diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index cda0f9591..e4843bd00 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ Also look at all the .c files - they have their own localized TODO lists
 
 These are in no particular order:
 
+* add locale and encoding fields to eapp files (to launch eapp in that locale+encoding)
+* add input method selector stuff to eapp - same as locale
 * libechack needs to come back - and execute all things with libehack preloads active
 * get all libehack properties if they exist
 * titlebar/border expansion/gadget panel for moduels to put window widgets in
diff --git a/src/bin/Makefile.am b/src/bin/Makefile.am
index 5891e8ead..43bb5f40d 100644
--- a/src/bin/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/bin/Makefile.am
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ e_actions.h \
 e_popup.h \
 e_ipc_codec.h \
 e_prefix.h \
-e_datastore.h
+e_datastore.h \
+e_msg.h
 
 enlightenment_SOURCES = \
 e_main.c \
@@ -104,6 +105,7 @@ e_popup.c \
 e_ipc_codec.c \
 e_prefix.c \
 e_datastore.c \
+e_msg.c \
 $(ENLIGHTENMENTHEADERS)
 
 enlightenment_LDFLAGS = -export-dynamic @e_libs@ @dlopen_libs@
diff --git a/src/bin/e_includes.h b/src/bin/e_includes.h
index 6fb1da01f..85a0cd80c 100644
--- a/src/bin/e_includes.h
+++ b/src/bin/e_includes.h
@@ -44,3 +44,5 @@
 #include "e_ipc_codec.h"
 #include "e_test.h"
 #include "e_prefix.h"
+#include "e_datastore.h"
+#include "e_msg.h"
diff --git a/src/bin/e_main.c b/src/bin/e_main.c
index 096dfd79c..2f67b392d 100644
--- a/src/bin/e_main.c
+++ b/src/bin/e_main.c
@@ -389,6 +389,13 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
    else
      _e_main_shutdown_push(_e_main_ipc_shutdown);
 
+   /* setup module loading etc */
+   if (!e_msg_init())
+     {
+	e_error_message_show(_("Enlightenment cannot set up its msg system."));
+	_e_main_shutdown(-1);
+     }
+   _e_main_shutdown_push(e_msg_shutdown);
    /* setup module loading etc */
    if (!e_module_init())
      {
diff --git a/src/bin/e_msg.c b/src/bin/e_msg.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..91e55f514
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bin/e_msg.c
@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+/*
+ * vim:ts=8:sw=3:sts=8:noexpandtab:cino=>5n-3f0^-2{2
+ */
+#include "e.h"
+
+typedef struct _E_Msg_Event E_Msg_Event;
+
+struct _E_Msg_Handler
+{
+   void (*func) (void *data, char *name, char *info, int val, E_Object *obj);
+   void *data;
+   unsigned char delete_me : 1;
+};
+
+struct _E_Msg_Event
+{
+   char *name;
+   char *info;
+   int   val;
+   E_Object *obj;
+};
+
+/* local subsystem functions */
+static int _e_msg_event_cb(void *data, int ev_type, void *ev);
+static void _e_msg_event_free(void *data, void *ev);
+
+/* local subsystem globals */
+static Evas_List *handlers = NULL;
+static Evas_List *del_handlers = NULL;
+static int processing_handlers = 0;
+static int E_EVENT_MSG = 0;
+static Ecore_Event_Handler *hand = NULL;
+
+/* externally accessible functions */
+int
+e_msg_init(void)
+{
+   E_EVENT_MSG = ecore_event_type_new();
+   hand = ecore_event_handler_add(E_EVENT_MSG, _e_msg_event_cb, NULL);
+   return 1;
+}
+
+int
+e_msg_shutdown(void)
+{
+   while (handlers) e_msg_handler_del(handlers->data);
+   E_EVENT_MSG = 0;
+   if (hand) ecore_event_handler_del(hand);
+   hand = NULL;
+   return 1;
+}
+
+void
+e_msg_send(char *name, char *info, int val, E_Object *obj)
+{
+   E_Msg_Event *ev;
+   
+   ev = calloc(1, sizeof(E_Msg_Event));
+   if (name) ev->name = strdup(name);
+   if (info) ev->info = strdup(info);
+   ev->val = val;
+   ev->obj = obj;
+   if (ev->obj) e_object_ref(ev->obj);
+   ecore_event_add(E_EVENT_MSG, ev, _e_msg_event_free, NULL);
+}
+
+E_Msg_Handler *
+e_msg_handler_add(void (*func) (void *data, char *name, char *info, int val, E_Object *obj), void *data)
+{
+   E_Msg_Handler *emsgh;
+   
+   emsgh = calloc(1, sizeof(E_Msg_Handler));
+   if (!emsgh) return NULL;
+   emsgh->func = func;
+   emsgh->data = data;
+   handlers = evas_list_append(handlers, emsgh);
+   return emsgh;
+}
+
+void
+e_msg_handler_del(E_Msg_Handler *emsgh)
+{
+   if (processing_handlers > 0)
+     {
+	emsgh->delete_me = 1;
+	del_handlers = evas_list_append(del_handlers, emsgh);
+     }
+   else
+     {
+	handlers = evas_list_remove(handlers, emsgh);
+	free(emsgh);
+     }
+}
+
+/* local subsystem functions */
+
+static int
+_e_msg_event_cb(void *data, int ev_type, void *ev)
+{
+   E_Msg_Event *e;
+   Evas_List *l;
+
+   processing_handlers++;
+   e = ev;
+   for (l = handlers; l; l = l->next)
+     {
+	E_Msg_Handler *emsgh;
+	
+	emsgh = l->data;
+	if (!emsgh->delete_me)
+	  emsgh->func(emsgh->data, e->name, e->info, e->val, e->obj);
+     }
+   processing_handlers--;
+   if ((processing_handlers == 0) && (del_handlers))
+     {
+	while (del_handlers)
+	  {
+	     e_msg_handler_del(del_handlers->data);
+	     del_handlers = evas_list_remove_list(del_handlers, del_handlers);
+	  }
+     }
+   return 1;
+}
+
+static void
+_e_msg_event_free(void *data, void *ev)
+{
+   E_Msg_Event *e;
+
+   e = ev;
+   if (e->name) free(e->name);
+   if (e->info) free(e->info);
+   if (e->obj) e_object_unref(e->obj);
+}
diff --git a/src/bin/e_msg.h b/src/bin/e_msg.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..494d32d7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bin/e_msg.h
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+/*
+ * vim:ts=8:sw=3:sts=8:noexpandtab:cino=>5n-3f0^-2{2
+ */
+#ifdef E_TYPEDEFS
+
+typedef struct _E_Msg_Handler E_Msg_Handler;
+
+#else
+#ifndef E_MSG_H
+#define E_MSG_H
+
+EAPI int            e_msg_init(void);
+EAPI int            e_msg_shutdown(void);
+
+EAPI void           e_msg_send(char *name, char *info, int val, E_Object *obj);
+EAPI E_Msg_Handler *e_msg_handler_add(void (*func) (void *data, char *name, char *info, int val, E_Object *obj), void *data);
+EAPI void           e_msg_handler_del(E_Msg_Handler *emsgh);
+
+#endif
+#endif