dpy, __atom_clip, priv->clipboard_window, CurrentTime);
+  XSetSelectionOwner (dpy, atom_for_clipboard_type (type), priv->clipboard_window, CurrentTime);
+
   XSync (dpy, FALSE);
 
   clutter_x11_untrap_x_errors ();
diff --git a/src/st/st-clipboard.h b/src/st/st-clipboard.h
index 20759d43d..ca45499e1 100644
--- a/src/st/st-clipboard.h
+++ b/src/st/st-clipboard.h
@@ -72,6 +72,11 @@ struct _StClipboardClass
   GObjectClass parent_class;
 };
 
+typedef enum {
+  ST_CLIPBOARD_TYPE_PRIMARY,
+  ST_CLIPBOARD_TYPE_CLIPBOARD
+} StClipboardType;
+
 /**
  * StClipboardCallbackFunc:
  * @clipboard: A #StClipboard
@@ -89,9 +94,11 @@ GType st_clipboard_get_type (void);
 StClipboard* st_clipboard_get_default (void);
 
 void st_clipboard_get_text (StClipboard             *clipboard,
+                            StClipboardType          type,
                             StClipboardCallbackFunc  callback,
                             gpointer                 user_data);
 void st_clipboard_set_text (StClipboard             *clipboard,
+                            StClipboardType          type,
                             const gchar             *text);
 
 G_END_DECLS
diff --git a/src/st/st-entry.c b/src/st/st-entry.c
index 4cd1da6fa..000c8ac48 100644
--- a/src/st/st-entry.c
+++ b/src/st/st-entry.c
@@ -559,7 +559,10 @@ st_entry_key_press_event (ClutterActor    *actor,
 
       clipboard = st_clipboard_get_default ();
 
-      st_clipboard_get_text (clipboard, st_entry_clipboard_callback, actor);
+      st_clipboard_get_text (clipboard,
+                             ST_CLIPBOARD_TYPE_CLIPBOARD,
+                             st_entry_clipboard_callback,
+                             actor);
 
       return TRUE;
     }
@@ -576,7 +579,9 @@ st_entry_key_press_event (ClutterActor    *actor,
       text = clutter_text_get_selection ((ClutterText*) priv->entry);
 
       if (text && strlen (text))
-        st_clipboard_set_text (clipboard, text);
+        st_clipboard_set_text (clipboard,
+                               ST_CLIPBOARD_TYPE_CLIPBOARD,
+                               text);
 
       return TRUE;
     }
@@ -595,7 +600,9 @@ st_entry_key_press_event (ClutterActor    *actor,
 
       if (text && strlen (text))
         {
-          st_clipboard_set_text (clipboard, text);
+          st_clipboard_set_text (clipboard,
+                                 ST_CLIPBOARD_TYPE_CLIPBOARD,
+                                 text);
 
           /* now delete the text */
           clutter_text_delete_selection ((ClutterText *) priv->entry);