diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 63eb7712f16f4..99c0354eaf597 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ cmake_install.cmake
 /addons/kodi.binary.global.gui/addon.xml
 /addons/kodi.binary.global.main/addon.xml
 /addons/kodi.binary.global.network/addon.xml
+/addons/kodi.binary.global.tools/addon.xml
 /addons/kodi.binary.instance.audiodecoder/addon.xml
 /addons/kodi.binary.instance.audioencoder/addon.xml
 /addons/kodi.binary.instance.game/addon.xml
diff --git a/addons/kodi.binary.global.tools/addon.xml.in b/addons/kodi.binary.global.tools/addon.xml.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..f96576aff28d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/addons/kodi.binary.global.tools/addon.xml.in
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<addon id="kodi.binary.global.tools" version="@ADDON_GLOBAL_VERSION_TOOLS@" provider-name="Team Kodi">
+  <backwards-compatibility abi="@ADDON_GLOBAL_VERSION_TOOLS_MIN@"/>
+  <requires>
+    <import addon="xbmc.core" version="0.1.0"/>
+  </requires>
+</addon>
diff --git a/system/addon-manifest.xml b/system/addon-manifest.xml
index aeb0cc682077b..abeb5ec60cfbf 100644
--- a/system/addon-manifest.xml
+++ b/system/addon-manifest.xml
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
   <addon>kodi.binary.global.network</addon>
   <addon>kodi.binary.global.gui</addon>
   <addon>kodi.binary.global.filesystem</addon>
+  <addon>kodi.binary.global.tools</addon>
   <addon>kodi.binary.instance.audiodecoder</addon>
   <addon>kodi.binary.instance.audioencoder</addon>
   <addon>kodi.binary.instance.game</addon>
diff --git a/xbmc/addons/kodi-addon-dev-kit/include/kodi/versions.h b/xbmc/addons/kodi-addon-dev-kit/include/kodi/versions.h
index fcb0b04385494..6386e79120f89 100644
--- a/xbmc/addons/kodi-addon-dev-kit/include/kodi/versions.h
+++ b/xbmc/addons/kodi-addon-dev-kit/include/kodi/versions.h
@@ -65,7 +65,8 @@
 #define ADDON_GLOBAL_VERSION_FILESYSTEM_XML_ID        "kodi.binary.global.filesystem"
 #define ADDON_GLOBAL_VERSION_FILESYSTEM_DEPENDS       "Filesystem.h" \
                                                       "c-api/filesystem.h" \
-                                                      "gui/gl/Shader.h"
+                                                      "gui/gl/Shader.h" \
+                                                      "tools/DllHelper.h"
 
 #define ADDON_GLOBAL_VERSION_NETWORK                  "1.0.2"
 #define ADDON_GLOBAL_VERSION_NETWORK_MIN              "1.0.0"
@@ -73,6 +74,11 @@
 #define ADDON_GLOBAL_VERSION_NETWORK_DEPENDS          "Network.h" \
                                                       "c-api/network.h"
 
+#define ADDON_GLOBAL_VERSION_TOOLS                    "1.0.0"
+#define ADDON_GLOBAL_VERSION_TOOLS_MIN                "1.0.0"
+#define ADDON_GLOBAL_VERSION_TOOLS_XML_ID             "kodi.binary.global.tools"
+#define ADDON_GLOBAL_VERSION_TOOLS_DEPENDS            "tools/DllHelper.h"
+
 #define ADDON_INSTANCE_VERSION_AUDIODECODER           "2.0.1"
 #define ADDON_INSTANCE_VERSION_AUDIODECODER_MIN       "2.0.1"
 #define ADDON_INSTANCE_VERSION_AUDIODECODER_XML_ID    "kodi.binary.instance.audiodecoder"
@@ -153,7 +159,10 @@ typedef enum ADDON_TYPE
   ADDON_GLOBAL_GENERAL = 3,
   ADDON_GLOBAL_NETWORK = 4,
   ADDON_GLOBAL_FILESYSTEM = 5,
-  ADDON_GLOBAL_MAX = 5, // Last used global id, used in loops to check versions. Need to change if new global type becomes added.
+  ADDON_GLOBAL_TOOLS = 6,
+  // Last used global id, used in loops to check versions.
+  // Need to change if new global type becomes added!
+  ADDON_GLOBAL_MAX = 6,
 
   /* addon type instances */
 
@@ -236,6 +245,10 @@ inline const char* GetTypeVersion(int type)
     case ADDON_GLOBAL_NETWORK:
       return ADDON_GLOBAL_VERSION_NETWORK;
 #endif
+#if !defined(BUILD_KODI_ADDON) || defined(ADDON_GLOBAL_VERSION_TOOLS_USED)
+    case ADDON_GLOBAL_TOOLS:
+      return ADDON_GLOBAL_VERSION_TOOLS;
+#endif
 
     /* addon type instances */
 #if !defined(BUILD_KODI_ADDON) || defined(ADDON_INSTANCE_VERSION_AUDIODECODER_USED)
@@ -311,6 +324,8 @@ inline const char* GetTypeMinVersion(int type)
       return ADDON_GLOBAL_VERSION_FILESYSTEM_MIN;
     case ADDON_GLOBAL_NETWORK:
       return ADDON_GLOBAL_VERSION_NETWORK_MIN;
+    case ADDON_GLOBAL_TOOLS:
+      return ADDON_GLOBAL_VERSION_TOOLS_MIN;
 
     /* addon type instances */
     case ADDON_INSTANCE_AUDIODECODER:
@@ -363,6 +378,8 @@ inline const char* GetTypeName(int type)
       return "Filesystem";
     case ADDON_GLOBAL_NETWORK:
       return "Network";
+    case ADDON_GLOBAL_TOOLS:
+      return "Tools";
 
     /* addon type instances */
     case ADDON_INSTANCE_AUDIODECODER:
@@ -414,6 +431,8 @@ inline int GetTypeId(const char* name)
       return ADDON_GLOBAL_FILESYSTEM;
     else if (strcmp(name, "network") == 0)
       return ADDON_GLOBAL_NETWORK;
+    else if (strcmp(name, "tools") == 0)
+      return ADDON_GLOBAL_TOOLS;
     else if (strcmp(name, "audiodecoder") == 0)
       return ADDON_INSTANCE_AUDIODECODER;
     else if (strcmp(name, "audioencoder") == 0)