diff --git a/js/ui/telepathyClient.js b/js/ui/telepathyClient.js
index 4634a40..4770075 100644
--- a/js/ui/telepathyClient.js
+++ b/js/ui/telepathyClient.js
@@ -79,14 +79,8 @@ Client.prototype = {
         // The second argument, recover, means _observeChannels will be run
         // for any existing channel as well.
         let dbus = Tp.DBusDaemon.dup();
-        this._observer = Tp.SimpleObserver.new(dbus, true, 'GnomeShell', true,
-                                              Lang.bind(this, this._observeChannels));
-
-        // We only care about single-user text-based chats
-        let props = {};
-        props[Tp.PROP_CHANNEL_CHANNEL_TYPE] = Tp.IFACE_CHANNEL_TYPE_TEXT;
-        props[Tp.PROP_CHANNEL_TARGET_HANDLE_TYPE] = Tp.HandleType.CONTACT;
-        this._observer.add_observer_filter(props);
+        this._observer = Shell.TpClient.new(dbus,
+            Lang.bind(this, this._observeChannels));
 
         try {
             this._observer.register();
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index fa79fcc..8aa15d3 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ shell_public_headers_h =		\
 	shell-perf-log.h		\
 	shell-slicer.h			\
 	shell-stack.h			\
+	shell-tp-client.h			\
 	shell-tray-icon.h		\
 	shell-tray-manager.h		\
 	shell-util.h			\
@@ -132,6 +133,7 @@ libgnome_shell_la_SOURCES =		\
 	shell-polkit-authentication-agent.c	\
 	shell-slicer.c			\
 	shell-stack.c			\
+	shell-tp-client.c			\
 	shell-tray-icon.c		\
 	shell-tray-manager.c		\
 	shell-util.c			\
diff --git a/src/shell-tp-client.c b/src/shell-tp-client.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ceddeae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shell-tp-client.c
@@ -0,0 +1,192 @@
+#include "shell-tp-client.h"
+
+#include <telepathy-glib/telepathy-glib.h>
+
+G_DEFINE_TYPE(ShellTpClient, shell_tp_client, TP_TYPE_BASE_CLIENT)
+
+enum
+{
+  PROP_OBSERVE_IMPL = 1,
+  PROP_USER_DATA,
+  PROP_DESTROY,
+  N_PROPS
+};
+
+struct _ShellTpClientPrivate
+{
+  ShellTpClientObserveChannelsImpl observe_impl;
+  gpointer user_data;
+  GDestroyNotify destroy;
+};
+
+/**
+ * ShellTpClientObserveChannelsImpl:
+ * @client: a #ShellTpClient instance
+ * @account: a #TpAccount having %TP_ACCOUNT_FEATURE_CORE prepared if possible
+ * @connection: a #TpConnection having %TP_CONNECTION_FEATURE_CORE prepared
+ * if possible
+ * @channels: (element-type TelepathyGLib.Channel): a #GList of #TpChannel,
+ *  all having %TP_CHANNEL_FEATURE_CORE prepared if possible
+ * @dispatch_operation: (allow-none): a #TpChannelDispatchOperation or %NULL;
+ *  the dispatch_operation is not guaranteed to be prepared
+ * @requests: (element-type TelepathyGLib.ChannelRequest): a #GList of
+ *  #TpChannelRequest, all having their object-path defined but are not
+ *  guaranteed to be prepared.
+ * @context: a #TpObserveChannelsContext representing the context of this
+ *  D-Bus call
+ *
+ * Signature of the implementation of the ObserveChannels method.
