diff --git a/libobs/obs-internal.h b/libobs/obs-internal.h
index d4258718f..0e9d3f484 100644
--- a/libobs/obs-internal.h
+++ b/libobs/obs-internal.h
@@ -680,6 +680,8 @@ struct obs_source {
 
 	struct audio_monitor            *monitor;
 	enum obs_monitoring_type        monitoring_type;
+
+	obs_data_t                      *private_settings;
 };
 
 extern const struct obs_source_info *get_source_info(const char *id);
diff --git a/libobs/obs-scene.c b/libobs/obs-scene.c
index 70dcf7270..cd0c988f6 100644
--- a/libobs/obs-scene.c
+++ b/libobs/obs-scene.c
@@ -624,6 +624,12 @@ static void scene_load_item(struct obs_scene *scene, obs_data_t *item_data)
 	obs_data_get_vec2(item_data, "pos",    &item->pos);
 	obs_data_get_vec2(item_data, "scale",  &item->scale);
 
+	obs_data_release(item->private_settings);
+	item->private_settings =
+		obs_data_get_obj(item_data, "private_settings");
+	if (!item->private_settings)
+		item->private_settings = obs_data_create();
+
 	set_visibility(item, visible);
 	obs_sceneitem_set_locked(item, lock);
 
@@ -730,6 +736,9 @@ static void scene_save_item(obs_data_array_t *array,
 
 	obs_data_set_string(item_data, "scale_filter", scale_filter);
 
+	obs_data_set_obj(item_data, "private_settings",
+			item->private_settings);
+
 	obs_data_array_push_back(array, item_data);
 	obs_data_release(item_data);
 }
@@ -1366,6 +1375,7 @@ obs_sceneitem_t *obs_scene_add(obs_scene_t *scene, obs_source_t *source)
 	item->actions_mutex = mutex;
 	item->user_visible = true;
 	item->locked = false;
+	item->private_settings = obs_data_create();
 	os_atomic_set_long(&item->active_refs, 1);
 	vec2_set(&item->scale, 1.0f, 1.0f);
 	matrix4_identity(&item->draw_transform);
@@ -1421,6 +1431,7 @@ static void obs_sceneitem_destroy(obs_sceneitem_t *item)
 			gs_texrender_destroy(item->item_render);
 			obs_leave_graphics();
 		}
+		obs_data_release(item->private_settings);
 		obs_hotkey_pair_unregister(item->toggle_visibility);
 		pthread_mutex_destroy(&item->actions_mutex);
 		if (item->source)
@@ -2002,3 +2013,12 @@ int64_t obs_sceneitem_get_id(const obs_sceneitem_t *item)
 
 	return item->id;
 }
+
+obs_data_t *obs_sceneitem_get_private_settings(obs_sceneitem_t *item)
+{
+	if (!obs_ptr_valid(item, "obs_sceneitem_get_private_settings"))
+		return NULL;
+
+	obs_data_addref(item->private_settings);
+	return item->private_settings;
+}
diff --git a/libobs/obs-scene.h b/libobs/obs-scene.h
index 530334857..06db0a6d9 100644
--- a/libobs/obs-scene.h
+++ b/libobs/obs-scene.h
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ struct obs_scene_item {
 
 	obs_hotkey_pair_id    toggle_visibility;
 
+	obs_data_t            *private_settings;
+
 	pthread_mutex_t       actions_mutex;
 	DARRAY(struct item_action) audio_actions;
 
diff --git a/libobs/obs-source.c b/libobs/obs-source.c
index 1578528f7..854904ad5 100644
--- a/libobs/obs-source.c
+++ b/libobs/obs-source.c
@@ -190,6 +190,8 @@ bool obs_source_init(struct obs_source *source)
 		pthread_mutex_unlock(&obs->data.audio_sources_mutex);
 	}
 
+	source->private_settings = obs_data_create();
+
 	obs_context_data_insert(&source->context,
 			&obs->data.sources_mutex,
 			&obs->data.first_source);
@@ -582,6 +584,7 @@ void obs_source_destroy(struct obs_source *source)
 	pthread_mutex_destroy(&source->audio_cb_mutex);
 	pthread_mutex_destroy(&source->audio_mutex);
 	pthread_mutex_destroy(&source->async_mutex);
+	obs_data_release(source->private_settings);
 	obs_context_data_free(&source->context);
 
 	if (source->owns_info_id)
@@ -4050,3 +4053,12 @@ bool obs_source_async_unbuffered(const obs_source_t *source)
 	return obs_source_valid(source, "obs_source_async_unbuffered") ?
 		source->async_unbuffered : false;
 }
+
+obs_data_t *obs_source_get_private_settings(obs_source_t *source)
+{
+	if (!obs_ptr_valid(source, "obs_source_get_private_settings"))
+		return NULL;
+
+	obs_data_addref(source->private_settings);
+	return source->private_settings;
+}
diff --git a/libobs/obs.c b/libobs/obs.c
index 050d53050..dd731bac9 100644
--- a/libobs/obs.c
+++ b/libobs/obs.c
@@ -1519,6 +1519,12 @@ static obs_source_t *obs_load_source_type(obs_data_t *source_data)
 	obs_source_set_monitoring_type(source,
 			(enum obs_monitoring_type)monitoring_type);
 
+	obs_data_release(source->private_settings);
+	source->private_settings =
+		obs_data_get_obj(source_data, "private_settings");
+	if (!source->private_settings)
+		source->private_settings = obs_data_create();
+
 	if (filters) {
 		size_t count = obs_data_array_count(filters);
 
@@ -1647,6 +1653,9 @@ obs_data_t *obs_save_source(obs_source_t *source)
 	obs_data_set_int   (source_data, "deinterlace_field_order", di_order);
 	obs_data_set_int   (source_data, "monitoring_type", m_type);
 
+	obs_data_set_obj(source_data, "private_settings",
+			source->private_settings);
+
 	if (source->info.type == OBS_SOURCE_TYPE_TRANSITION)
 		obs_transition_save(source, source_data);
 
diff --git a/libobs/obs.h b/libobs/obs.h
index 1668e3065..152dc9102 100644
--- a/libobs/obs.h
+++ b/libobs/obs.h
@@ -957,6 +957,10 @@ EXPORT void obs_source_set_monitoring_type(obs_source_t *source,
 EXPORT enum obs_monitoring_type obs_source_get_monitoring_type(
 		const obs_source_t *source);
 
+/** Gets private front-end settings data.  This data is saved/loaded
+ * automatically.  Returns an incremented reference. */
+EXPORT obs_data_t *obs_source_get_private_settings(obs_source_t *item);
+
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 /* Functions used by sources */
 
@@ -1338,6 +1342,10 @@ EXPORT enum obs_scale_type obs_sceneitem_get_scale_filter(
 EXPORT void obs_sceneitem_defer_update_begin(obs_sceneitem_t *item);
 EXPORT void obs_sceneitem_defer_update_end(obs_sceneitem_t *item);
 
+/** Gets private front-end settings data.  This data is saved/loaded
+ * automatically.  Returns an incremented reference. */
+EXPORT obs_data_t *obs_sceneitem_get_private_settings(obs_sceneitem_t *item);
+
 
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 /* Outputs */