diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-context-private.h b/cogl/cogl/cogl-context-private.h
index a2ed950d0..594b80c30 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-context-private.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-context-private.h
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ struct _CoglContext
   const CoglDriverVtable *driver_vtable;
   const CoglTextureDriver *texture_driver;
 
+  void *driver_context;
+
   int glsl_major;
   int glsl_minor;
 
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/driver/gl/cogl-util-gl-private.h b/cogl/cogl/driver/gl/cogl-util-gl-private.h
index 369baab87..fb3f8534c 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/driver/gl/cogl-util-gl-private.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl/driver/gl/cogl-util-gl-private.h
@@ -76,6 +76,11 @@ _cogl_gl_error_to_string (GLenum error_code);
 
 #endif /* COGL_GL_DEBUG */
 
+typedef struct _CoglGLContext CoglGLContext; /* opaque for the moment */
+
+CoglGLContext *
+_cogl_driver_gl_context (CoglContext *context);
+
 gboolean
 _cogl_driver_gl_context_init (CoglContext *context);
 
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/driver/gl/cogl-util-gl.c b/cogl/cogl/driver/gl/cogl-util-gl.c
index 52ad54076..afd6d3a8a 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/driver/gl/cogl-util-gl.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/driver/gl/cogl-util-gl.c
@@ -75,6 +75,12 @@ _cogl_gl_error_to_string (GLenum error_code)
 }
 #endif /* COGL_GL_DEBUG */
 
+CoglGLContext *
+_cogl_driver_gl_context (CoglContext *context)
+{
+  return context->driver_context;
+}
+
 gboolean
 _cogl_driver_gl_context_init (CoglContext *context)
 {