diff --git a/src/lib/eo/eo_base.eo b/src/lib/eo/eo_base.eo
index 4e93495f6c..ad6cd68bee 100644
--- a/src/lib/eo/eo_base.eo
+++ b/src/lib/eo/eo_base.eo
@@ -154,6 +154,35 @@ abstract Eo.Base ()
             @in key: const(char)*; [[the key associated with the data]]
          }
       }
+      key_obj_set {
+         [[Set generic object reference to object.
+
+           The object will be automatically ref'd when set and unref'd
+           when replaced or deleted or referring object is deleted. If
+           the referenced object is deleted then the key is deleted
+           automatically.
+
+           This is the same key store used by key_data_set etc. so keys
+           are shared and can store only one thing
+         ]]
+         params {
+            @in key: const(char)*; [[the key associated with the object ref]]
+            @in objdata: Eo *; [[the object to set]]
+         }
+      }
+      key_obj_get @const {
+         [[Get generic object reference from object.]]
+         params {
+            @in key: const(char)*; [[the key associated with the object ref]]
+         }
+         return: Eo *; [[the object reference for the key]]
+      }
+      key_obj_del {
+         [[Del generic objecrt reference from object.]]
+         params {
+            @in key: const(char)*; [[the key associated with the object ref]]
+         }
+      }
       event_thaw {
          [[thaw events of object.
 
diff --git a/src/lib/eo/eo_base_class.c b/src/lib/eo/eo_base_class.c
index 776e92a542..bd402e7b24 100644
--- a/src/lib/eo/eo_base_class.c
+++ b/src/lib/eo/eo_base_class.c
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ typedef struct
 {
    EINA_INLIST;
    Eina_Stringshare *key;
-   void *data;
+   void             *data;
+   Eina_Bool         data_is_obj : 1;
 } Eo_Generic_Data_Node;
 
 static void
@@ -43,59 +44,224 @@ _eo_generic_data_node_free(Eo_Generic_Data_Node *node)
    free(node);
 }
 
-static void
-_eo_generic_data_del_all(Eo_Base_Data *pd)
+static Eina_Bool
+_eo_base_cb_key_obj_del(void *data, const Eo_Event *event)
 {
-   Eina_Inlist *nnode;
-   Eo_Generic_Data_Node *node = NULL;
+   Eo *parent_obj = data;
+   Eo_Base_Data *pd = eo_data_scope_get(parent_obj, EO_BASE_CLASS);
 
-   EINA_INLIST_FOREACH_SAFE(pd->generic_data, nnode, node)
+   if (pd)
      {
-        pd->generic_data = eina_inlist_remove(pd->generic_data,
-              EINA_INLIST_GET(node));
+        Eo_Generic_Data_Node *node;
 
+        EINA_INLIST_FOREACH(pd->generic_data, node)
+          {
+             if ((node->data_is_obj) && (node->data == event->obj))
+               {
+                  pd->generic_data = eina_inlist_remove(pd->generic_data,
+                                                        EINA_INLIST_GET(node));
+                  eo_event_callback_del(node->data, EO_BASE_EVENT_DEL,
+                                        _eo_base_cb_key_obj_del, data);
+                  eo_unref(node->data);
+                  _eo_generic_data_node_free(node);
+                  break;
+               }
+          }
+     }
+   return EINA_TRUE;
+}
+
+static void
+_eo_generic_data_del_all(Eo *obj, Eo_Base_Data *pd)
+{
+   Eo_Generic_Data_Node *node;
+
+   while (pd->generic_data)
+     {
+        node = (Eo_Generic_Data_Node *)pd->generic_data;
+        pd->generic_data = eina_inlist_remove(pd->generic_data,
+                                              EINA_INLIST_GET(node));
+        if (node->data_is_obj)
+          {
+             eo_event_callback_del(node->data, EO_BASE_EVENT_DEL,
+                                   _eo_base_cb_key_obj_del, obj);
+             eo_unref(node->data);
+          }
         _eo_generic_data_node_free(node);
      }
 }
 
 EOLIAN static void
-_eo_base_key_data_set(Eo *obj, Eo_Base_Data *pd,
-          const char *key, const void *data)
+_eo_base_key_data_set(Eo *obj, Eo_Base_Data *pd, const char *key, const void *data)
 {
    Eo_Generic_Data_Node *node;
 
