diff --git a/moo/mooutils/moowindow.c b/moo/mooutils/moowindow.c
index d7de17ba..4a41779f 100644
--- a/moo/mooutils/moowindow.c
+++ b/moo/mooutils/moowindow.c
@@ -1965,6 +1965,28 @@ _moo_window_class_new_action_callback (MooWindowClass *klass,
 /* MooEditOps
  */
 
+void
+moo_window_set_edit_ops_widget (MooWindow *window,
+                                GtkWidget *widget)
+{
+    g_return_if_fail (MOO_IS_WINDOW (window));
+    g_return_if_fail (!widget || GTK_IS_WIDGET (widget));
+
+    if (widget == window->priv->default_eo_widget)
+        return;
+
+    if (widget)
+    {
+        GtkWidget *toplevel = gtk_widget_get_toplevel (widget);
+        g_return_if_fail (toplevel == GTK_WIDGET (window));
+        g_return_if_fail (_moo_edit_ops_check (widget));
+    }
+
+    /* XXX remove it when it's removed from the window or destroyed */
+    window->priv->default_eo_widget = widget;
+}
+
+
 static void
 moo_window_action_cut (MooWindow *window)
 {
diff --git a/moo/mooutils/moowindow.h b/moo/mooutils/moowindow.h
index f5a2e22e..6ff6112a 100644
--- a/moo/mooutils/moowindow.h
+++ b/moo/mooutils/moowindow.h
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ GType       moo_window_get_type             (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
 gboolean    moo_window_close                (MooWindow          *window);
 void        moo_window_apply_prefs          (MooWindow          *window);
 
+void        moo_window_set_edit_ops_widget  (MooWindow          *window,
+                                             GtkWidget          *widget);
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
 /* Actions