diff --git a/lib/awful/widget/keyboardlayout.lua b/lib/awful/widget/keyboardlayout.lua
index 14442aed6..ecb2a26e1 100644
--- a/lib/awful/widget/keyboardlayout.lua
+++ b/lib/awful/widget/keyboardlayout.lua
@@ -252,6 +252,9 @@ local function update_layout(self)
     update_status(self)
 end
 
+--- Select the next layout.
+-- @method next_layout
+
 --- Create a keyboard layout widget.
 --
 -- It shows current keyboard layout name in a textbox.
@@ -260,7 +263,7 @@ end
 -- @return A keyboard layout widget.
 function keyboardlayout.new()
     local widget = textbox()
-    local self = widget_base.make_widget(widget)
+    local self = widget_base.make_widget(widget, nil, {enable_properties=true})
 
     self.widget = widget
 
diff --git a/lib/wibox/widget/base.lua b/lib/wibox/widget/base.lua
index 37f450e5c..904f5adc4 100644
--- a/lib/wibox/widget/base.lua
+++ b/lib/wibox/widget/base.lua
@@ -684,8 +684,15 @@ end
 -- @constructorfct wibox.widget.base.make_widget
 function base.make_widget(proxy, widget_name, args)
     args = args or {}
+
+    local prop_default = args.enable_properties ~= false
+
+    if awesome.api_level < 5 then
+        prop_default = args.enable_properties
+    end
+
     local ret = object {
-        enable_properties = args.enable_properties,
+        enable_properties = prop_default,
         class             = args.class,
     }
 
@@ -765,6 +772,13 @@ function base.make_widget(proxy, widget_name, args)
 
             return rawget(ret, key)
         end
+        mt.__newindex = function(_, key, value)
+            if key == "buttons" then
+                base.widget.set_buttons(ret, value)
+            else
+                rawset(ret, key, value)
+            end
+        end
     end
 
     return setmetatable(ret, mt)
diff --git a/spec/wibox/test_utils.lua b/spec/wibox/test_utils.lua
index 7a1167f38..a5bf5efdf 100644
--- a/spec/wibox/test_utils.lua
+++ b/spec/wibox/test_utils.lua
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ local say = require("say")
 local assert = require("luassert")
 local no_parent = base.no_parent_I_know_what_I_am_doing
 
+_G.awesome.api_level = 9999
+
 -- {{{ Own widget-based assertions
 local function widget_fit(state, arguments)
     if #arguments ~= 3 then