    if (!key) return;
-
-   eo_key_data_del(obj, key);
-
-   node = malloc(sizeof(Eo_Generic_Data_Node));
-   if (!node) return;
-   node->key = eina_stringshare_add(key);
-   node->data = (void *) data;
-   pd->generic_data = eina_inlist_prepend(pd->generic_data,
-         EINA_INLIST_GET(node));
-}
-
-EOLIAN static void *
-_eo_base_key_data_get(const Eo *obj EINA_UNUSED, Eo_Base_Data *pd, const char *key)
-{
-   /* We don't really change it... */
-   Eo_Generic_Data_Node *node;
-   if (!key) return NULL;
-
    EINA_INLIST_FOREACH(pd->generic_data, node)
      {
         if (!strcmp(node->key, key))
           {
-             pd->generic_data =
-                eina_inlist_promote(pd->generic_data, EINA_INLIST_GET(node));
-             return node->data;
+             if ((!node->data_is_obj) && (node->data == data)) return;
+             pd->generic_data = eina_inlist_remove(pd->generic_data,
+                                                   EINA_INLIST_GET(node));
+             if (node->data_is_obj)
+               {
+                  eo_event_callback_del(node->data, EO_BASE_EVENT_DEL,
+                                        _eo_base_cb_key_obj_del, obj);
+                  eo_unref(node->data);
+               }
+             _eo_generic_data_node_free(node);
+             break;
           }
      }
 
+   node = calloc(1, sizeof(Eo_Generic_Data_Node));
+   if (!node) return;
+   node->key = eina_stringshare_add(key);
+   node->data = (void *)data;
+   node->data_is_obj = EINA_FALSE;
+   pd->generic_data = eina_inlist_prepend(pd->generic_data,
+                                          EINA_INLIST_GET(node));
+}
+
+EOLIAN static void *
+_eo_base_key_data_get(const Eo *obj, Eo_Base_Data *pd, const char *key)
+{
+   Eo_Generic_Data_Node *node;
+
+   if (!key) return NULL;
+   EINA_INLIST_FOREACH(pd->generic_data, node)
+     {
+        if (!strcmp(node->key, key))
+          {
+             if (!node->data_is_obj)
+               {
+                  pd->generic_data = eina_inlist_promote(pd->generic_data,
+                                                         EINA_INLIST_GET(node));
+                  return node->data;
+               }
+             else
+               {
+                  ERR("Object %p key '%s' is an object, not raw data",
+                      obj, key);
+                  return NULL;
+               }
+          }
+     }
    return NULL;
 }
 
+EOLIAN static void
+_eo_base_key_data_del(Eo *obj, Eo_Base_Data *pd, const char *key)
+{
+   Eo_Generic_Data_Node *node;
+
+   if (!key) return;
+   EINA_INLIST_FOREACH(pd->generic_data, node)
+     {
+        if (!strcmp(node->key, key))
+          {
+             pd->generic_data = eina_inlist_remove(pd->generic_data,
+                                                   EINA_INLIST_GET(node));
+             if (node->data_is_obj)
+               {
+                  eo_event_callback_del(node->data, EO_BASE_EVENT_DEL,
+                                        _eo_base_cb_key_obj_del, obj);
+                  eo_unref(node->data);
+               }
+             _eo_generic_data_node_free(node);
+             return;
+          }
+     }
+}
+
+EOLIAN static void
+_eo_base_key_obj_set(Eo *obj, Eo_Base_Data *pd, const char *key, Eo *objdata)
+{
+   Eo_Generic_Data_Node *node;
+
+   if (!key) return;
+   EINA_INLIST_FOREACH(pd->generic_data, node)
+     {
+        if (!strcmp(node->key, key))
+          {
+             if ((node->data_is_obj) && (node->data == objdata)) return;
+             pd->generic_data = eina_inlist_remove(pd->generic_data,
+                                                   EINA_INLIST_GET(node));
+             if (node->data_is_obj)
+               {
+                  eo_event_callback_del(node->data, EO_BASE_EVENT_DEL,
+                                        _eo_base_cb_key_obj_del, obj);
+                  eo_unref(node->data);
+               }
+             _eo_generic_data_node_free(node);
+             break;
+          }
+     }
+
+   node = calloc(1, sizeof(Eo_Generic_Data_Node));
+   if (!node) return;
+   node->key = eina_stringshare_add(key);
+   node->data = (void *)objdata;
+   node->data_is_obj = EINA_TRUE;
+   eo_event_callback_add(node->data, EO_BASE_EVENT_DEL,
+                         _eo_base_cb_key_obj_del, obj);
+   eo_ref(node->data);
+   pd->generic_data = eina_inlist_prepend(pd->generic_data,
+                                          EINA_INLIST_GET(node));
+}
+
+EOLIAN static Eo *
+_eo_base_key_obj_get(const Eo *obj, Eo_Base_Data *pd, const char *key)
+{
+   Eo_Generic_Data_Node *node;
+
+   if (!key) return NULL;
+   EINA_INLIST_FOREACH(pd->generic_data, node)
+     {
+        if (!strcmp(node->key, key))
+          {
+             if (node->data_is_obj)
+               {
+                  pd->generic_data = eina_inlist_promote(pd->generic_data,
+                                                         EINA_INLIST_GET(node));
+                  return node->data;
+               }
+             else
+               {
+                  ERR("Object %p key '%s' is an object, not an object",
+                      obj, key);
+                  return NULL;
+               }
+          }
+     }
+   return NULL;
+}
+
+EOLIAN static void
+_eo_base_key_obj_del(Eo *obj EINA_UNUSED, Eo_Base_Data *pd, const char *key)
+{
+   Eo_Generic_Data_Node *node;
+
+   if (!key) return;
+   EINA_INLIST_FOREACH(pd->generic_data, node)
+     {
+        if (!strcmp(node->key, key))
+          {
+             pd->generic_data = eina_inlist_remove(pd->generic_data,
+                                                   EINA_INLIST_GET(node));
+             if (node->data_is_obj)
+               {
+                  eo_event_callback_del(node->data, EO_BASE_EVENT_DEL,
+                                        _eo_base_cb_key_obj_del, obj);
+                  eo_unref(node->data);
+               }
+             _eo_generic_data_node_free(node);
+             return;
+          }
+     }
+}
+
 EOLIAN static void
 _eo_base_parent_set(Eo *obj, Eo_Base_Data *pd, Eo *parent_id)
 {
@@ -265,25 +431,6 @@ _eo_base_dbg_info_get(Eo *obj EINA_UNUSED, Eo_Base_Data *pd EINA_UNUSED, Eo_Dbg_
    return;
 }
 
-EOLIAN static void
-_eo_base_key_data_del(Eo *obj EINA_UNUSED, Eo_Base_Data *pd, const char *key)
-{
-   Eo_Generic_Data_Node *node;
-
-   if (!key) return;
-
-   EINA_INLIST_FOREACH(pd->generic_data, node)
-     {
-        if (!strcmp(node->key, key))
-          {
-             pd->generic_data = eina_inlist_remove(pd->generic_data,
-                   EINA_INLIST_GET(node));
-             _eo_generic_data_node_free(node);
-             return;
-          }
-     }
-}
-
 /* Weak reference. */
 
 static inline size_t
@@ -996,7 +1143,7 @@ _eo_base_destructor(Eo *obj, Eo_Base_Data *pd)
         eo_parent_set(obj, NULL);
      }
 
-   _eo_generic_data_del_all(pd);
+   _eo_generic_data_del_all(obj, pd);
    _wref_destruct(pd);
    _eo_callback_remove_all(pd);
 
diff --git a/src/tests/eo/suite/eo_test_general.c b/src/tests/eo/suite/eo_test_general.c
index fcaa115e99..9f689f3082 100644
--- a/src/tests/eo/suite/eo_test_general.c
+++ b/src/tests/eo/suite/eo_test_general.c
@@ -598,6 +598,9 @@ START_TEST(eo_generic_data)
 {
    eo_init();
    Eo *obj = eo_add(SIMPLE_CLASS, NULL);
+   Eo *obj2 = eo_add(SIMPLE_CLASS, NULL);
+   Eo *obj3 = eo_add(SIMPLE_CLASS, NULL);
+   Eo *objtmp;
    void *data = NULL;
 
    eo_key_data_set(obj, "test1", (void *) 1);
@@ -626,7 +629,37 @@ START_TEST(eo_generic_data)
    data = eo_key_data_get(obj, "test1");
    fail_if(data);
 
+
+
+   eo_key_obj_set(obj, "test1", obj2);
+   objtmp = eo_key_obj_get(obj, "test1");
+   fail_if(obj2 != objtmp);
+   eo_key_obj_del(obj, "test1");
+   objtmp = eo_key_obj_get(obj, "test1");
+   fail_if(objtmp);
+
+   eo_key_obj_set(obj, "test1", obj2);
+   eo_key_obj_set(obj, "test2", obj3);
+   objtmp = eo_key_obj_get(obj, "test1");
+   fail_if(obj2 != objtmp);
+   objtmp = eo_key_obj_get(obj, "test2");
+   fail_if(obj3 != objtmp);
+
+   data = eo_key_obj_get(obj, "test2");
+   fail_if(obj3 != objtmp);
+   eo_key_obj_del(obj, "test2");
+   objtmp = eo_key_obj_get(obj, "test2");
+   fail_if(objtmp);
+
+   objtmp = eo_key_obj_get(obj, "test1");
+   fail_if(obj2 != objtmp);
+   eo_key_obj_del(obj, "test1");
+   objtmp = eo_key_obj_get(obj, "test1");
+   fail_if(objtmp);
+
    eo_unref(obj);
+   eo_unref(obj2);
+   eo_unref(obj3);
 
    eo_shutdown();
 }