diff --git a/src/scriptengines/qml/plasmoid/appletinterface.h b/src/scriptengines/qml/plasmoid/appletinterface.h
--- a/src/scriptengines/qml/plasmoid/appletinterface.h
+++ b/src/scriptengines/qml/plasmoid/appletinterface.h
@@ -312,6 +312,13 @@
      */
     Q_INVOKABLE QStringList downloadedFiles() const;
 
+    /**
+     * Shows the associated context menu by the applet
+     *
+     * @p trigger tells what kind of event it is, @see ContainmentActions::eventToString
+     */
+    Q_INVOKABLE void showContextMenu(const QPointF& pos = {}, const QString &trigger = {});
+
     QVariantList availableScreenRegion() const;
 
     QRect availableScreenRect() const;
diff --git a/src/scriptengines/qml/plasmoid/appletinterface.cpp b/src/scriptengines/qml/plasmoid/appletinterface.cpp
--- a/src/scriptengines/qml/plasmoid/appletinterface.cpp
+++ b/src/scriptengines/qml/plasmoid/appletinterface.cpp
@@ -826,7 +826,7 @@
                 desktopMenu->windowHandle()->setTransientParent(window());
             }
             emit applet()->contextualActionsAboutToShow();
-            ci->addAppletActions(desktopMenu, applet(), event);
+            ci->addAppletActions(desktopMenu, applet(), trigger);
 
             if (!desktopMenu->isEmpty()) {
                 desktopMenu->setAttribute(Qt::WA_DeleteOnClose);
@@ -842,5 +842,11 @@
     return AppletQuickItem::eventFilter(watched, event);
 }
 
+void AppletInterface::showContextMenu(const QPointF& _pos, const QString &trigger)
+{
+    const QPointF pos = _pos.isNull() ? QPoint(0,0) : _pos;
+    ContainmentInterface *ci = applet()->containment()->property("_plasma_graphicObject").value<ContainmentInterface *>();
+    ci->showContextMenu(mapToGlobal(pos).toPoint(), applet() != applet()->containment() ? this : nullptr, trigger);
+}
 
 #include "moc_appletinterface.cpp"
diff --git a/src/scriptengines/qml/plasmoid/containmentinterface.h b/src/scriptengines/qml/plasmoid/containmentinterface.h
--- a/src/scriptengines/qml/plasmoid/containmentinterface.h
+++ b/src/scriptengines/qml/plasmoid/containmentinterface.h
@@ -164,8 +164,10 @@
     void wheelEvent(QWheelEvent *event) override;
     void keyPressEvent(QKeyEvent *event) override;
 
-    void addAppletActions(QMenu *desktopMenu, Plasma::Applet *applet, QEvent *event);
-    void addContainmentActions(QMenu *desktopMenu, QEvent *event);
+    void addAppletActions(QMenu *desktopMenu, Plasma::Applet *applet, const QString &trigger);
+    void addContainmentActions(QMenu *desktopMenu, const QString &trigger);
+
+    bool showContextMenu(const QPoint& pos, AppletInterface *applet, const QString &trigger);
 
 Q_SIGNALS:
     /**
diff --git a/src/scriptengines/qml/plasmoid/containmentinterface.cpp b/src/scriptengines/qml/plasmoid/containmentinterface.cpp
--- a/src/scriptengines/qml/plasmoid/containmentinterface.cpp
+++ b/src/scriptengines/qml/plasmoid/containmentinterface.cpp
@@ -955,15 +955,7 @@
 }
 
 void ContainmentInterface::mousePressEvent(QMouseEvent *event)
-
 {
-    //even if the menu is executed synchronously, other events may be processed
-    //by the qml incubator when plasma is loading, so we need to guard there
-    if (m_contextMenu) {
-        m_contextMenu.data()->close();
-        return;
-    }
-
     const QString trigger = Plasma::ContainmentActions::eventToString(event);
     Plasma::ContainmentActions *plugin = m_containment->containmentActions().value(trigger);
 
