diff --git a/autotests/mock_effectshandler.h b/autotests/mock_effectshandler.h
--- a/autotests/mock_effectshandler.h
+++ b/autotests/mock_effectshandler.h
@@ -281,6 +281,9 @@
     void renderEffectQuickView(KWin::EffectQuickView *quickView) const override {
         Q_UNUSED(quickView);
     }
+    KWin::SessionState sessionState() const override {
+        return KWin::SessionState::Normal;
+    }
 
 private:
     bool m_animationsSuported = true;
diff --git a/effects.h b/effects.h
--- a/effects.h
+++ b/effects.h
@@ -275,6 +275,8 @@
 
     void renderEffectQuickView(EffectQuickView *effectQuickView) const override;
 
+    SessionState sessionState() const override;
+
 public Q_SLOTS:
     void slotCurrentTabAboutToChange(EffectWindow* from, EffectWindow* to);
     void slotTabAdded(EffectWindow* from, EffectWindow* to);
diff --git a/effects.cpp b/effects.cpp
--- a/effects.cpp
+++ b/effects.cpp
@@ -196,6 +196,8 @@
             elevated_windows.removeAll(d->effectWindow());
         }
     );
+    connect(ws->sessionManager(), &SessionManager::stateChanged, this,
+            &KWin::EffectsHandler::sessionStateChanged);
     connect(vds, &VirtualDesktopManager::countChanged, this, &EffectsHandler::numberDesktopsChanged);
     connect(Cursor::self(), &Cursor::mouseChanged, this, &EffectsHandler::mouseChanged);
     connect(screens(), &Screens::countChanged,    this, &EffectsHandler::numberScreensChanged);
@@ -1710,6 +1712,11 @@
     scene()->paintEffectQuickView(w);
 }
 
+SessionState EffectsHandlerImpl::sessionState() const
+{
+    return Workspace::self()->sessionManager()->state();
+}
+
 //****************************************
 // EffectWindowImpl
 //****************************************
diff --git a/effects/CMakeLists.txt b/effects/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/effects/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/effects/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@
 install_scripted_effect(squash)
 install_scripted_effect(translucency)
 install_scripted_effect(windowaperture)
+install_scripted_effect(sessionquit)
 
 ###############################################################################
 # Built-in effects go here
diff --git a/effects/sessionquit/package/contents/code/main.js b/effects/sessionquit/package/contents/code/main.js
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/effects/sessionquit/package/contents/code/main.js
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+/********************************************************************
+ KWin - the KDE window manager
+ This file is part of the KDE project.
+
+ Copyright (C) 2019 David Edmundson <davidedmundson@kde.org>
+
+This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+(at your option) any later version.
+
+This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*********************************************************************/
+
+"use strict";
+
+var quitEffect = {
+    closed: function (window) {
+        if (!window.desktopWindow || effects.sessionState != Globals.Quitting) {
+            return;
+        }
+        if (!effect.grab(window, Effect.WindowClosedGrabRole)) {
+            return;
+        }
+        window.outAnimation = animate({
+            window: window,
+            duration: 30 * 1000, // 30 seconds should be long enough for any shutdown
+            type: Effect.Generic, // do nothing, just hold a reference
+            from: 0.0,
+            to: 0.0
+        });
+    },
+    init: function () {
+        effects.windowClosed.connect(quitEffect.closed);
+    }
+};
+quitEffect.init();
diff --git a/effects/sessionquit/package/metadata.desktop b/effects/sessionquit/package/metadata.desktop
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/effects/sessionquit/package/metadata.desktop
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+[Desktop Entry]
+Name=Session Quit
+Icon=preferences-system-windows-effect-logout
+Comment=Keep the desktop background alive during logout until the end
+
+Type=Service
+X-KDE-ServiceTypes=KWin/Effect
+X-KDE-PluginInfo-Author=David Edmundson
+X-KDE-PluginInfo-Email=davidedmundson@kde.org
+X-KDE-PluginInfo-Name=kwin4_effect_sessionquit
+X-KDE-PluginInfo-Version=0.2.0
+X-KDE-PluginInfo-Category=Appearance
+X-KDE-PluginInfo-Depends=
+X-KDE-PluginInfo-License=GPL
+X-KDE-PluginInfo-EnabledByDefault=true
+X-KDE-Ordering=40
+X-Plasma-API=javascript
+X-KWin-Internal=true
+X-Plasma-MainScript=code/main.js
diff --git a/libkwineffects/kwineffects.h b/libkwineffects/kwineffects.h
--- a/libkwineffects/kwineffects.h
+++ b/libkwineffects/kwineffects.h
@@ -826,6 +826,13 @@
     Q_PROPERTY(QSize virtualScreenSize READ virtualScreenSize NOTIFY virtualScreenSizeChanged)
     Q_PROPERTY(QRect virtualScreenGeometry READ virtualScreenGeometry NOTIFY virtualScreenGeometryChanged)
     Q_PROPERTY(bool hasActiveFullScreenEffect READ hasActiveFullScreenEffect NOTIFY hasActiveFullScreenEffectChanged)
+
+    /**
+     * The status of the session i.e if the user is logging out
+     * @since 5.18
+     */
+    Q_PROPERTY(KWin::SessionState sessionState READ sessionState NOTIFY sessionStateChanged)
+
     friend class Effect;
 public:
     explicit EffectsHandler(CompositingType type);
@@ -1367,6 +1374,11 @@
      */
     virtual void renderEffectQuickView(EffectQuickView *effectQuickView) const = 0;
 
