diff --git a/common/luaclass.c b/common/luaclass.c
index 6214c2625..53f6e85e3 100644
--- a/common/luaclass.c
+++ b/common/luaclass.c
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ luaA_class_gc(lua_State *L)
     signal_array_wipe(&item->signals);
     /* Get the object class */
     lua_class_t *class = luaA_class_get(L, 1);
+    class->instances--;
     /* Call the collector function of the class, and all its parent classes */
     for(; class; class = class->parent)
         if(class->collector)
@@ -243,6 +244,7 @@ luaA_class_setup(lua_State *L, lua_class_t *class,
     class->newindex_miss_property = newindex_miss_property;
     class->checker = checker;
     class->parent = parent;
+    class->instances = 0;
 
     signal_add(&class->signals, "new");
 
diff --git a/common/luaclass.h b/common/luaclass.h
index db1f2cf26..3186416e9 100644
--- a/common/luaclass.h
+++ b/common/luaclass.h
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ struct lua_class_t
     lua_class_propfunc_t newindex_miss_property;
     /** Function to call to check if an object is valid */
     lua_class_checker_t checker;
+    /** Number of instances of this class in lua */
+    unsigned int instances;
 };
 
 const char * luaA_typename(lua_State *, int);
@@ -133,13 +135,21 @@ luaA_checkudataornil(lua_State *L, int udx, lua_class_t *class)
         luaA_class_emit_signal(L, &(lua_class), luaL_checkstring(L, 1),        \
                                lua_gettop(L) - 1);                             \
         return 0;                                                              \
+    }                                                                          \
+                                                                               \
+    static inline int                                                          \
+    luaA_##prefix##_class_instances(lua_State *L)                              \
+    {                                                                          \
+        lua_pushnumber(L, (lua_class).instances);                              \
+        return 1;                                                              \
     }
 
 #define LUA_CLASS_METHODS(class) \
     { "add_signal", luaA_##class##_class_add_signal }, \
     { "connect_signal", luaA_##class##_class_connect_signal }, \
     { "disconnect_signal", luaA_##class##_class_disconnect_signal }, \
-    { "emit_signal", luaA_##class##_class_emit_signal },
+    { "emit_signal", luaA_##class##_class_emit_signal }, \
+    { "instances", luaA_##class##_class_instances }, \
 
 #define LUA_CLASS_META \
     { "__index", luaA_class_index }, \
diff --git a/common/luaobject.h b/common/luaobject.h
index 26ed2c92c..3761e12b0 100644
--- a/common/luaobject.h
+++ b/common/luaobject.h
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@ int luaA_object_emit_signal_simple(lua_State *);
     {                                                                          \
         type *p = lua_newuserdata(L, sizeof(type));                            \
         p_clear(p, 1);                                                         \
+        (lua_class).instances++;                                               \
         luaA_settype(L, &(lua_class));                                         \
         lua_newtable(L);                                                       \
         lua_newtable(L);                                                       \
diff --git a/luadoc/button.lua b/luadoc/button.lua
index 20103e0a9..124dc84d0 100644
--- a/luadoc/button.lua
+++ b/luadoc/button.lua
@@ -27,3 +27,8 @@ module("button")
 -- @param ... Various arguments, optional.
 -- @name emit_signal
 -- @class function
+
+--- Get the number of instances.
+-- @return The number of button objects alive.
+-- @name instances
+-- @class function
diff --git a/luadoc/client.lua b/luadoc/client.lua
index ba0586a74..788d0de12 100644
--- a/luadoc/client.lua
+++ b/luadoc/client.lua
@@ -128,3 +128,8 @@ module("client")
 -- @param ... Various arguments, optional.
 -- @name emit_signal
 -- @class function
+
+--- Get the number of instances.
+-- @return The number of client objects alive.
+-- @name instances
+-- @class function
diff --git a/luadoc/image.lua b/luadoc/image.lua
index 6e1edf6ce..7e24a8d2a 100644
--- a/luadoc/image.lua
+++ b/luadoc/image.lua
@@ -128,3 +128,8 @@ module("image")
 -- @param ... Various arguments, optional.
 -- @name emit_signal
 -- @class function
+
+--- Get the number of instances.
+-- @return The number of image objects alive.
+-- @name instances
+-- @class function
diff --git a/luadoc/key.lua b/luadoc/key.lua
index 810f6e23b..c4a6a4e30 100644
--- a/luadoc/key.lua
+++ b/luadoc/key.lua
@@ -30,3 +30,8 @@ module("key")
 -- @param ... Various arguments, optional.
 -- @name emit_signal
 -- @class function
+
+--- Get the number of instances.
+-- @return The number of key objects alive.
+-- @name instances
+-- @class function
diff --git a/luadoc/tag.lua b/luadoc/tag.lua
index 349d3f62e..69b4046e8 100644
--- a/luadoc/tag.lua
+++ b/luadoc/tag.lua
@@ -33,3 +33,8 @@ module("tag")
 -- @param ... Various arguments, optional.
 -- @name emit_signal
 -- @class function
+
+--- Get the number of instances.
+-- @return The number of tag objects alive.
+-- @name instances
+-- @class function
diff --git a/luadoc/timer.lua b/luadoc/timer.lua
index 019b11138..0a8b42c36 100644
--- a/luadoc/timer.lua
+++ b/luadoc/timer.lua
@@ -38,3 +38,8 @@ module("timer")
 -- @param ... Various arguments, optional.
 -- @name emit_signal
 -- @class function
+
+--- Get the number of instances.
+-- @return The number of timer objects alive.
+-- @name instances
+-- @class function
diff --git a/luadoc/wibox.lua b/luadoc/wibox.lua
index a60b5fddb..fa574aa9e 100644
--- a/luadoc/wibox.lua
+++ b/luadoc/wibox.lua
@@ -58,3 +58,8 @@ module("wibox")
 -- @param ... Various arguments, optional.
 -- @name emit_signal
 -- @class function
+
+--- Get the number of instances.
+-- @return The number of wibox objects alive.
+-- @name instances
+-- @class function
diff --git a/luadoc/widget.lua b/luadoc/widget.lua
index 3aea44ee8..b945fc1aa 100644
--- a/luadoc/widget.lua
+++ b/luadoc/widget.lua
@@ -66,3 +66,8 @@ module("widget")
 -- @param ... Various arguments, optional.
 -- @name emit_signal
 -- @class function
+
+--- Get the number of instances.
+-- @return The number of widget objects alive.
+-- @name instances
+-- @class function