diff --git a/src/lib/edje/Edje_Legacy.h b/src/lib/edje/Edje_Legacy.h
index 2b0ba0afa9..eba6d13013 100644
--- a/src/lib/edje/Edje_Legacy.h
+++ b/src/lib/edje/Edje_Legacy.h
@@ -378,6 +378,30 @@ EAPI void edje_object_message_handler_set(Edje_Object *obj, Edje_Message_Handler
  */
 EAPI void edje_object_message_send(Edje_Object *obj, Edje_Message_Type type, int id, void *msg);
 
+/**
+ * @brief Processes an object's message queue.
+ *
+ * This function goes through the object message queue processing the pending
+ * messages for  this specific Edje object. Normally they'd be processed only
+ * at idle time. Child objects will not be affected.
+ *
+ * @see edje_object_message_signal_recursive_process
+ */
+EAPI void edje_object_message_signal_process(Edje_Object *obj);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Processes an object's message queue recursively.
+ *
+ * This function goes through the object message queue processing the pending
+ * messages for this specific Edje object. Normally they'd be processed only
+ * at idle time. This will also propagate the processing to all child objects.
+ *
+ * @see edje_object_message_signal_process
+ *
+ * @since 1.20
+ */
+EAPI void edje_object_message_signal_recursive_process(Edje_Object *obj);
+
 /**
  * @}
  */
diff --git a/src/lib/edje/edje_legacy.c b/src/lib/edje/edje_legacy.c
index c349adbefe..3c9e6d2992 100644
--- a/src/lib/edje/edje_legacy.c
+++ b/src/lib/edje/edje_legacy.c
@@ -47,3 +47,16 @@ edje_object_part_state_get(const Edje_Object *obj, const char * part, double *va
    efl_canvas_layout_internal_state_get(efl_part(obj, part), &str, val_ret);
    return str;
 }
+
+EAPI void
+edje_object_message_signal_process(Edje_Object *obj)
+{
+   edje_obj_message_signal_process(obj, EINA_FALSE);
+}
+
+/* since 1.20 */
+EAPI void
+edje_object_message_signal_recursive_process(Edje_Object *obj)
+{
+   edje_obj_message_signal_process(obj, EINA_TRUE);
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/edje/edje_message_queue.c b/src/lib/edje/edje_message_queue.c
index 31fed480dc..37e937d194 100644
--- a/src/lib/edje/edje_message_queue.c
+++ b/src/lib/edje/edje_message_queue.c
@@ -141,8 +141,8 @@ bad_type:
    return;
 }
 
-EOLIAN void
-_edje_object_message_signal_process(Eo *obj EINA_UNUSED, Edje *ed)
+static void
+_edje_object_message_signal_process_do(Eo *obj EINA_UNUSED, Edje *ed)
 {
    Eina_List *l, *ln, *tmpq = NULL;
    Edje *lookup_ed;
@@ -227,6 +227,25 @@ end:
      tmp_msgq_restart = 1;
 }
 
+EOLIAN void
+_edje_object_message_signal_process(Eo *obj, Edje *ed, Eina_Bool recurse)
+{
+   Edje *sub_ed;
+   Eina_List *l;
+   Evas_Object *o;
+
+   _edje_object_message_signal_process_do(obj, ed);
+   if (!recurse) return;
+
+   EINA_LIST_FOREACH(ed->subobjs, l, o)
+     {
+        sub_ed = _edje_fetch(o);
+        if (!sub_ed) continue;
+
+        _edje_object_message_signal_process(o, sub_ed, EINA_TRUE);
+     }
+}
+
 static Eina_Bool
 _edje_dummy_timer(void *data EINA_UNUSED)
 {
diff --git a/src/lib/edje/edje_object.eo b/src/lib/edje/edje_object.eo
index 9318103880..1c561f9c5d 100644
--- a/src/lib/edje/edje_object.eo
+++ b/src/lib/edje/edje_object.eo
@@ -586,9 +586,17 @@ class Edje.Object (Efl.Canvas.Group.Clipped, Efl.File, Efl.Container, Efl.Part,
          [[Processes an object's message queue.
 
            This function goes through the object message queue processing the
-           pending messages for  this specific Edje object. Normally they'd
-           be processed only at idle time.]]
+           pending messages for this specific Edje object. Normally they'd
+           be processed only at idle time.
 
+           If $recurse is $true, this function will be called recursively
+           on all subobjects.
+         ]]
+         params {
+            recurse: bool @optional; [[Whether to process messages on children
+                                       objects.]]
+         }
+         legacy: null;
       }
       @property global_color_class @class {
          set {