diff --git a/src/tests/xpra/x11/get_gtk_menu.py b/src/tests/xpra/x11/get_gtk_menu.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..553b36aed5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tests/xpra/x11/get_gtk_menu.py
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# This file is part of Xpra.
+# Copyright (C) 2015 Antoine Martin <antoine@devloop.org.uk>
+# Xpra is released under the terms of the GNU GPL v2, or, at your option, any
+# later version. See the file COPYING for details.
+
+import sys
+from xpra.x11.gtk2.gdk_display_source import display    #@UnresolvedImport
+from xpra.x11.gtk_x11.prop import prop_get
+from xpra.util import AdHocStruct
+from xpra.dbus.helper import DBusHelper
+
+#beware: this import has side-effects:
+import dbus.glib
+assert dbus.glib
+
+from xpra.dbus.common import loop_init
+
+
+def main(args):
+    wid = sys.argv[1]
+    w = AdHocStruct()
+    if wid.startswith("0x"):
+        w.xid = int(wid[2:], 16)
+    else:
+        w.xid = int(wid)
+    def pget(key, etype, ignore_errors=True):
+        return prop_get(w, key, etype, ignore_errors=False, raise_xerrors=False)
+    #ie: /org/gnome/baobab/menus/appmenu
+    menu_path = pget("_GTK_APP_MENU_OBJECT_PATH", "utf8")
+    #ie: /org/gnome/baobab/window/1
+    window_path = pget("_GTK_WINDOW_OBJECT_PATH", "utf8")
+    #ie: /org/gnome/baobab
+    app_path = pget("_GTK_APPLICATION_OBJECT_PATH", "utf8")
+    #ie: :1.745
+    bus_name = pget("_GTK_UNIQUE_BUS_NAME", "utf8")
+    #ie: org.gnome.baobab
+    app_id = pget("_GTK_APPLICATION_ID", "utf8")
+    props = {
+            "app-menu-path"     : menu_path,
+            "window-path"       : window_path,
+            "application-path"  : app_path,
+            "bus-name"          : bus_name,
+            "application-id"    : app_id,
+            }
+    print("gtk menu properties for window %s on display %s: %s" % (wid, display.get_name(), props))
+
+    loop_init()
+    import gobject
+    loop = gobject.MainLoop()
+    dbus_helper = DBusHelper()
+    def n(*args):
+        return dbus_helper.dbus_to_native(*args)
+
+    bus = dbus_helper.get_session_bus()
+    window = bus.get_object(bus_name, window_path)
+    print("window=%s" % window)
+
+    #actions:
+    interface = "org.gtk.Actions"
+    iface = dbus.Interface(window, interface)
+    print("iface(%s)=%s" % (interface, iface))
+    def actions_changed(*args):
+        print("actions_changed%s" % str(args))
+    iface.connect_to_signal("Changed", actions_changed)
+
+    def list_cb(*args):
+        values = dbus_helper.dbus_to_native(args[0])
+        print("list_cb: values=%s" % str(values))
+    def list_err(*args):
+        print("list_err%s" % str(args))
+    dbus_helper.call_function(bus_name, window_path, interface, "List", args, list_cb, list_err)
+
+    def describe_cb(*args):
+        print("describe_cb:")
+        #print("describe_cb%s" % str(args))
+        values = dbus_helper.dbus_to_native(args[0])
+        #print("describe_cb: values=%s" % str(values))
+        for k,v in values.items():
+            #enabled, parameter type, state
+            mdef = [bool(n(v[0])), n(v[1]), [n(x) for x in v[2]]]
+            print(" %s=%s" % (k, mdef))
+    def describe_err(*args):
+        print("describe_err%s" % str(args))
+    dbus_helper.call_function(bus_name, window_path, interface, "DescribeAll", [], describe_cb, describe_err)
+
+    #app menu:
+    interface = "org.gtk.Menus"
+    iface = dbus.Interface(window, interface)
+    print("iface(%s)=%s" % (interface, iface))
+    def menus_changed(*args):
+        print("menus_changed%s" % str(args))
+    iface.connect_to_signal("Changed", menus_changed)
+    
+    def start_cb(*args):
+        print("start_cb args=%s" % str(args))
+        print("start_cb args[0]=%s" % str(args[0]))
+        #print("start_cb args[0][0]=%s" % str(args[0][0]))
+        values = n(args[0])
+        print("start_cb values=%s" % str(values))
+        for sgroup, menuno, items in values:
+            print(" %s: %s - %s" % (sgroup, menuno, n(items)))
+        #values = dbus_helper.dbus_to_native(args[0])
+    def start_err(*args):
+        print("describe_cb%s" % str(args))
+    dbus_helper.call_function(bus_name, menu_path, interface, "Start", [[0]], start_cb, start_err)
+    
+    loop.run()
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    sys.exit(main(sys.argv))
diff --git a/src/xpra/dbus/common.py b/src/xpra/dbus/common.py
index 0fbbc6608e..771c10813d 100644
--- a/src/xpra/dbus/common.py
+++ b/src/xpra/dbus/common.py
@@ -3,14 +3,13 @@
 # Xpra is released under the terms of the GNU GPL v2, or, at your option, any
 # later version. See the file COPYING for details.
 
-_loop_init_done = False
+_loop = None
 def loop_init():
-    global _loop_init_done
-    if _loop_init_done:
-        return
-    from dbus.mainloop.glib import DBusGMainLoop
-    DBusGMainLoop(set_as_default=True)
-    _loop_init_done = True
+    global _loop
+    if not _loop:
+        from dbus.mainloop.glib import DBusGMainLoop
+        _loop = DBusGMainLoop(set_as_default=True)
+    return _loop
 
 _session_bus = None
 def init_session_bus():
diff --git a/src/xpra/dbus/helper.py b/src/xpra/dbus/helper.py
index c7ca140cb9..7108f83b28 100644
--- a/src/xpra/dbus/helper.py
+++ b/src/xpra/dbus/helper.py
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ def __init__(self):
         from xpra.dbus.common import init_session_bus
         self.bus = init_session_bus()
 
+    def get_session_bus(self):
+        return self.bus
+
     def call_function(self, bus_name, path, interface, function, args, ok_cb, err_cb):
         try:
             #remote_object = self.bus.get_object("com.example.SampleService","/SomeObject")