@@ -985,16 +977,34 @@
 
     //FIXME: very inefficient appletAt() implementation
     Plasma::Applet *applet = nullptr;
+    AppletInterface *ai = nullptr;
     foreach (QObject *appletObject, m_appletInterfaces) {
-        if (AppletInterface *ai = qobject_cast<AppletInterface *>(appletObject)) {
+        ai = qobject_cast<AppletInterface *>(appletObject);
+        if (ai) {
             if (ai->isVisible() && ai->contains(ai->mapFromItem(this, event->localPos()))) {
                 applet = ai->applet();
                 break;
             } else {
                 ai = nullptr;
             }
         }
     }
+
+    if (showContextMenu(event->globalPos(), ai, trigger))
+        event->accept();
+    else
+        event->setAccepted(false);
+}
+
+bool ContainmentInterface::showContextMenu(const QPoint &_pos, AppletInterface *applet, const QString &trigger)
+{
+    //even if the menu is executed synchronously, other events may be processed
+    //by the qml incubator when plasma is loading, so we need to guard there
+    if (m_contextMenu) {
+        m_contextMenu.data()->close();
+        return true;
+    }
+
     //qDebug() << "Invoking menu for applet" << applet;
 
     QMenu *desktopMenu = new QMenu;
@@ -1015,9 +1025,9 @@
 
     if (applet) {
         emit applet->contextualActionsAboutToShow();
-        addAppletActions(desktopMenu, applet, event);
+        addAppletActions(desktopMenu, applet->applet(), trigger);
     } else {
-        addContainmentActions(desktopMenu, event);
+        addContainmentActions(desktopMenu, trigger);
     }
 
     //this is a workaround where Qt will fail to realize a mouse has been released
@@ -1044,7 +1054,7 @@
     }
     //end workaround
 
-    QPoint pos = event->globalPos();
+    QPoint pos = _pos;
     if (window() && m_containment->containmentType() == Plasma::Types::PanelContainment) {
         desktopMenu->adjustSize();
 
@@ -1058,8 +1068,7 @@
 
     if (desktopMenu->isEmpty()) {
         delete desktopMenu;
-        event->accept();
-        return;
+        return true;
     }
 
     // Bug 344205 keep panel visible while menu is open
@@ -1073,7 +1082,7 @@
     KAcceleratorManager::manage(desktopMenu);
 
     desktopMenu->popup(pos);
-    event->setAccepted(true);
+    return true;
 }
 
 void ContainmentInterface::wheelEvent(QWheelEvent *event)
@@ -1111,7 +1120,7 @@
     AppletInterface::keyPressEvent(event);
 }
 
-void ContainmentInterface::addAppletActions(QMenu *desktopMenu, Plasma::Applet *applet, QEvent *event)
+void ContainmentInterface::addAppletActions(QMenu *desktopMenu, Plasma::Applet *applet, const QString &trigger)
 {
     foreach (QAction *action, applet->contextualActions()) {
         if (action) {
@@ -1137,7 +1146,7 @@
 
     QMenu *containmentMenu = new QMenu(i18nc("%1 is the name of the containment", "%1 Options", m_containment->title()), desktopMenu);
     if (m_containment->containmentType() != Plasma::Types::DesktopContainment) {
-        addContainmentActions(containmentMenu, event);
+        addContainmentActions(containmentMenu, trigger);
     }
 
     if (!containmentMenu->isEmpty()) {
@@ -1180,18 +1189,15 @@
     }
 }
 
-void ContainmentInterface::addContainmentActions(QMenu *desktopMenu, QEvent *event)
+void ContainmentInterface::addContainmentActions(QMenu *desktopMenu, const QString &trigger)
 {
     if (m_containment->corona()->immutability() != Plasma::Types::Mutable &&
             !KAuthorized::authorizeKAction(QStringLiteral("plasma/containment_actions"))) {
         //qDebug() << "immutability";
         return;
     }
 
-    //this is what ContainmentPrivate::prepareContainmentActions was
-    const QString trigger = Plasma::ContainmentActions::eventToString(event);
     Plasma::ContainmentActions *plugin = m_containment->containmentActions().value(trigger);
-
     if (!plugin) {
         return;
     }