diff --git a/include/wine/server_protocol.h b/include/wine/server_protocol.h
index 7683e8a6fea..d2b159a0d0d 100644
--- a/include/wine/server_protocol.h
+++ b/include/wine/server_protocol.h
@@ -115,8 +115,8 @@ typedef union
     struct
     {
         int          code;
-        client_ptr_t string;
         data_size_t  length;
+        client_ptr_t string;
     } output_string;
     struct
     {
@@ -4614,6 +4614,31 @@ struct set_window_layered_info_reply
 };
 
 
+
+struct alloc_user_handle_request
+{
+    struct request_header __header;
+};
+struct alloc_user_handle_reply
+{
+    struct reply_header __header;
+    user_handle_t  handle;
+    char __pad_12[4];
+};
+
+
+
+struct free_user_handle_request
+{
+    struct request_header __header;
+    user_handle_t  handle;
+};
+struct free_user_handle_reply
+{
+    struct reply_header __header;
+};
+
+
 enum request
 {
     REQ_new_process,
@@ -4854,6 +4879,8 @@ enum request
     REQ_add_fd_completion,
     REQ_get_window_layered_info,
     REQ_set_window_layered_info,
+    REQ_alloc_user_handle,
+    REQ_free_user_handle,
     REQ_NB_REQUESTS
 };
 
@@ -5099,6 +5126,8 @@ union generic_request
     struct add_fd_completion_request add_fd_completion_request;
     struct get_window_layered_info_request get_window_layered_info_request;
     struct set_window_layered_info_request set_window_layered_info_request;
+    struct alloc_user_handle_request alloc_user_handle_request;
+    struct free_user_handle_request free_user_handle_request;
 };
 union generic_reply
 {
@@ -5342,8 +5371,10 @@ union generic_reply
     struct add_fd_completion_reply add_fd_completion_reply;
     struct get_window_layered_info_reply get_window_layered_info_reply;
     struct set_window_layered_info_reply set_window_layered_info_reply;
+    struct alloc_user_handle_reply alloc_user_handle_reply;
+    struct free_user_handle_reply free_user_handle_reply;
 };
 
-#define SERVER_PROTOCOL_VERSION 391
+#define SERVER_PROTOCOL_VERSION 392
 
 #endif /* __WINE_WINE_SERVER_PROTOCOL_H */
diff --git a/server/protocol.def b/server/protocol.def
index d7b31f4cd1f..a0e170282b5 100644
--- a/server/protocol.def
+++ b/server/protocol.def
@@ -3224,3 +3224,16 @@ enum message_type
     unsigned int   alpha;         /* alpha (0..255) */
     unsigned int   flags;         /* LWA_* flags */
 @END
+
+
+/* Allocate an arbitrary user handle */
+@REQ(alloc_user_handle)
+@REPLY
+    user_handle_t  handle;        /* allocated handle */
+@END
+
+
+/* Free an arbitrary user handle */
+@REQ(free_user_handle)
+    user_handle_t  handle;        /* handle to free*/
+@END
diff --git a/server/request.h b/server/request.h
index 02c7984619c..87b6a757cce 100644
--- a/server/request.h
+++ b/server/request.h
@@ -349,6 +349,8 @@ DECL_HANDLER(set_completion_info);
 DECL_HANDLER(add_fd_completion);
 DECL_HANDLER(get_window_layered_info);
 DECL_HANDLER(set_window_layered_info);
+DECL_HANDLER(alloc_user_handle);
+DECL_HANDLER(free_user_handle);
 
 #ifdef WANT_REQUEST_HANDLERS
 
@@ -593,6 +595,8 @@ static const req_handler req_handlers[REQ_NB_REQUESTS] =
     (req_handler)req_add_fd_completion,
     (req_handler)req_get_window_layered_info,
     (req_handler)req_set_window_layered_info,
+    (req_handler)req_alloc_user_handle,
+    (req_handler)req_free_user_handle,
 };
 
