diff --git a/include/libweston/libweston.h b/include/libweston/libweston.h
index bd5ac8c6..01c4e4d7 100644
--- a/include/libweston/libweston.h
+++ b/include/libweston/libweston.h
@@ -241,6 +241,63 @@ enum weston_eotf_mode {
 	((uint32_t)(WESTON_EOTF_MODE_SDR | WESTON_EOTF_MODE_TRADITIONAL_HDR | \
 		    WESTON_EOTF_MODE_ST2084 | WESTON_EOTF_MODE_HLG))
 
+/** CIE 1931 xy chromaticity coordinates */
+struct weston_CIExy {
+	float x;
+	float y;
+};
+
+enum weston_color_characteristics_groups {
+	/** weston_color_characteristics::primary is set */
+	WESTON_COLOR_CHARACTERISTICS_GROUP_PRIMARIES	= 0x01,
+
+	/** weston_color_characteristics::white is set */
+	WESTON_COLOR_CHARACTERISTICS_GROUP_WHITE	= 0x02,
+
+	/** weston_color_characteristics::max_luminance is set */
+	WESTON_COLOR_CHARACTERISTICS_GROUP_MAXL		= 0x04,
+
+	/** weston_color_characteristics::min_luminance is set */
+	WESTON_COLOR_CHARACTERISTICS_GROUP_MINL		= 0x08,
+
+	/** weston_color_characteristics::maxFALL is set */
+	WESTON_COLOR_CHARACTERISTICS_GROUP_MAXFALL	= 0x10,
+
+	/** all valid bits */
+	WESTON_COLOR_CHARACTERISTICS_GROUP_ALL_MASK	= 0x1f
+};
+
+/** Basic display color characteristics
+ *
+ * This is a simple description of a display or output (monitor) color
+ * characteristics. The parameters can be found in EDID, with caveats. They
+ * are particularly useful with HDR monitors.
+ */
+struct weston_color_characteristics {
+	/** Which fields are valid
+	 *
+	 * A bitmask of values from enum weston_color_characteristics_groups.
+	 */
+	uint32_t group_mask;
+
+	/* EOTF is tracked externally with enum weston_eotf_mode */
+
+	/** Chromaticities of the primaries */
+	struct weston_CIExy primary[3];
+
+	/** White point chromaticity */
+	struct weston_CIExy white;
+
+	/** Display's desired maximum content peak luminance, cd/m² */
+	float max_luminance;
+
+	/** Display's desired minimum content luminance, cd/m² */
+	float min_luminance;
+
+	/** Display's desired maximum frame-average light level, cd/m² */
+	float maxFALL;
+};
+
 /** Represents a head, usually a display connector
  *
  * \rst
@@ -414,6 +471,7 @@ struct weston_output {
 	struct weston_color_profile *color_profile;
 	bool from_blend_to_output_by_backend;
 	enum weston_eotf_mode eotf_mode;
+	struct weston_color_characteristics color_characteristics;
 
 	struct weston_output_color_outcome *color_outcome;
 
@@ -2142,6 +2200,13 @@ weston_output_set_eotf_mode(struct weston_output *output,
 enum weston_eotf_mode
 weston_output_get_eotf_mode(const struct weston_output *output);
 
+void
+weston_output_set_color_characteristics(struct weston_output *output,
+					const struct weston_color_characteristics *cc);
+
+const struct weston_color_characteristics *
+weston_output_get_color_characteristics(struct weston_output *output);
+
 void
 weston_output_init(struct weston_output *output,
 		   struct weston_compositor *compositor,
diff --git a/libweston/compositor.c b/libweston/compositor.c
index cd053d1a..e5c4bc70 100644
--- a/libweston/compositor.c
+++ b/libweston/compositor.c
@@ -6764,6 +6764,50 @@ weston_output_get_eotf_mode(const struct weston_output *output)
 	return output->eotf_mode;
 }
 
+/** Set display or monitor basic color characteristics
+ *
+ * \param output The output to modify, must be in disabled state.
+ * \param cc The new characteristics to set, or NULL to unset everything.
+ *
+ * This sets the metadata that describes the color characteristics of the
+ * output in a very simple manner. If a non-NULL color profile is set for the
+ * output, that will always take precedence.
+ *
+ * The initial value has everything unset.
+ *
+ * This function is meant to be used by compositor frontends.
+ *
+ * \ingroup output
+ * \sa weston_output_set_color_profile
+ */
+WL_EXPORT void
+weston_output_set_color_characteristics(struct weston_output *output,
+					const struct weston_color_characteristics *cc)
+{
+	assert(!output->enabled);
+
+	if (cc)
+		output->color_characteristics = *cc;
+	else
+		output->color_characteristics.group_mask = 0;
+}
+
+/** Get display or monitor basic color characteristics
+ *
+ * \param output The output to query.
+ * \return Pointer to the metadata stored in weston_output.
+ *
+ * This function is meant to be used by color manager modules.
+ *
+ * \ingroup output
+ * \sa weston_output_set_color_characteristics
+ */
+WL_EXPORT const struct weston_color_characteristics *
+weston_output_get_color_characteristics(struct weston_output *output)
+{
+	return &output->color_characteristics;
+}
+
 /** Initializes a weston_output object with enough data so
  ** an output can be configured.
  *