diff --git a/eosclubhouse/clubhouse.py b/eosclubhouse/clubhouse.py
index 12c5938cf..37945f9e7 100644
--- a/eosclubhouse/clubhouse.py
+++ b/eosclubhouse/clubhouse.py
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
 from eosclubhouse.animation import Animation, AnimationImage, AnimationSystem, Animator, \
     get_character_animation_dirs
 from eosclubhouse import metrics
+from eosclubhouse.portal import Portal
 
 from eosclubhouse.widgets import FixedLayerGroup, ScalableImage, gtk_widget_add_custom_css_provider
 
@@ -2240,6 +2241,7 @@ def __init__(self, app):
         self._gss = GameStateService()
         self._user = UserAccount()
         self._page_reset_timeout = 0
+        self._background_permission = None
 
         self._scale = 1
         self._ambient_sound_item = SoundItem('clubhouse/ambient')
@@ -2294,11 +2296,18 @@ def __init__(self, app):
 
         self._user.connect('changed', lambda _user: self.update_user_info())
         self.update_user_info()
+        self.connect('notify::has-toplevel-focus', self._request_background_permission)
 
     @GObject.Property(type=float)
     def scale(self):
         return self._scale
 
+    def _request_background_permission(self, _win, _param):
+        if self._background_permission is None:
+            def set_bg_perm(value):
+                self._background_permission = value
+            Portal.request_background(callback=set_bg_perm)
+
     def _user_event_box_button_press_event_cb(self, _button, event, achievements_view):
         if not achievements_view.hover:
             self.hide_achievements_view()
@@ -3082,7 +3091,6 @@ def __init__(self):
         super().__init__(application_id=CLUBHOUSE_NAME,
                          inactivity_timeout=self._INACTIVITY_TIMEOUT,
                          resource_base_path='/com/hack_computer/Clubhouse')
-
         self._installing_extension = False
         self._use_inapp_notifications = False
         self._quest_runner_handler = None
diff --git a/eosclubhouse/portal.py b/eosclubhouse/portal.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7439ccf52
--- /dev/null
+++ b/eosclubhouse/portal.py
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+# Copyright (C) 2020 Endless OS Foundation LLC.
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+# with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+# 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+#
+
+import logging
+
+from gi.repository import Gio, GLib
+
+
+_logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+class Portal:
+    _proxy = None
+    _response_signal_id = None
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _get_proxy(klass):
+        if klass._proxy is None:
+            klass._proxy = Gio.DBusProxy.new_for_bus_sync(
+                Gio.BusType.SESSION,
+                0,
+                None,
+                'org.freedesktop.portal.Desktop',
+                '/org/freedesktop/portal/desktop',
+                'org.freedesktop.portal.Background',
+                None
+            )
+        return klass._proxy
+
+    @classmethod
+    def request_background(klass, message='', callback=None):
+        handle_token = 'clubhouse_req_hack'
+        try:
+            klass._connect_response(handle_token, callback)
+            proxy = klass._get_proxy()
+            options = {
+                'handle_token': GLib.Variant('s', handle_token),
+            }
+            if message:
+                options['reason'] = GLib.Variant('s', message)
+            proxy.RequestBackground('(sa{sv})', '', options)
+        except GLib.Error as err:
+            _logger.warning('Error requesting background permission to portal: %s', err)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _connect_response(klass, token, callback):
+        proxy = klass._get_proxy()
+        connection = proxy.get_connection()
+
+        sender = connection.get_unique_name()[1:].replace('.', '_')
+        handle = f'/org/freedesktop/portal/desktop/request/{sender}/{token}'
+
+        if klass._response_signal_id:
+            klass._disconnect_response()
+
+        def _response_received(conn, sender_name, object_path, interface_name,
+                               signal_name, parameters, user_data):
+            if parameters:
+                _id, params = parameters.unpack()
+                if callback:
+                    callback(params['background'])
+
+        klass._response_signal_id = Gio.DBusConnection.signal_subscribe(
+            connection,
+            'org.freedesktop.portal.Desktop',
+            'org.freedesktop.portal.Request',
+            'Response',
+            handle,
+            None,
+            Gio.DBusSignalFlags.NO_MATCH_RULE,
+            _response_received,
+            None,
+        )
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _disconnect_response(klass):
+        proxy = klass._get_proxy()
+        connection = proxy.get_connection()
+        Gio.DBusConnection.signal_unsubscribe(connection,
+                                              klass._response_signal_id)