diff --git a/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager-private.h b/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager-private.h
index 1b7efd261..7df72f716 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager-private.h
+++ b/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager-private.h
@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ struct _MetaMonitorManager
 
   int persistent_timeout_id;
 
+  guint panel_orientation_managed : 1;
+
   MetaMonitorConfigManager *config_manager;
 
   GnomePnpIds *pnp_ids;
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c b/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c
index a519442f3..ee255ab74 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ enum
   PROP_0,
 
   PROP_BACKEND,
+  PROP_PANEL_ORIENTATION_MANAGED,
 
   PROP_LAST
 };
@@ -748,6 +749,28 @@ experimental_features_changed (MetaSettings           *settings,
   meta_settings_update_ui_scaling_factor (settings);
 }
 
+static void
+update_panel_orientation_managed (MetaMonitorManager *manager)
+{
+  MetaOrientationManager *orientation_manager;
+  gboolean panel_orientation_managed;
+
+  orientation_manager = meta_backend_get_orientation_manager (manager->backend);
+
+  panel_orientation_managed =
+    meta_orientation_manager_has_accelerometer (orientation_manager);
+
+  if (manager->panel_orientation_managed == panel_orientation_managed)
+    return;
+
+  manager->panel_orientation_managed = panel_orientation_managed;
+  g_object_notify_by_pspec (G_OBJECT (manager),
+                            obj_props[PROP_PANEL_ORIENTATION_MANAGED]);
+
+  meta_dbus_display_config_set_panel_orientation_managed (manager->display_config,
+                                                          manager->panel_orientation_managed);
+}
+
 void
 meta_monitor_manager_setup (MetaMonitorManager *manager)
 {
@@ -788,6 +811,11 @@ meta_monitor_manager_constructed (GObject *object)
                            G_CALLBACK (orientation_changed),
                            manager, 0);
 
+  g_signal_connect_object (meta_backend_get_orientation_manager (backend),
+                           "notify::has-accelerometer",
+                           G_CALLBACK (update_panel_orientation_managed), manager,
+                           G_CONNECT_SWAPPED);
+
   g_signal_connect_object (backend,
                            "lid-is-closed-changed",
                            G_CALLBACK (lid_is_closed_changed),
@@ -848,6 +876,7 @@ meta_monitor_manager_set_property (GObject      *object,
     case PROP_BACKEND:
       manager->backend = g_value_get_object (value);
       break;
+    case PROP_PANEL_ORIENTATION_MANAGED:
     default:
       G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
     }
@@ -866,6 +895,9 @@ meta_monitor_manager_get_property (GObject    *object,
     case PROP_BACKEND:
       g_value_set_object (value, manager->backend);
       break;
+    case PROP_PANEL_ORIENTATION_MANAGED:
+      g_value_set_boolean (value, manager->panel_orientation_managed);
+      break;
     default:
       G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
     }
@@ -925,6 +957,15 @@ meta_monitor_manager_class_init (MetaMonitorManagerClass *klass)
                          G_PARAM_READWRITE |
                          G_PARAM_CONSTRUCT_ONLY |
                          G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS);
+
+  obj_props[PROP_PANEL_ORIENTATION_MANAGED] =
+    g_param_spec_boolean ("panel-orientation-managed",
+                          "Panel orientation managed",
+                          "Panel orientation is managed",
+                          FALSE,
+                          G_PARAM_READABLE |
+                          G_PARAM_EXPLICIT_NOTIFY |
+                          G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS);
   g_object_class_install_properties (object_class, PROP_LAST, obj_props);
 }
 
@@ -3175,3 +3216,11 @@ meta_monitor_manager_get_vendor_name (MetaMonitorManager *manager,
 
   return gnome_pnp_ids_get_pnp_id (manager->pnp_ids, vendor);
 }
+
+gboolean
+meta_monitor_manager_get_panel_orientation_managed (MetaMonitorManager *manager)
+{
+  g_return_val_if_fail (META_IS_MONITOR_MANAGER (manager), FALSE);
+
+  return manager->panel_orientation_managed;
+}
diff --git a/src/meta/meta-monitor-manager.h b/src/meta/meta-monitor-manager.h
index 033309cc8..ce57156be 100644
--- a/src/meta/meta-monitor-manager.h
+++ b/src/meta/meta-monitor-manager.h
@@ -62,4 +62,7 @@ MetaMonitorSwitchConfigType meta_monitor_manager_get_switch_config (MetaMonitorM
 META_EXPORT
 gint meta_monitor_manager_get_display_configuration_timeout (void);
 
+META_EXPORT
+gboolean meta_monitor_manager_get_panel_orientation_managed (MetaMonitorManager *manager);
+
 #endif /* META_MONITOR_MANAGER_H */
diff --git a/src/org.gnome.Mutter.DisplayConfig.xml b/src/org.gnome.Mutter.DisplayConfig.xml
index 495bebca1..044244e49 100644
--- a/src/org.gnome.Mutter.DisplayConfig.xml
+++ b/src/org.gnome.Mutter.DisplayConfig.xml
@@ -282,6 +282,14 @@
     -->
     <property name="PowerSaveMode" type="i" access="readwrite" />
 
+    <!--
+        PanelOrientationManaged:
+
+        Whether the built-in panel orientation is automatically managed
+        by mutter.
+    -->
+    <property name="PanelOrientationManaged" type="b" access="read" />
+
     <!--
         MonitorsChanged: