diff --git a/src/backends/meta-monitor.c b/src/backends/meta-monitor.c
index 54a228e83..46cb05a66 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-monitor.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-monitor.c
@@ -2021,3 +2021,46 @@ meta_monitor_set_logical_monitor (MetaMonitor        *monitor,
 
   priv->logical_monitor = logical_monitor;
 }
+
+static MetaOutput *
+maybe_get_privacy_screen_output (MetaMonitor *monitor)
+{
+  MetaMonitorPrivate *priv = meta_monitor_get_instance_private (monitor);
+
+  if (priv->outputs && priv->outputs->next)
+      return NULL;
+
+  return meta_monitor_get_main_output (monitor);
+}
+
+MetaPrivacyScreenState
+meta_monitor_get_privacy_screen_state (MetaMonitor *monitor)
+{
+  MetaOutput *output;
+
+  output = maybe_get_privacy_screen_output (monitor);
+
+  if (!output)
+    return META_PRIVACY_SCREEN_UNAVAILABLE;
+
+  return meta_output_get_privacy_screen_state (output);
+}
+
+gboolean
+meta_monitor_set_privacy_screen_enabled (MetaMonitor  *monitor,
+                                         gboolean      enabled,
+                                         GError      **error)
+{
+  MetaOutput *output;
+
+  output = maybe_get_privacy_screen_output (monitor);
+
+  if (!output)
+    {
+      g_set_error_literal (error, G_IO_ERROR, G_IO_ERROR_NOT_SUPPORTED,
+                           "The privacy screen is not supported by this output");
+      return FALSE;
+    }
+
+  return meta_output_set_privacy_screen_enabled (output, enabled, error);
+}
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-monitor.h b/src/backends/meta-monitor.h
index 4b3a527e3..066caa7f4 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-monitor.h
+++ b/src/backends/meta-monitor.h
@@ -280,4 +280,10 @@ const char * meta_monitor_get_display_name (MetaMonitor *monitor);
 void meta_monitor_set_logical_monitor (MetaMonitor        *monitor,
                                        MetaLogicalMonitor *logical_monitor);
 
+MetaPrivacyScreenState meta_monitor_get_privacy_screen_state (MetaMonitor *monitor);
+
+gboolean meta_monitor_set_privacy_screen_enabled (MetaMonitor  *monitor,
+                                                  gboolean      enabled,
+                                                  GError      **error);
+
 #endif /* META_MONITOR_H */
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-output.c b/src/backends/meta-output.c
index 36d8cc227..f198752f7 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-output.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-output.c
@@ -419,6 +419,50 @@ meta_output_finalize (GObject *object)
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_output_parent_class)->finalize (object);
 }
 
+MetaPrivacyScreenState
+meta_output_get_privacy_screen_state (MetaOutput *output)
+{
+  MetaOutputClass *output_class = META_OUTPUT_GET_CLASS (output);
+
+  if (!output_class->get_privacy_screen_state)
+    return META_PRIVACY_SCREEN_UNAVAILABLE;
+
+  return output_class->get_privacy_screen_state (output);
+}
+
+gboolean
+meta_output_set_privacy_screen_enabled (MetaOutput  *output,
+                                        gboolean     enabled,
+                                        GError     **error)
+{
+  MetaOutputClass *output_class = META_OUTPUT_GET_CLASS (output);
+  MetaPrivacyScreenState state;
+
+  state = meta_output_get_privacy_screen_state (output);
+
+  if (state == META_PRIVACY_SCREEN_UNAVAILABLE)
+    {
+      g_set_error_literal (error, G_IO_ERROR, G_IO_ERROR_NOT_SUPPORTED,
+                           "The privacy screen is not supported by this output");
+      return FALSE;
+    }
+
+  g_assert (output_class->set_privacy_screen_enabled != NULL);
+
+  if (state & META_PRIVACY_SCREEN_LOCKED)
+    {
+      g_set_error_literal (error, G_IO_ERROR, G_IO_ERROR_PERMISSION_DENIED,
+                           "The privacy screen is locked at hardware level, "
+                           "impossible to set it");
+      return FALSE;
+    }
+
+  if (!!(state & META_PRIVACY_SCREEN_ENABLED) == enabled)
+    return TRUE;
+
+  return output_class->set_privacy_screen_enabled (output, enabled, error);
+}
+
 static void
 meta_output_init (MetaOutput *output)
 {
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-output.h b/src/backends/meta-output.h
index cc055881c..10ed947b9 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-output.h
+++ b/src/backends/meta-output.h
@@ -64,6 +64,14 @@ typedef enum
   META_CONNECTOR_TYPE_META = 1000,
 } MetaConnectorType;
 
+typedef enum
+{
+  META_PRIVACY_SCREEN_UNAVAILABLE = 0,
+  META_PRIVACY_SCREEN_ENABLED = 1 << 0,
+  META_PRIVACY_SCREEN_DISABLED = 1 << 1,
+  META_PRIVACY_SCREEN_LOCKED = 1 << 2,
+} MetaPrivacyScreenState;
+
 typedef struct _MetaOutputInfo
 {
   grefcount ref_count;
@@ -138,6 +146,11 @@ G_DECLARE_DERIVABLE_TYPE (MetaOutput, meta_output, META, OUTPUT, GObject)
 struct _MetaOutputClass
 {
   GObjectClass parent_class;
+
+  MetaPrivacyScreenState (* get_privacy_screen_state) (MetaOutput *output);
+  gboolean (* set_privacy_screen_enabled) (MetaOutput  *output,
+                                           gboolean     enabled,
+                                           GError     **error);
 };
 
 META_EXPORT_TEST
@@ -170,6 +183,12 @@ void meta_output_set_backlight (MetaOutput *output,
 
 int meta_output_get_backlight (MetaOutput *output);
 
+MetaPrivacyScreenState meta_output_get_privacy_screen_state (MetaOutput *output);
+
+gboolean meta_output_set_privacy_screen_enabled (MetaOutput  *output,
+                                                 gboolean     enabled,
+                                                 GError     **error);
+
 void meta_output_add_possible_clone (MetaOutput *output,
                                      MetaOutput *possible_clone);