diff --git a/docs/ipc b/docs/ipc
index 7e713260..4093ffce 100644
--- a/docs/ipc
+++ b/docs/ipc
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ GET_TREE (4)::
 	Gets the layout tree. i3 uses a tree as data structure which includes
 	every container. The reply will be the JSON-encoded tree (see the reply
 	section).
+GET_MARKS (5)::
+	Gets a list of marks (identifiers for containers to easily jump to them
+	later). The reply will be a JSON-encoded list of window marks (see
+	reply section).
 
 So, a typical message could look like this:
 --------------------------------------------------
@@ -110,6 +114,8 @@ GET_OUTPUTS (3)::
 	Reply to the GET_OUTPUTS message.
 GET_TREE (4)::
 	Reply to the GET_TREE message.
+GET_MARKS (5)::
+	Reply to the GET_MARKS message.
 
 === COMMAND reply
 
@@ -416,6 +422,16 @@ JSON dump:
    }
  ]
 }
+
+
+=== GET_MARKS reply
+
+The reply consists of a single array of strings for each container that has a
+mark. The order of that array is undefined. If more than one container has the
+same mark, it will be represented multiple times in the reply (the array
+contents are not unique).
+
+If no window has a mark the response will be the empty array [].
 ------------------------
 
 
diff --git a/i3-msg/main.c b/i3-msg/main.c
index 630a345d..d8195e08 100644
--- a/i3-msg/main.c
+++ b/i3-msg/main.c
@@ -180,9 +180,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                 message_type = I3_IPC_MESSAGE_TYPE_GET_OUTPUTS;
             else if (strcasecmp(optarg, "get_tree") == 0)
                 message_type = I3_IPC_MESSAGE_TYPE_GET_TREE;
+            else if (strcasecmp(optarg, "get_marks") == 0)
+                message_type = I3_IPC_MESSAGE_TYPE_GET_MARKS;
             else {
                 printf("Unknown message type\n");
-                printf("Known types: command, get_workspaces, get_outputs, get_tree\n");
+                printf("Known types: command, get_workspaces, get_outputs, get_tree, get_marks\n");
                 exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
             }
         } else if (o == 'q') {
diff --git a/include/i3/ipc.h b/include/i3/ipc.h
index e81f9a15..30b2d304 100644
--- a/include/i3/ipc.h
+++ b/include/i3/ipc.h
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@
 /** Requests the tree layout from i3 */
 #define I3_IPC_MESSAGE_TYPE_GET_TREE            4
 
+/** Request the current defined marks from i3 */
+#define I3_IPC_MESSAGE_TYPE_GET_MARKS           5
 
 /*
  * Messages from i3 to clients
@@ -59,6 +61,8 @@
 /** Tree reply type */
 #define I3_IPC_REPLY_TYPE_TREE                  4
 
+/** Marks reply type*/
+#define I3_IPC_REPLY_TYPE_MARKS                 5
 
 /*
  * Events from i3 to clients. Events have the first bit set high.
diff --git a/src/ipc.c b/src/ipc.c
index d798ffa0..d7b5ac70 100644
--- a/src/ipc.c
+++ b/src/ipc.c
@@ -203,6 +203,11 @@ void dump_node(yajl_gen gen, struct Con *con, bool inplace_restart) {
     ystr("urgent");
     y(bool, con->urgent);
 
+    if (con->mark != NULL) {
+        ystr("mark");
+        ystr(con->mark);
+    }
+
     ystr("focused");
     y(bool, (con == focused));
 
@@ -333,6 +338,7 @@ IPC_HANDLER(tree) {
     y(free);
 }
 
+
 /*
  * Formats the reply message for a GET_WORKSPACES request and sends it to the
  * client
@@ -463,6 +469,34 @@ IPC_HANDLER(get_outputs) {
     y(free);
 }
 
+/*
+ * Formats the reply message for a GET_MARKS request and sends it to the
+ * client
+ *
+ */
+IPC_HANDLER(get_marks) {
+#if YAJL_MAJOR >= 2
+    yajl_gen gen = yajl_gen_alloc(NULL);
+#else
+    yajl_gen gen = yajl_gen_alloc(NULL, NULL);
+#endif
+    y(array_open);
+
+    Con *con;
+    TAILQ_FOREACH(con, &all_cons, all_cons)
+        if (con->mark != NULL)
+            ystr(con->mark);
+
+    y(array_close);
+
+    const unsigned char *payload;
+    unsigned int length;
+    y(get_buf, &payload, &length);
+
+    ipc_send_message(fd, payload, I3_IPC_REPLY_TYPE_MARKS, length);
+    y(free);
+}
+
 /*
  * Callback for the YAJL parser (will be called when a string is parsed).
  *
@@ -550,12 +584,13 @@ IPC_HANDLER(subscribe) {
 
 /* The index of each callback function corresponds to the numeric
  * value of the message type (see include/i3/ipc.h) */
-handler_t handlers[5] = {
+handler_t handlers[6] = {
     handle_command,
     handle_get_workspaces,
     handle_subscribe,
     handle_get_outputs,
-    handle_tree
+    handle_tree,
+    handle_get_marks
 };
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/load_layout.c b/src/load_layout.c
index b61a0e5c..37322c4e 100644
--- a/src/load_layout.c
+++ b/src/load_layout.c
@@ -146,6 +146,10 @@ static int json_string(void *ctx, const unsigned char *val, unsigned int len) {
                 json_node->layout = L_OUTPUT;
             else LOG("Unhandled \"layout\": %s\n", buf);
             free(buf);
+        } else if (strcasecmp(last_key, "mark") == 0) {
+            char *buf = NULL;
+            asprintf(&buf, "%.*s", (int)len, val);
+            json_node->mark = buf;
         }
     }
     return 1;
diff --git a/testcases/t/73-get-marks.t b/testcases/t/73-get-marks.t
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..86481747
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testcases/t/73-get-marks.t
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+#!perl
+# vim:ts=4:sw=4:expandtab
+#
+# checks if the IPC message type get_marks works correctly
+#
+use i3test;
+
+# TODO: this will be available in AnyEvent::I3 soon
+sub get_marks {
+    my $i3 = i3(get_socket_path());
+    $i3->connect->recv;
+    my $cv = AnyEvent->condvar;
+    my $msg = $i3->message(5);
+    my $t;
+    $msg->cb(sub {
+        my ($_cv) = @_;
+        $cv->send($_cv->recv);
+    });
+    $t = AnyEvent->timer(after => 2, cb => sub {
+        $cv->croak('timeout while waiting for the marks');
+    });
+    return $cv->recv;
+}
+
+##############################################################
+# 1: check that get_marks returns no marks yet
+##############################################################
+
+my $tmp = fresh_workspace;
+
+my $marks = get_marks();
+cmp_deeply($marks, [], 'no marks set so far');
+
+##############################################################
+# 2: check that setting a mark is reflected in the get_marks reply
+##############################################################
+
+cmd 'open';
+cmd 'mark foo';
+
+cmp_deeply(get_marks(), [ 'foo' ], 'mark foo set');
+
+##############################################################
+# 3: check that the mark is gone after killing the container
+##############################################################
+
+cmd 'kill';
+
+cmp_deeply(get_marks(), [ ], 'mark gone');
+
+##############################################################
+# 4: check that duplicate marks are included twice in the get_marks reply
+##############################################################
+
+cmd 'open';
+cmd 'mark bar';
+
+cmd 'open';
+cmd 'mark bar';
+
+cmp_deeply(get_marks(), [ 'bar', 'bar' ], 'duplicate mark found twice');
+
+done_testing;