diff --git a/clutter/cally/cally-actor.c b/clutter/cally/cally-actor.c
index f5f2f880b..2b9142a6f 100644
--- a/clutter/cally/cally-actor.c
+++ b/clutter/cally/cally-actor.c
@@ -718,7 +718,7 @@ cally_actor_get_mdi_zorder (AtkComponent *component)
   cally_actor = CALLY_ACTOR(component);
   actor = CALLY_GET_CLUTTER_ACTOR (cally_actor);
 
-  return clutter_actor_get_depth (actor);
+  return clutter_actor_get_z_position (actor);
 }
 
 static gboolean
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-actor-private.h b/clutter/clutter-actor-private.h
index 866d6a0cb..dee10b7bb 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-actor-private.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter-actor-private.h
@@ -199,8 +199,8 @@ struct _ClutterTransformInfo
   /* anchor point */
   AnchorCoord anchor;
 
-  /* depth */
-  gfloat depth;
+  /* z_position */
+  gfloat z_position;
 };
 
 const ClutterTransformInfo *    _clutter_actor_get_transform_info_or_defaults   (ClutterActor *self);
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-actor.c b/clutter/clutter-actor.c
index 56da1be6b..e7c39f569 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-actor.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-actor.c
@@ -854,7 +854,8 @@ enum
   /* Allocation properties are read-only */
   PROP_ALLOCATION,
 
-  PROP_DEPTH,
+  PROP_DEPTH, /* XXX:2.0 remove */
+  PROP_Z_POSITION,
 
   PROP_CLIP,
   PROP_HAS_CLIP,
@@ -2955,8 +2956,8 @@ clutter_actor_real_apply_transform (ClutterActor *self,
                              priv->allocation.y1,
                              0.0);
 
-      if (info->depth)
-        cogl_matrix_translate (transform, 0, 0, info->depth);
+      if (info->z_position != 0.f)
+        cogl_matrix_translate (transform, 0, 0, info->z_position);
 
       /*
        * because the rotation involves translations, we must scale
@@ -4565,10 +4566,14 @@ clutter_actor_set_property (GObject      *object,
       clutter_actor_set_request_mode (actor, g_value_get_enum (value));
       break;
 
-    case PROP_DEPTH:
+    case PROP_DEPTH: /* XXX:2.0 - remove */
       clutter_actor_set_depth (actor, g_value_get_float (value));
       break;
 
+    case PROP_Z_POSITION:
+      clutter_actor_set_z_position (actor, g_value_get_float (value));
+      break;
+
     case PROP_OPACITY:
       clutter_actor_set_opacity (actor, g_value_get_uint (value));
       break;
@@ -4912,10 +4917,14 @@ clutter_actor_get_property (GObject    *object,
       g_value_set_boxed (value, &priv->allocation);
       break;
 
-    case PROP_DEPTH:
+    case PROP_DEPTH: /* XXX:2.0 - remove */
       g_value_set_float (value, clutter_actor_get_depth (actor));
       break;
 
+    case PROP_Z_POSITION:
+      g_value_set_float (value, clutter_actor_get_z_position (actor));
+      break;
+
     case PROP_OPACITY:
       g_value_set_uint (value, priv->opacity);
       break;
@@ -6026,9 +6035,14 @@ clutter_actor_class_init (ClutterActorClass *klass)
    * The #ClutterActor:depth property is relative to the parent's
    * modelview matrix.
    *
+   * Setting this property will call #ClutterContainerIface.sort_depth_order()
+   * which is usually a no-op, and it's most likely not what you want.
+   *
    * The #ClutterActor:depth property is animatable.
    *
    * Since: 0.6
+   *
+   * Deprecated: 1.12: Use #ClutterActor:z-position instead.
    */
   obj_props[PROP_DEPTH] =
     g_param_spec_float ("depth",
@@ -6038,6 +6052,34 @@ clutter_actor_class_init (ClutterActorClass *klass)
                         0.0,
                         G_PARAM_READWRITE |
                         G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS |
+                        G_PARAM_DEPRECATED |
+                        CLUTTER_PARAM_ANIMATABLE);
+
+  /**
+   * ClutterActor:z-position:
+   *
+   * The actor's position on the Z axis, relative to the parent's
+   * transformations.
+   *
+   * Positive values will bring the actor's position nearer to the user,
+   * whereas negative values will bring the actor's position farther from
+   * the user.
+   *
+   * The #ClutterActor:z-position does not affect the paint or allocation
+   * order.
+   *
+   * The #ClutterActor:z-position property is animatable.
+   *
+   * Since: 1.12
+   */
+  obj_props[PROP_Z_POSITION] =
+    g_param_spec_float ("z-position",
+                        P_("Z Position"),
+                        P_("The actor's position on the Z axis"),
+                        -G_MAXFLOAT, G_MAXFLOAT,
+                        0.0f,
+                        G_PARAM_READWRITE |
+                        G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS |
                         CLUTTER_PARAM_ANIMATABLE);
 
