diff --git a/lib/awful/util.lua.in b/lib/awful/util.lua.in
index 1ac1aa179..1d35f2fb2 100644
--- a/lib/awful/util.lua.in
+++ b/lib/awful/util.lua.in
@@ -72,7 +72,8 @@ end
 --- Spawn a program.
 -- @param cmd The command.
 -- @param sn Enable startup-notification.
--- @return The awesome.spawn return value.
+-- @return The forked PID or an error message
+-- @return The startup notification UID, if the spawn was successful
 function util.spawn(cmd, sn)
     if cmd and cmd ~= "" then
         if sn == nil then sn = true end
diff --git a/luadoc/client.lua b/luadoc/client.lua
index 9c62a1cf6..3f20b1f06 100644
--- a/luadoc/client.lua
+++ b/luadoc/client.lua
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ module("client")
 -- @field shape_clip The client's clip shape as set by awesome as a (native) cairo surface.
 -- @field shape_client_bounding The client's bounding shape as set by the program as a (native) cairo surface.
 -- @field shape_client_clip The client's clip shape as set by the program as a (native) cairo surface.
+-- @field startup_id The FreeDesktop StartId.
 -- @class table
 -- @name client
 
diff --git a/objects/client.c b/objects/client.c
index 9b187f7f5..cafe81e18 100644
--- a/objects/client.c
+++ b/objects/client.c
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ client_wipe(client_t *c)
     p_delete(&c->alt_icon_name);
     p_delete(&c->name);
     p_delete(&c->alt_name);
+    p_delete(&c->startup_id);
     if(c->icon)
         cairo_surface_destroy(c->icon);
 }
@@ -576,9 +577,9 @@ HANDLE_GEOM(height)
             xcb_get_property_reply(globalconf.connection, startup_id_q, NULL);
         /* Say spawn that a client has been started, with startup id as argument */
         char *startup_id = xutil_get_text_property_from_reply(reply);
+        c->startup_id = startup_id;
         p_delete(&reply);
         spawn_start_notify(c, startup_id);
-        p_delete(&startup_id);
     }
 
     luaA_class_emit_signal(globalconf.L, &client_class, "list", 0);
@@ -1819,6 +1820,7 @@ LUA_OBJECT_EXPORT_PROPERTY(client, client_t, sticky, lua_pushboolean)
 LUA_OBJECT_EXPORT_PROPERTY(client, client_t, size_hints_honor, lua_pushboolean)
 LUA_OBJECT_EXPORT_PROPERTY(client, client_t, maximized_horizontal, lua_pushboolean)
 LUA_OBJECT_EXPORT_PROPERTY(client, client_t, maximized_vertical, lua_pushboolean)
+LUA_OBJECT_EXPORT_PROPERTY(client, client_t, startup_id, lua_pushstring)
 
 static int
 luaA_client_get_maximized(lua_State *L, client_t *c)
@@ -2344,6 +2346,10 @@ client_class_setup(lua_State *L)
                             (lua_class_propfunc_t) luaA_client_set_shape_clip,
                             (lua_class_propfunc_t) luaA_client_get_shape_clip,
                             (lua_class_propfunc_t) luaA_client_set_shape_clip);
+luaA_class_add_property(&client_class, "startup_id",
+                            NULL,
+                            (lua_class_propfunc_t) luaA_client_get_startup_id,
+                            NULL);
     luaA_class_add_property(&client_class, "client_shape_bounding",
                             NULL,
                             (lua_class_propfunc_t) luaA_client_get_client_shape_bounding,
diff --git a/objects/client.h b/objects/client.h
index f95618d1a..bfaddb11d 100644
--- a/objects/client.h
+++ b/objects/client.h
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ struct client_t
     char *class, *instance;
     /** Window geometry */
     area_t geometry;
+    /** Startup ID */
+    char *startup_id;
     /** True if the client is sticky */
     bool sticky;
     /** Has urgency hint */
diff --git a/spawn.c b/spawn.c
index 63b287521..01e255cc5 100644
--- a/spawn.c
+++ b/spawn.c
@@ -372,7 +372,11 @@ luaA_spawn(lua_State *L)
     /* push pid on stack */
     lua_pushnumber(L, pid);
 
-    return 1;
+    /* push sn on stack */
+    if (context)
+        lua_pushstring(L,sn_launcher_context_get_startup_id(context));
+
+    return (context)?2:1;
 }
 
 // vim: filetype=c:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:textwidth=80