diff --git a/KWinInterface.h b/KWinInterface.h
index 10b04c0186..d368ec3685 100644
--- a/KWinInterface.h
+++ b/KWinInterface.h
@@ -25,11 +25,15 @@ class KWinInterface : virtual public DCOPObject
     // kompmgr stuff
     virtual void startKompmgr() = 0;
     virtual void stopKompmgr() = 0;
+    virtual bool kompmgrIsRunning() = 0;
     virtual void setOpacity(unsigned long winId, unsigned int opacityPercent) = 0;
     virtual void setShadowSize(unsigned long winId, unsigned int shadowSizePercent) = 0;
     virtual void setUnshadowed(unsigned long winId) = 0;
 
     k_dcop_signals:
+    
+    virtual void kompmgrStarted() = 0;
+    virtual void kompmgrStopped() = 0;
 
     // never emitted  
     virtual void dcopResetAllClients();
diff --git a/workspace.cpp b/workspace.cpp
index d6ad6d4792..3d9ed8c340 100644
--- a/workspace.cpp
+++ b/workspace.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ License. See the file "COPYING" for the exact licensing terms.
 #include <kmenubar.h>
 #include <kprocess.h>
 #include <kglobalaccel.h>
+#include <dcopclient.h>
 
 #include "plugins.h"
 #include "client.h"
@@ -2334,6 +2335,10 @@ void Workspace::startKompmgr()
         options->useTranslucency = TRUE;
         allowKompmgrRestart = FALSE;
         QTimer::singleShot( 60000, this, SLOT(unblockKompmgrRestart()) );
+        QByteArray ba;
+        QDataStream arg(ba, IO_WriteOnly);
+        arg << "";
+        kapp->dcopClient()->emitDCOPSignal("default", "kompmgrStarted()", ba);
         }
         if (popup){ delete popup; popup = 0L; } // to add/remove opacity slider
 }
@@ -2346,6 +2351,15 @@ void Workspace::stopKompmgr()
     options->useTranslucency = FALSE;
     if (popup){ delete popup; popup = 0L; } // to add/remove opacity slider
     kompmgr->kill();
+    QByteArray ba;
+    QDataStream arg(ba, IO_WriteOnly);
+    arg << "";
+    kapp->dcopClient()->emitDCOPSignal("default", "kompmgrStopped()", ba);
+}
+
+bool Workspace::kompmgrIsRunning()
+{
+   return kompmgr->isRunning();
 }
 
 void Workspace::unblockKompmgrRestart()
diff --git a/workspace.h b/workspace.h
index ec0d502f74..8af4d4e460 100644
--- a/workspace.h
+++ b/workspace.h
@@ -228,6 +228,7 @@ class Workspace : public QObject, public KWinInterface, public KDecorationDefine
         void sendTakeActivity( Client* c, Time timestamp, long flags ); // called from Client::takeActivity()
         
         void stopKompmgr();
+        bool kompmgrIsRunning();
         void setOpacity(unsigned long winId, unsigned int opacityPercent);
         void setShadowSize(unsigned long winId, unsigned int shadowSizePercent);
         void setUnshadowed(unsigned long winId); // redundant, equals setShadowSize(inId, 0)
@@ -602,6 +603,10 @@ class Workspace : public QObject, public KWinInterface, public KDecorationDefine
         int maximizedWindowCounter;
         int topDockShadowSize;*/
         //end
+        
+     signals:
+        void kompmgrStarted();
+        void kompmgrStopped();
     };
 
 // helper for Workspace::blockStackingUpdates() being called in pairs (true/false)