diff --git a/gtk/gtktextview.c b/gtk/gtktextview.c
index 40b25960a9..1a01582a71 100644
--- a/gtk/gtktextview.c
+++ b/gtk/gtktextview.c
@@ -5311,6 +5311,7 @@ draw_text (cairo_t  *cr,
            gpointer  user_data)
 {
   GtkWidget *widget = user_data;
+  GtkTextView *text_view = GTK_TEXT_VIEW (widget);
   GtkStyleContext *context;
   GdkRectangle bg_rect;
 
@@ -5324,7 +5325,13 @@ draw_text (cairo_t  *cr,
                          bg_rect.width, bg_rect.height);
   gtk_style_context_restore (context);
 
+  if (GTK_TEXT_VIEW_GET_CLASS (text_view)->draw_layer != NULL)
+    GTK_TEXT_VIEW_GET_CLASS (text_view)->draw_layer (widget, GTK_TEXT_VIEW_LAYER_BELOW, cr);
+
   gtk_text_view_paint (widget, cr);
+
+  if (GTK_TEXT_VIEW_GET_CLASS (text_view)->draw_layer != NULL)
+    GTK_TEXT_VIEW_GET_CLASS (text_view)->draw_layer (widget, GTK_TEXT_VIEW_LAYER_ABOVE, cr);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/gtk/gtktextview.h b/gtk/gtktextview.h
index 46f57fd37e..aaa03562f8 100644
--- a/gtk/gtktextview.h
+++ b/gtk/gtktextview.h
@@ -67,6 +67,19 @@ typedef enum
   GTK_TEXT_WINDOW_BOTTOM
 } GtkTextWindowType;
 
+/**
+ * GtkTextViewLayer:
+ * @GTK_TEXT_VIEW_LAYER_BELOW: The layer rendered below the text (but above the background).
+ * @GTK_TEXT_VIEW_LAYER_ABOVE: The layer rendered above the text.
+ *
+ * Used to reference the parts of #GtkTextView.
+ */
+typedef enum
+{
+  GTK_TEXT_VIEW_LAYER_BELOW,
+  GTK_TEXT_VIEW_LAYER_ABOVE
+} GtkTextViewLayer;
+
 /**
  * GTK_TEXT_VIEW_PRIORITY_VALIDATE:
  *
@@ -86,6 +99,11 @@ struct _GtkTextView
   GtkTextViewPrivate *priv;
 };
 
+/**
+ * GtkTextViewClass:
+ * @parent_class: The object class structure needs to be the first
+ * @draw_layer: Draw layers below and above the text in the text window.
+ */
 struct _GtkTextViewClass
 {
   GtkContainerClass parent_class;
@@ -121,6 +139,10 @@ struct _GtkTextViewClass
 
   GtkTextBuffer * (* create_buffer) (GtkTextView *text_view);
 
+  void (* draw_layer)       (GtkWidget        *widget,
+			     GtkTextViewLayer layer,
+			     cairo_t          *cr);
+
   /* Padding for future expansion */
   void (*_gtk_reserved1) (void);
   void (*_gtk_reserved2) (void);
@@ -128,7 +150,6 @@ struct _GtkTextViewClass
   void (*_gtk_reserved4) (void);
   void (*_gtk_reserved5) (void);
   void (*_gtk_reserved6) (void);
-  void (*_gtk_reserved7) (void);
 };
 
 GDK_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL