diff --git a/src/core/meta-context-main.c b/src/core/meta-context-main.c
index 3645fbfd4..bc32adb61 100644
--- a/src/core/meta-context-main.c
+++ b/src/core/meta-context-main.c
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include "backends/meta-monitor.h"
 #include "backends/meta-monitor-manager-private.h"
 #include "backends/meta-virtual-monitor.h"
+#include "core/meta-session-manager.h"
 #include "meta/meta-backend.h"
 
 #ifdef HAVE_X11
@@ -88,6 +89,8 @@ struct _MetaContextMain
 
   MetaContextMainOptions options;
 
+  MetaSessionManager *session_manager;
+
   MetaCompositorType compositor_type;
 
   GList *persistent_virtual_monitors;
@@ -524,12 +527,13 @@ meta_context_main_create_backend (MetaContext  *context,
   g_assert_not_reached ();
 }
 
-#ifdef HAVE_X11
 static void
 meta_context_main_notify_ready (MetaContext *context)
 {
   MetaContextMain *context_main = META_CONTEXT_MAIN (context);
+  g_autoptr (GError) error = NULL;
 
+#ifdef HAVE_X11
   if (!context_main->options.sm.disable)
     {
       meta_session_init (context,
@@ -538,8 +542,16 @@ meta_context_main_notify_ready (MetaContext *context)
     }
   g_clear_pointer (&context_main->options.sm.client_id, g_free);
   g_clear_pointer (&context_main->options.sm.save_file, g_free);
+#endif
+
+  context_main->session_manager =
+    meta_session_manager_new (meta_context_get_nick (context), &error);
+
+  if (!context_main->session_manager)
+    g_critical ("Could not create session manager: %s", error->message);
 }
 
+#ifdef HAVE_X11
 static gboolean
 meta_context_main_is_x11_sync (MetaContext *context)
 {
@@ -549,6 +561,14 @@ meta_context_main_is_x11_sync (MetaContext *context)
 }
 #endif
 
+static MetaSessionManager *
+meta_context_main_get_session_manager (MetaContext *context)
+{
+  MetaContextMain *context_main = META_CONTEXT_MAIN (context);
+
+  return context_main->session_manager;
+}
+
 #ifdef HAVE_NATIVE_BACKEND
 static gboolean
 add_virtual_monitor_cb (const char  *option_name,
@@ -730,6 +750,10 @@ meta_context_main_finalize (GObject *object)
 
   g_list_free_full (context_main->persistent_virtual_monitors, g_object_unref);
   context_main->persistent_virtual_monitors = NULL;
+
+  if (context_main->session_manager)
+    meta_session_manager_save_sync (context_main->session_manager, NULL);
+  g_clear_object (&context_main->session_manager);
 #endif
 
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_context_main_parent_class)->finalize (object);
@@ -761,10 +785,11 @@ meta_context_main_class_init (MetaContextMainClass *klass)
   context_class->is_replacing = meta_context_main_is_replacing;
   context_class->setup = meta_context_main_setup;
   context_class->create_backend = meta_context_main_create_backend;
-#ifdef HAVE_X11
   context_class->notify_ready = meta_context_main_notify_ready;
+#ifdef HAVE_X11
   context_class->is_x11_sync = meta_context_main_is_x11_sync;
 #endif
+  context_class->get_session_manager = meta_context_main_get_session_manager;
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/core/meta-context-private.h b/src/core/meta-context-private.h
index 30735416e..2f46ab994 100644
--- a/src/core/meta-context-private.h
+++ b/src/core/meta-context-private.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 #include "core/meta-private-enums.h"
 #include "core/meta-service-channel.h"
+#include "core/meta-session-manager.h"
 #include "core/util-private.h"
 #include "meta/meta-backend.h"
 #include "meta/meta-context.h"
@@ -56,6 +57,8 @@ struct _MetaContextClass
 #ifdef HAVE_X11
   gboolean (* is_x11_sync) (MetaContext *context);
 #endif
+
+  MetaSessionManager * (* get_session_manager) (MetaContext *context);
 };
 
 const char * meta_context_get_name (MetaContext *context);
@@ -86,3 +89,5 @@ meta_context_get_profiler (MetaContext *context);
 void meta_context_set_trace_file (MetaContext *context,
                                   const char  *trace_file);
 #endif
+
+MetaSessionManager * meta_context_get_session_manager (MetaContext *context);
diff --git a/src/core/meta-context.c b/src/core/meta-context.c
index e1a503e00..dd9bd4974 100644
--- a/src/core/meta-context.c
+++ b/src/core/meta-context.c
@@ -979,3 +979,9 @@ meta_context_get_debug_control (MetaContext *context)
 
   return priv->debug_control;
 }
+
+MetaSessionManager *
+meta_context_get_session_manager (MetaContext *context)
+{
+  return META_CONTEXT_GET_CLASS (context)->get_session_manager (context);
+}