   /**
@@ -10805,10 +10847,10 @@ clutter_actor_set_depth_internal (ClutterActor *self,
 
   info = _clutter_actor_get_transform_info (self);
 
-  if (info->depth != depth)
+  if (info->z_position != depth)
     {
       /* Sets Z value - XXX 2.0: should we invert? */
-      info->depth = depth;
+      info->z_position = depth;
 
       self->priv->transform_valid = FALSE;
 
@@ -10823,6 +10865,76 @@ clutter_actor_set_depth_internal (ClutterActor *self,
     }
 }
 
+static inline void
+clutter_actor_set_z_position_internal (ClutterActor *self,
+                                       float         z_position)
+{
+  ClutterTransformInfo *info;
+
+  info = _clutter_actor_get_transform_info (self);
+
+  if (memcmp (&info->z_position, &z_position, sizeof (float)) != 0)
+    {
+      info->z_position = z_position;
+
+      self->priv->transform_valid = FALSE;
+
+      clutter_actor_queue_redraw (self);
+
+      g_object_notify_by_pspec (G_OBJECT (self), obj_props[PROP_Z_POSITION]);
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+ * clutter_actor_set_z_position:
+ * @self: a #ClutterActor
+ * @z_position: the position on the Z axis
+ *
+ * Sets the actor's position on the Z axis.
+ *
+ * See #ClutterActor:z-position.
+ *
+ * Since: 1.12
+ */
+void
+clutter_actor_set_z_position (ClutterActor *self,
+                              gfloat        z_position)
+{
+  g_return_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_ACTOR (self));
+
+  if (_clutter_actor_get_transition (self, obj_props[PROP_Z_POSITION]) == NULL)
+    {
+      const ClutterTransformInfo *info;
+
+      info = _clutter_actor_get_transform_info_or_defaults (self);
+
+      _clutter_actor_create_transition (self, obj_props[PROP_Z_POSITION],
+                                        info->z_position,
+                                        z_position);
+    }
+  else
+    _clutter_actor_update_transition (self, obj_props[PROP_Z_POSITION],
+                                      z_position);
+}
+
+/**
+ * clutter_actor_get_z_position:
+ * @self: a #ClutterActor
+ *
+ * Retrieves the actor's position on the Z axis.
+ *
+ * Return value: the position on the Z axis.
+ *
+ * Since: 1.12
+ */
+gfloat
+clutter_actor_get_z_position (ClutterActor *self)
+{
+  g_return_val_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_ACTOR (self), 0.f);
+
+  return _clutter_actor_get_transform_info_or_defaults (self)->z_position;
+}
+
 /**
  * clutter_actor_set_depth:
  * @self: a #ClutterActor
@@ -10832,6 +10944,8 @@ clutter_actor_set_depth_internal (ClutterActor *self,
  *
  * The unit used by @depth is dependant on the perspective setup. See
  * also clutter_stage_set_perspective().
+ *
+ * Deprecated: 1.12: Use clutter_actor_set_z_position() instead.
  */
 void
 clutter_actor_set_depth (ClutterActor *self,
@@ -10846,7 +10960,7 @@ clutter_actor_set_depth (ClutterActor *self,
       info = _clutter_actor_get_transform_info_or_defaults (self);
 
       _clutter_actor_create_transition (self, obj_props[PROP_DEPTH],
-                                        info->depth,
+                                        info->z_position,
                                         depth);
     }
   else
@@ -10862,13 +10976,15 @@ clutter_actor_set_depth (ClutterActor *self,
  * Retrieves the depth of @self.
  *
  * Return value: the depth of the actor
+ *
+ * Deprecated: 1.12: Use clutter_actor_get_z_position() instead.
  */
 gfloat
 clutter_actor_get_depth (ClutterActor *self)
 {
   g_return_val_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_ACTOR (self), 0.0);
 
-  return _clutter_actor_get_transform_info_or_defaults (self)->depth;
+  return _clutter_actor_get_transform_info_or_defaults (self)->z_position;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -11230,7 +11346,7 @@ insert_child_at_depth (ClutterActor *self,
   child->priv->parent = self;
 
   child_depth =
-    _clutter_actor_get_transform_info_or_defaults (child)->depth;
+    _clutter_actor_get_transform_info_or_defaults (child)->z_position;
 
   /* special-case the first child */
   if (self->priv->n_children == 0)
@@ -11254,7 +11370,7 @@ insert_child_at_depth (ClutterActor *self,
       float iter_depth;
 
       iter_depth =
-        _clutter_actor_get_transform_info_or_defaults (iter)->depth;
+        _clutter_actor_get_transform_info_or_defaults (iter)->z_position;
 
       if (iter_depth > child_depth)
         break;
@@ -13636,6 +13752,10 @@ clutter_actor_set_animatable_property (ClutterActor *actor,
       clutter_actor_set_depth_internal (actor, g_value_get_float (value));
       break;
 
+    case PROP_Z_POSITION:
+      clutter_actor_set_z_position_internal (actor, g_value_get_float (value));
+      break;
+
     case PROP_OPACITY:
       clutter_actor_set_opacity_internal (actor, g_value_get_uint (value));
       break;
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-actor.h b/clutter/clutter-actor.h
index d2f78d994..3ee1bc515 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-actor.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter-actor.h
@@ -399,9 +399,11 @@ void                            clutter_actor_set_x
                                                                                  gfloat                       x);
 void                            clutter_actor_set_y                             (ClutterActor                *self,
                                                                                  gfloat                       y);
-void                            clutter_actor_set_depth                         (ClutterActor                *self,
-                                                                                 gfloat                       depth);
-gfloat                          clutter_actor_get_depth                         (ClutterActor                *self);
+CLUTTER_AVAILABLE_IN_1_12
+void                            clutter_actor_set_z_position                    (ClutterActor                *self,
+                                                                                 gfloat                       z_position);
+CLUTTER_AVAILABLE_IN_1_12
+gfloat                          clutter_actor_get_z_position                    (ClutterActor                *self);
 CLUTTER_AVAILABLE_IN_1_10
 void                            clutter_actor_set_layout_manager                (ClutterActor                *self,
                                                                                  ClutterLayoutManager        *manager);
diff --git a/clutter/clutter.symbols b/clutter/clutter.symbols
index 39307e793..aca4d2e44 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter.symbols
+++ b/clutter/clutter.symbols
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ clutter_actor_get_x
 clutter_actor_get_y_align
 clutter_actor_get_y_expand
 clutter_actor_get_y
+clutter_actor_get_z_position
 clutter_actor_get_z_rotation_gravity
 clutter_actor_grab_key_focus
 clutter_actor_has_actions
@@ -271,6 +272,7 @@ clutter_actor_set_x
 clutter_actor_set_y_align
 clutter_actor_set_y_expand
 clutter_actor_set_y
+clutter_actor_set_z_position
 clutter_actor_set_z_rotation_from_gravity
 clutter_actor_should_pick_paint
 clutter_actor_show
diff --git a/clutter/deprecated/clutter-actor.h b/clutter/deprecated/clutter-actor.h
index 5c0d93d31..e7581a37e 100644
--- a/clutter/deprecated/clutter-actor.h
+++ b/clutter/deprecated/clutter-actor.h
@@ -83,6 +83,13 @@ void            clutter_actor_show_all          (ClutterActor          *self);
 CLUTTER_DEPRECATED_IN_1_10
 void            clutter_actor_hide_all          (ClutterActor          *self);
 
+CLUTTER_DEPRECATED_IN_1_12_FOR(clutter_actor_set_z_position)
+void            clutter_actor_set_depth         (ClutterActor          *self,
+                                                 gfloat                 depth);
+
+CLUTTER_DEPRECATED_IN_1_12_FOR(clutter_actor_get_z_position)
+gfloat          clutter_actor_get_depth         (ClutterActor          *self);
+
 G_END_DECLS
 
 #endif /* __CLUTTER_ACTOR_DEPRECATED_H__ */
diff --git a/clutter/deprecated/clutter-behaviour-depth.c b/clutter/deprecated/clutter-behaviour-depth.c
index afdf982c0..49a4afc9a 100644
--- a/clutter/deprecated/clutter-behaviour-depth.c
+++ b/clutter/deprecated/clutter-behaviour-depth.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 
 #define CLUTTER_DISABLE_DEPRECATION_WARNINGS
 
+#include "deprecated/clutter-actor.h"
 #include "clutter-alpha.h"
 #include "clutter-behaviour.h"
 #include "clutter-behaviour-depth.h"
diff --git a/clutter/deprecated/clutter-behaviour-ellipse.c b/clutter/deprecated/clutter-behaviour-ellipse.c
index e050fe6e8..103a4aeea 100644
--- a/clutter/deprecated/clutter-behaviour-ellipse.c
+++ b/clutter/deprecated/clutter-behaviour-ellipse.c
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
 #define CLUTTER_DISABLE_DEPRECATION_WARNINGS
+#include "deprecated/clutter-actor.h"
 
 #include "clutter-alpha.h"
 #include "clutter-behaviour.h"
diff --git a/examples/basic-actor.c b/examples/basic-actor.c
index 384b19689..2e29bad15 100644
--- a/examples/basic-actor.c
+++ b/examples/basic-actor.c
@@ -32,17 +32,17 @@ on_crossing (ClutterActor *actor,
              gpointer      data)
 {
   gboolean is_enter = GPOINTER_TO_UINT (data);
-  float depth;
+  float zpos;
 
   if (is_enter)
-    depth = -250.0;
+    zpos = -250.0;
   else
-    depth = 0.0;
+    zpos = 0.0;
 
   clutter_actor_save_easing_state (actor);
   clutter_actor_set_easing_duration (actor, 500);
   clutter_actor_set_easing_mode (actor, CLUTTER_EASE_OUT_BOUNCE);
-  clutter_actor_set_depth (actor, depth);
+  clutter_actor_set_z_position (actor, zpos);
   clutter_actor_restore_easing_state (actor);
 
   return CLUTTER_EVENT_STOP;