 C_ASSERT( sizeof(affinity_t) == 8 );
@@ -1892,6 +1896,10 @@ C_ASSERT( FIELD_OFFSET(struct set_window_layered_info_request, color_key) == 16
 C_ASSERT( FIELD_OFFSET(struct set_window_layered_info_request, alpha) == 20 );
 C_ASSERT( FIELD_OFFSET(struct set_window_layered_info_request, flags) == 24 );
 C_ASSERT( sizeof(struct set_window_layered_info_request) == 32 );
+C_ASSERT( FIELD_OFFSET(struct alloc_user_handle_reply, handle) == 8 );
+C_ASSERT( sizeof(struct alloc_user_handle_reply) == 16 );
+C_ASSERT( FIELD_OFFSET(struct free_user_handle_request, handle) == 12 );
+C_ASSERT( sizeof(struct free_user_handle_request) == 16 );
 
 #endif  /* WANT_REQUEST_HANDLERS */
 
diff --git a/server/trace.c b/server/trace.c
index 10c731cf3cd..b7dec853f2b 100644
--- a/server/trace.c
+++ b/server/trace.c
@@ -3780,6 +3780,20 @@ static void dump_set_window_layered_info_request( const struct set_window_layere
     fprintf( stderr, ", flags=%08x", req->flags );
 }
 
+static void dump_alloc_user_handle_request( const struct alloc_user_handle_request *req )
+{
+}
+
+static void dump_alloc_user_handle_reply( const struct alloc_user_handle_reply *req )
+{
+    fprintf( stderr, " handle=%08x", req->handle );
+}
+
+static void dump_free_user_handle_request( const struct free_user_handle_request *req )
+{
+    fprintf( stderr, " handle=%08x", req->handle );
+}
+
 static const dump_func req_dumpers[REQ_NB_REQUESTS] = {
     (dump_func)dump_new_process_request,
     (dump_func)dump_get_new_process_info_request,
@@ -4019,6 +4033,8 @@ static const dump_func req_dumpers[REQ_NB_REQUESTS] = {
     (dump_func)dump_add_fd_completion_request,
     (dump_func)dump_get_window_layered_info_request,
     (dump_func)dump_set_window_layered_info_request,
+    (dump_func)dump_alloc_user_handle_request,
+    (dump_func)dump_free_user_handle_request,
 };
 
 static const dump_func reply_dumpers[REQ_NB_REQUESTS] = {
@@ -4260,6 +4276,8 @@ static const dump_func reply_dumpers[REQ_NB_REQUESTS] = {
     NULL,
     (dump_func)dump_get_window_layered_info_reply,
     NULL,
+    (dump_func)dump_alloc_user_handle_reply,
+    NULL,
 };
 
 static const char * const req_names[REQ_NB_REQUESTS] = {
@@ -4501,6 +4519,8 @@ static const char * const req_names[REQ_NB_REQUESTS] = {
     "add_fd_completion",
     "get_window_layered_info",
     "set_window_layered_info",
+    "alloc_user_handle",
+    "free_user_handle",
 };
 
 static const struct
diff --git a/server/user.c b/server/user.c
index 6be1c8fe82d..251579929c6 100644
--- a/server/user.c
+++ b/server/user.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 #include "thread.h"
 #include "user.h"
+#include "request.h"
 
 struct user_handle
 {
@@ -164,3 +165,21 @@ void *next_user_handle( user_handle_t *handle, enum user_object type )
     }
     return NULL;
 }
+
+/* allocate an arbitrary user handle */
+DECL_HANDLER(alloc_user_handle)
+{
+    reply->handle = alloc_user_handle( NULL, USER_CLIENT );
+}
+
+
+/* free an arbitrary user handle */
+DECL_HANDLER(free_user_handle)
+{
+    struct user_handle *entry;
+
+    if ((entry = handle_to_entry( req->handle )) && entry->type == USER_CLIENT)
+        free_user_entry( entry );
+    else
+        set_error( STATUS_INVALID_HANDLE );
+}
diff --git a/server/user.h b/server/user.h
index 166d20b75b6..bf1e23c803a 100644
--- a/server/user.h
+++ b/server/user.h
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ struct clipboard;
 enum user_object
 {
     USER_WINDOW = 1,
-    USER_HOOK
+    USER_HOOK,
+    USER_CLIENT  /* arbitrary client handle */
 };
 
 #define DESKTOP_ATOM  ((atom_t)32769)