diff --git a/ksmserver/CMakeLists.txt b/ksmserver/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/ksmserver/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ksmserver/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 qt5_add_dbus_adaptor( ksmserver_KDEINIT_SRCS org.kde.KSMServerInterface.xml server.h KSMServer )
 qt5_add_dbus_interface( ksmserver_KDEINIT_SRCS ${KSCREENLOCKER_DBUS_INTERFACES_DIR}/org.kde.screensaver.xml kscreenlocker_interface )
 qt5_add_dbus_interface( ksmserver_KDEINIT_SRCS org.kde.LogoutPrompt.xml logoutprompt_interface)
+qt5_add_dbus_interface( ksmserver_KDEINIT_SRCS org.kde.KWin.Session.xml kwinsession_interface)
+
 
 set(klauncher_xml ${KINIT_DBUS_INTERFACES_DIR}/kf5_org.kde.KLauncher.xml)
 qt5_add_dbus_interface( ksmserver_KDEINIT_SRCS ${klauncher_xml} klauncher_interface )
diff --git a/ksmserver/logout.cpp b/ksmserver/logout.cpp
--- a/ksmserver/logout.cpp
+++ b/ksmserver/logout.cpp
@@ -77,6 +77,13 @@
 
 #include "logoutprompt_interface.h"
 #include "shutdown_interface.h"
+#include "kwinsession_interface.h"
+
+enum KWinSessionState {
+    Normal = 0,
+    Saving = 1,
+    Quitting = 2
+};
 
 void KSMServer::logout( int confirm, int sdtype, int sdmode )
 {
@@ -183,6 +190,11 @@
     if (state != Idle) {
         QTimer::singleShot(1000, this, &KSMServer::performLogout);
     }
+
+    auto reply = m_kwinInterface->setState(KWinSessionState::Saving);
+    // we don't need to block as we wait for kwin to handle it's session 1
+    // before messaging the clients
+
     state = Shutdown;
 
     // shall we save the session on logout?
@@ -251,6 +263,7 @@
         sessionGroup = QLatin1String("Session: ") + QString::fromLocal8Bit( SESSION_BY_USER );
 
     state = Checkpoint;
+
     wmPhase1WaitingCount = 0;
     saveType = SmSaveLocal;
     saveSession = true;
@@ -405,6 +418,9 @@
         }
     }
     state = Idle;
+
+    m_kwinInterface->setState(KWinSessionState::Normal);
+
     if (m_performLogoutCall.type() == QDBusMessage::MethodCallMessage) {
         auto reply = m_performLogoutCall.createReply(false);
         QDBusConnection::sessionBus().send(reply);
@@ -519,6 +535,9 @@
     }
     // kill all clients
     state = Killing;
+
+    m_kwinInterface->setState(KWinSessionState::Quitting);
+
     foreach( KSMClient* c, clients ) {
         if( isWM( c )) // kill the WM as the last one in order to reduce flicker
             continue;
diff --git a/ksmserver/org.kde.KWin.Session.xml b/ksmserver/org.kde.KWin.Session.xml
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ksmserver/org.kde.KWin.Session.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+<!DOCTYPE node PUBLIC "-//freedesktop//DTD D-BUS Object Introspection 1.0//EN"
+"http://www.freedesktop.org/standards/dbus/1.0/introspect.dtd">
+<node>
+  <interface name="org.kde.KWin.Session">
+      <method name="setState">
+            <!-- Sets state of the session should be one of:
+                0 = normal
+                1 = saving
+                2= quitting
+            -->
+            <arg name="state" type="u" direction="in"/>
+    </method>
+  </interface>
+</node>
diff --git a/ksmserver/server.h b/ksmserver/server.h
--- a/ksmserver/server.h
+++ b/ksmserver/server.h
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@
 class KSMConnection;
 class KSMClient;
 
+class OrgKdeKWinSessionInterface;
 
 enum SMType { SM_ERROR, SM_WMCOMMAND, SM_WMSAVEYOURSELF };
 struct SMData
@@ -83,6 +84,7 @@
         ImmediateLockScreen = 1 << 1,
         NoLockScreen = 1 << 2
     };
+
     Q_DECLARE_FLAGS(InitFlags, InitFlag)
     KSMServer( const QString& windowManager, InitFlags flags );
     ~KSMServer() override;
@@ -255,6 +257,8 @@
     QList<KSMClient*> clientsToKill;
     QList<KSMClient*> clientsToSave;
 
+    OrgKdeKWinSessionInterface *m_kwinInterface;
+
     int sockets[2];
     friend bool readFromPipe(int pipe);
 };
diff --git a/ksmserver/server.cpp b/ksmserver/server.cpp
--- a/ksmserver/server.cpp
+++ b/ksmserver/server.cpp
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@
 #include <qstandardpaths.h>
 
 #include "kscreenlocker_interface.h"
+#include "kwinsession_interface.h"
 
 KSMServer* the_server = nullptr;
 
@@ -599,6 +600,7 @@
 KSMServer::KSMServer( const QString& windowManager, InitFlags flags )
   : wmProcess( nullptr )
   , sessionGroup( QStringLiteral( "" ) )
+  , m_kwinInterface(new OrgKdeKWinSessionInterface(QStringLiteral("org.kde.KWin"), QStringLiteral("/Session"), QDBusConnection::sessionBus(), this))
   , sockets{ -1, -1 }
 {
     if (!flags.testFlag(InitFlag::NoLockScreen)) {