+    /**
+     * The status of the session i.e if the user is logging out
+     * @since 5.18
+     */
+    virtual SessionState sessionState() const = 0;
 Q_SIGNALS:
     /**
      * Signal emitted when the current desktop changed.
@@ -1799,6 +1811,12 @@
      */
     void windowFullScreenChanged(KWin::EffectWindow *w);
 
+    /**
+     * This signal is emitted when the session state was changed
+     * @since 5.18
+     */
+    void sessionStateChanged();
+
 protected:
     QVector< EffectPair > loaded_effects;
     //QHash< QString, EffectFactory* > effect_factories;
diff --git a/libkwineffects/kwineffects.cpp b/libkwineffects/kwineffects.cpp
--- a/libkwineffects/kwineffects.cpp
+++ b/libkwineffects/kwineffects.cpp
@@ -1941,3 +1941,4 @@
 
 } // namespace
 
+#include "moc_kwinglobals.cpp"
diff --git a/libkwineffects/kwinglobals.h b/libkwineffects/kwinglobals.h
--- a/libkwineffects/kwinglobals.h
+++ b/libkwineffects/kwinglobals.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 
 namespace KWin
 {
-
+KWIN_EXPORT Q_NAMESPACE
 
 enum CompositingType {
     NoCompositing = 0,
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@
     Saving,
     Quitting
 };
+Q_ENUM_NS(SessionState)
 
 inline
 KWIN_EXPORT xcb_connection_t *connection()
diff --git a/scripting/scriptedeffect.h b/scripting/scriptedeffect.h
--- a/scripting/scriptedeffect.h
+++ b/scripting/scriptedeffect.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
     Q_ENUMS(Anchor)
     Q_ENUMS(MetaType)
     Q_ENUMS(EasingCurve)
+    Q_ENUMS(SessionState)
     /**
      * True if we are the active fullscreen effect
      */
diff --git a/scripting/scriptedeffect.cpp b/scripting/scriptedeffect.cpp
--- a/scripting/scriptedeffect.cpp
+++ b/scripting/scriptedeffect.cpp
@@ -633,6 +633,8 @@
 #ifndef KWIN_UNIT_TEST
     m_engine->globalObject().setProperty(QStringLiteral("KWin"), m_engine->newQMetaObject(&QtScriptWorkspaceWrapper::staticMetaObject));
 #endif
+    m_engine->globalObject().setProperty(QStringLiteral("Globals"), m_engine->newQMetaObject(&KWin::staticMetaObject));
+
     m_engine->globalObject().setProperty(QStringLiteral("QEasingCurve"), m_engine->newQMetaObject(&QEasingCurve::staticMetaObject));
     m_engine->globalObject().setProperty(QStringLiteral("effect"), m_engine->newQObject(this, QScriptEngine::QtOwnership, QScriptEngine::ExcludeDeleteLater), QScriptValue::Undeletable);
     MetaScripting::registration(m_engine);