+ */
+
+static void
+shell_tp_client_init (ShellTpClient *self)
+{
+  self->priv = G_TYPE_INSTANCE_GET_PRIVATE (self, SHELL_TYPE_TP_CLIENT,
+      ShellTpClientPrivate);
+
+  /* Observer */
+
+  /* We only care about single-user text-based chats */
+  tp_base_client_take_observer_filter (TP_BASE_CLIENT (self),
+      tp_asv_new (
+        TP_PROP_CHANNEL_CHANNEL_TYPE, G_TYPE_STRING,
+          TP_IFACE_CHANNEL_TYPE_TEXT,
+        TP_PROP_CHANNEL_TARGET_HANDLE_TYPE, G_TYPE_UINT,
+          TP_HANDLE_TYPE_CONTACT,
+        NULL));
+}
+
+static void
+observe_channels (
+    TpBaseClient *client,
+    TpAccount *account,
+    TpConnection *connection,
+    GList *channels,
+    TpChannelDispatchOperation *dispatch_operation,
+    GList *requests,
+    TpObserveChannelsContext *context)
+{
+  ShellTpClient *self = (ShellTpClient *) client;
+
+  self->priv->observe_impl (self, account, connection, channels,
+      dispatch_operation, requests, context, self->priv->user_data);
+}
+
+static void
+shell_tp_client_set_property (GObject *object,
+    guint property_id,
+    const GValue *value,
+    GParamSpec *pspec)
+{
+  ShellTpClient *self = SHELL_TP_CLIENT (object);
+
+  switch (property_id)
+    {
+      case PROP_OBSERVE_IMPL:
+        self->priv->observe_impl = g_value_get_pointer (value);
+        break;
+
+      case PROP_USER_DATA:
+        self->priv->user_data = g_value_get_pointer (value);
+        break;
+
+      case PROP_DESTROY:
+        self->priv->destroy = g_value_get_pointer (value);
+        break;
+
+      default:
+        G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, property_id, pspec);
+        break;
+  }
+}
+
+static void
+shell_tp_client_constructed (GObject *object)
+{
+  ShellTpClient *self = SHELL_TP_CLIENT (object);
+  void (*chain_up) (GObject *) =
+    ((GObjectClass *) shell_tp_client_parent_class)->constructed;
+
+  if (chain_up != NULL)
+    chain_up (object);
+
+  g_assert (self->priv->observe_impl != NULL);
+}
+
+static void
+shell_tp_client_dispose (GObject *object)
+{
+  ShellTpClient *self = SHELL_TP_CLIENT (object);
+  void (*dispose) (GObject *) =
+    G_OBJECT_CLASS (shell_tp_client_parent_class)->dispose;
+
+  if (self->priv->destroy != NULL)
+    {
+      self->priv->destroy (self->priv->user_data);
+      self->priv->destroy = NULL;
+    }
+
+  if (dispose != NULL)
+    dispose (object);
+}
+
+static void
+shell_tp_client_class_init (ShellTpClientClass *cls)
+{
+  GObjectClass *object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (cls);
+  TpBaseClientClass *base_clt_cls = TP_BASE_CLIENT_CLASS (cls);
+  GParamSpec *param_spec;
+
+  g_type_class_add_private (cls, sizeof (ShellTpClientPrivate));
+
+  object_class->set_property = shell_tp_client_set_property;
+  object_class->constructed = shell_tp_client_constructed;
+  object_class->dispose = shell_tp_client_dispose;
+
+  base_clt_cls->observe_channels = observe_channels;
+
+  param_spec = g_param_spec_pointer ("observe-implementation",
+      "Observe implementation",
+      "Function called when ObserveChannels is called",
+      G_PARAM_WRITABLE | G_PARAM_CONSTRUCT_ONLY | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS);
+  g_object_class_install_property (object_class, PROP_OBSERVE_IMPL, param_spec);
+
+  param_spec = g_param_spec_pointer ("user-data", "user data",
+      "pointer passed as user-data when ObserveChannels is called",
