diff --git a/src/bin/e_client.c b/src/bin/e_client.c
index af66e8941..ec7b2a46b 100644
--- a/src/bin/e_client.c
+++ b/src/bin/e_client.c
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ static Eina_Inlist *_e_client_hooks[] =
    [E_CLIENT_HOOK_DEL] = NULL,
    [E_CLIENT_HOOK_UNREDIRECT] = NULL,
    [E_CLIENT_HOOK_REDIRECT] = NULL,
+   [E_CLIENT_HOOK_CANVAS_LAYOUT] = NULL,
 };
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -324,6 +325,24 @@ _e_client_hook_call(E_Client_Hook_Point hookpoint, E_Client *ec)
    return !!e_object_unref(E_OBJECT(ec));
 }
 
+static Eina_Bool
+_e_client_hook_comp_call(E_Client_Hook_Point hookpoint, E_Comp *c)
+{
+   E_Client_Hook *ch;
+
+   _e_client_hooks_walking++;
+   _e_client_hooks_walking++;
+   EINA_INLIST_FOREACH(_e_client_hooks[hookpoint], ch)
+     {
+        if (ch->delete_me) continue;
+        ch->func(ch->data, (void *)c);
+     }
+   _e_client_hooks_walking--;
+   if ((_e_client_hooks_walking == 0) && (_e_client_hooks_delete > 0))
+     _e_client_hooks_clean();
+   return EINA_TRUE;
+}
+
 ///////////////////////////////////////////
 
 static void
@@ -2206,6 +2225,16 @@ e_client_idler_before(void)
              _e_client_hook_call(E_CLIENT_HOOK_EVAL_POST_FRAME_ASSIGN, ec);
           }
 
+        // layout hook - this is where a hook gets to figure out what to
+        // do if anything.
+        //
+        // XXX: FIXME - keep this until there is an acceptable replacement
+        // that can allow layout policie modules to evaluate everything
+        // at a single point after everything else is done as removing this
+        // breaks both illume2 and contact ... which didn't get updated to
+        // have an alternative method implemented
+        _e_client_hook_comp_call(E_CLIENT_HOOK_CANVAS_LAYOUT, c);
+
         E_CLIENT_FOREACH(c, ec)
           {
              // pass 2 - show windows needing show
diff --git a/src/bin/e_client.h b/src/bin/e_client.h
index 7f08e8bc6..2fec6e158 100644
--- a/src/bin/e_client.h
+++ b/src/bin/e_client.h
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ typedef enum _E_Client_Hook_Point
    E_CLIENT_HOOK_DEL,
    E_CLIENT_HOOK_UNREDIRECT,
    E_CLIENT_HOOK_REDIRECT,
+   E_CLIENT_HOOK_CANVAS_LAYOUT,
    E_CLIENT_HOOK_LAST,
 } E_Client_Hook_Point;