diff --git a/gdk/macos/gdkmacossurface.c b/gdk/macos/gdkmacossurface.c
index 5998c4162f..f837e2c650 100644
--- a/gdk/macos/gdkmacossurface.c
+++ b/gdk/macos/gdkmacossurface.c
@@ -526,6 +526,11 @@ gdk_macos_surface_class_init (GdkMacosSurfaceClass *klass)
   surface_class->set_input_region = gdk_macos_surface_set_input_region;
   surface_class->set_opaque_region = gdk_macos_surface_set_opaque_region;
 
+  /**
+   * GdkMacosSurface:native: (attributes org.gtk.Property.get=gdk_macos_surface_get_native_window)
+   *
+   * The "native" property contains the underlying NSWindow.
+   */
   properties [PROP_NATIVE] =
     g_param_spec_pointer ("native",
                           "Native",
@@ -686,6 +691,27 @@ _gdk_macos_surface_get_native (GdkMacosSurface *self)
   return (NSWindow *)self->window;
 }
 
+/**
+ * gdk_macos_surface_get_native_window: (attributes org.gtk.Method.get_property=native)
+ * @self: a #GdkMacosSurface
+ *
+ * Gets the underlying NSWindow used by the surface.
+ *
+ * The NSWindow's contentView is an implementation detail and may change
+ * between releases of GTK.
+ *
+ * Returns: (nullable): a #NSWindow or %NULL
+ *
+ * Since: 4.8
+ */
+gpointer
+gdk_macos_surface_get_native_window (GdkMacosSurface *self)
+{
+  g_return_val_if_fail (GDK_IS_MACOS_SURFACE (self), NULL);
+
+  return _gdk_macos_surface_get_native (self);
+}
+
 void
 _gdk_macos_surface_set_geometry_hints (GdkMacosSurface   *self,
                                        const GdkGeometry *geometry,
diff --git a/gdk/macos/gdkmacossurface.h b/gdk/macos/gdkmacossurface.h
index 470287202e..64ea4c733d 100644
--- a/gdk/macos/gdkmacossurface.h
+++ b/gdk/macos/gdkmacossurface.h
@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@ typedef struct _GdkMacosSurfaceClass GdkMacosSurfaceClass;
 #define GDK_IS_MACOS_SURFACE(object) (G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE_TYPE ((object), GDK_TYPE_MACOS_SURFACE))
 
 GDK_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
-GType gdk_macos_surface_get_type (void);
+GType    gdk_macos_surface_get_type          (void);
+GDK_AVAILABLE_IN_4_8
+gpointer gdk_macos_surface_get_native_window (GdkMacosSurface *self);
 
 G_END_DECLS