+      G_PARAM_WRITABLE | G_PARAM_CONSTRUCT_ONLY | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS);
+  g_object_class_install_property (object_class, PROP_USER_DATA,
+      param_spec);
+
+  param_spec = g_param_spec_pointer ("destroy", "destroy",
+      "function called to destroy the user-data when destroying the client",
+      G_PARAM_WRITABLE | G_PARAM_CONSTRUCT_ONLY | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS);
+  g_object_class_install_property (object_class, PROP_DESTROY,
+      param_spec);
+}
+
+/**
+ * shell_tp_client_new:
+ * @dbus: a #TpDBusDaemon object, may not be %NULL
+ * @observe_impl: (scope call): the function called when ObserveChannels
+ * is called
+ * @user_data: arbitrary user-supplied data passed to @observe_impl
+ * @destroy: called with @user_data as argument, when the #ShellTpClient
+ * is destroyed
+ *
+ * Returns: a new #ShellTpClient
+ */
+ShellTpClient *
+shell_tp_client_new (TpDBusDaemon *dbus,
+    ShellTpClientObserveChannelsImpl observe_impl,
+    gpointer user_data,
+    GDestroyNotify destroy)
+{
+  return g_object_new (SHELL_TYPE_TP_CLIENT,
+      "dbus-daemon", dbus,
+      "name", "GnomeShell",
+      "uniquify-name", TRUE,
+      "observe-implementation", observe_impl,
+      "user-data", user_data,
+      "destroy", destroy,
+      NULL);
+}
diff --git a/src/shell-tp-client.h b/src/shell-tp-client.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a2d2c76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shell-tp-client.h
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+#ifndef __SHELL_TP_CLIENT_H__
+#define __SHELL_TP_CLIENT_H__
+
+#include <dbus/dbus-glib.h>
+#include <glib-object.h>
+
+#include <telepathy-glib/base-client.h>
+
+G_BEGIN_DECLS
+
+typedef struct _ShellTpClient ShellTpClient;
+typedef struct _ShellTpClientClass ShellTpClientClass;
+typedef struct _ShellTpClientPrivate ShellTpClientPrivate;
+
+struct _ShellTpClientClass {
+    /*<private>*/
+    TpBaseClientClass parent_class;
+};
+
+struct _ShellTpClient {
+    /*<private>*/
+    TpBaseClient parent;
+    ShellTpClientPrivate *priv;
+};
+
+GType shell_tp_client_get_type (void);
+
+#define SHELL_TYPE_TP_CLIENT \
+  (shell_tp_client_get_type ())
+#define SHELL_TP_CLIENT(obj) \
+  (G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE_CAST ((obj), SHELL_TYPE_TP_CLIENT, \
+                               ShellTpClient))
+#define SHELL_TP_CLIENT_CLASS(klass) \
+  (G_TYPE_CHECK_CLASS_CAST ((klass), SHELL_TYPE_TP_CLIENT, \
+                            ShellTpClientClass))
+#define TP_IS_TP_CLIENT(obj) \
+  (G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE_TYPE ((obj), SHELL_TYPE_TP_CLIENT))
+#define TP_IS_TP_CLIENT_CLASS(klass) \
+  (G_TYPE_CHECK_CLASS_TYPE ((klass), SHELL_TYPE_TP_CLIENT))
+#define SHELL_TP_CLIENT_GET_CLASS(obj) \
+  (G_TYPE_INSTANCE_GET_CLASS ((obj), SHELL_TYPE_TP_CLIENT, \
+                              ShellTpClientClass))
+
+typedef void (*ShellTpClientObserveChannelsImpl) (
+    ShellTpClient *client,
+    TpAccount *account,
+    TpConnection *connection,
+    GList *channels,
+    TpChannelDispatchOperation *dispatch_operation,
+    GList *requests,
+    TpObserveChannelsContext *context,
+    gpointer user_data);
+
+ShellTpClient * shell_tp_client_new (TpDBusDaemon *dbus,
+    ShellTpClientObserveChannelsImpl observe_impl,
+    gpointer user_data,
+    GDestroyNotify destroy);
+
+G_END_DECLS
+#endif /* __SHELL_TP_CLIENT_H__ */
