diff --git a/lib/awful/client.lua b/lib/awful/client.lua
index f9e71200..0f9f63f0 100644
--- a/lib/awful/client.lua
+++ b/lib/awful/client.lua
@@ -45,14 +45,13 @@ local client = {object={}}
 
 -- Private data
 client.data = {}
-client.data.urgent = {}
 client.data.marked = {}
 client.data.properties = setmetatable({}, { __mode = 'k' })
 client.data.persistent_properties_registered = {} -- keys are names of persistent properties, value always true
 client.data.persistent_properties_loaded = setmetatable({}, { __mode = 'k' }) -- keys are clients, value always true
 
 -- Functions
-client.urgent = {}
+client.urgent = require("awful.client.urgent")
 client.swap = {}
 client.floating = {}
 client.dockable = {}
@@ -94,58 +93,6 @@ function client.jumpto(c, merge)
     c:emit_signal("request::activate", "client.jumpto", {raise=true})
 end
 
---- Get the first client that got the urgent hint.
---
--- @treturn client.object The first urgent client.
-function client.urgent.get()
-    if #client.data.urgent > 0 then
-        return client.data.urgent[1]
-    else
-        -- fallback behaviour: iterate through clients and get the first urgent
-        local clients = capi.client.get()
-        for _, cl in pairs(clients) do
-            if cl.urgent then
-                return cl
-            end
-        end
-    end
-end
-
---- Jump to the client that received the urgent hint first.
---
--- @tparam bool|function merge If true then merge tags (select the client's
---   first tag additionally) when the client is not visible.
---   If it is a function, it will be called with the client as argument.
-function client.urgent.jumpto(merge)
-    local c = client.urgent.get()
-    if c then
-        client.jumpto(c, merge)
-    end
-end
-
---- Adds client to urgent stack.
---
--- @client c The client object.
--- @param prop The property which is updated.
-function client.urgent.add(c, prop)
-    if type(c) == "client" and prop == "urgent" and c.urgent then
-        table.insert(client.data.urgent, c)
-    end
-end
-
---- Remove client from urgent stack.
---
--- @client c The client object.
-function client.urgent.delete(c)
-    for k, cl in ipairs(client.data.urgent) do
-        if c == cl then
-            table.remove(client.data.urgent, k)
-            break
-        end
-    end
-end
-
-
 --TODO move this to `awful.screen`
 
 --- Get visible clients from a screen.
@@ -1049,9 +996,6 @@ capi.client.connect_signal("manage", function (c)
 end)
 capi.client.connect_signal("unmanage", client.focus.history.delete)
 
-capi.client.connect_signal("property::urgent", client.urgent.add)
-capi.client.connect_signal("focus", client.urgent.delete)
-capi.client.connect_signal("unmanage", client.urgent.delete)
 
 capi.client.connect_signal("unmanage", client.floating.delete)
 
diff --git a/lib/awful/client/urgent.lua b/lib/awful/client/urgent.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..051bc2ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/awful/client/urgent.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+--- Keep track of the urgent clients.
+--
+-- @author Julien Danjou <julien@danjou.info>
+-- @copyright 2008 Julien Danjou
+-- @release @AWESOME_VERSION@
+-- @submodule client
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+local urgent = {}
+
+local capi =
+{
+    client = client,
+}
+
+local client
+do
+    client = setmetatable({}, {
+        __index = function(_, k)
+            client = require("awful.client")
+            return client[k]
+        end,
+        __newindex = error -- Just to be sure in case anything ever does this
+    })
+end
+
+local data = setmetatable({}, { __mode = 'k' })
+
+--- Get the first client that got the urgent hint.
+--
+-- @function awful.urgent.get
+-- @treturn client.object The first urgent client.
+function urgent.get()
+    if #data > 0 then
+        return data[1]
+    else
+        -- fallback behaviour: iterate through clients and get the first urgent
+        local clients = capi.client.get()
+        for _, cl in pairs(clients) do
+            if cl.urgent then
+                return cl
+            end
+        end
+    end
+end
+
+--- Jump to the client that received the urgent hint first.
+--
+-- @function awful.urgent.jumpto
+-- @tparam bool|function merge If true then merge tags (select the client's
+--   first tag additionally) when the client is not visible.
+--   If it is a function, it will be called with the client as argument.
+function urgent.jumpto(merge)
+    local c = client.urgent.get()
+    if c then
+        client.jumpto(c, merge)
+    end
+end
+
+--- Adds client to urgent stack.
+--
+-- @function awful.urgent.add
+-- @client c The client object.
+-- @param prop The property which is updated.
+function urgent.add(c, prop)
+    if type(c) == "client" and prop == "urgent" and c.urgent then
+        table.insert(data, c)
+    end
+end
+
+--- Remove client from urgent stack.
+--
+-- @function awful.urgent.delete
+-- @client c The client object.
+function urgent.delete(c)
+    for k, cl in ipairs(data) do
+        if c == cl then
+            table.remove(data, k)
+            break
+        end
+    end
+end
+
+capi.client.connect_signal("property::urgent", urgent.add)
+capi.client.connect_signal("focus", urgent.delete)
+capi.client.connect_signal("unmanage", urgent.delete)
+
+return urgent