diff --git a/.changeset/rare-comics-tan.md b/.changeset/rare-comics-tan.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a067ab2eb4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/rare-comics-tan.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/backend-common': patch
+---
+
+Added a Context class for the backend, that handles aborting, timeouts, api resolution etc
diff --git a/packages/backend-common/api-report.md b/packages/backend-common/api-report.md
index d63416571d..8b925c441c 100644
--- a/packages/backend-common/api-report.md
+++ b/packages/backend-common/api-report.md
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@ import { AzureIntegration } from '@backstage/integration';
 import { BitbucketIntegration } from '@backstage/integration';
 import { Config } from '@backstage/config';
 import cors from 'cors';
+import { DateTime } from 'luxon';
 import Docker from 'dockerode';
+import { Duration } from 'luxon';
 import { ErrorRequestHandler } from 'express';
 import express from 'express';
 import { GithubCredentialsProvider } from '@backstage/integration';
@@ -145,6 +147,27 @@ export interface ContainerRunner {
   runContainer(opts: RunContainerOptions): Promise<void>;
 }
 
+// @public
+export interface Context {
+  readonly abortPromise: Promise<void>;
+  readonly abortSignal: AbortSignal;
+  readonly deadline: DateTime | undefined;
+  value<T = unknown>(key: string | symbol): T | undefined;
+  with(...decorators: ContextDecorator[]): Context;
+  withAbort(): {
+    ctx: Context;
+    abort: () => void;
+  };
+  withTimeout(timeout: Duration): Context;
+  withValue<T = unknown>(
+    key: string | symbol,
+    value: T | ((previous: T | undefined) => T),
+  ): Context;
+}
+
+// @public
+export type ContextDecorator = (ctx: Context) => Context;
+
 // @public @deprecated
 export const createDatabase: typeof createDatabaseClient;
 
@@ -456,6 +479,25 @@ export function resolvePackagePath(name: string, ...paths: string[]): string;
 // @public
 export function resolveSafeChildPath(base: string, path: string): string;
 
+// @public
+export class RootContext implements Context {
+  get abortPromise(): Promise<void>;
+  get abortSignal(): AbortSignal_2;
+  static create(): Context;
+  get deadline(): DateTime | undefined;
+  value<T = unknown>(key: string | symbol): T | undefined;
+  with(...items: ContextDecorator[]): Context;
+  withAbort(): {
+    ctx: Context;
+    abort: () => void;
+  };
+  withTimeout(timeout: Duration): Context;
+  withValue<T = unknown>(
+    key: string | symbol,
+    value: T | ((previous: T | undefined) => T),
+  ): Context;
+}
+
 // @public
 export type RunContainerOptions = {
   imageName: string;
diff --git a/packages/backend-common/package.json b/packages/backend-common/package.json
index a5963bc77d..3008d915f9 100644
--- a/packages/backend-common/package.json
+++ b/packages/backend-common/package.json
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
     "@types/cors": "^2.8.6",
     "@types/dockerode": "^3.3.0",
     "@types/express": "^4.17.6",
+    "@types/luxon": "^2.0.4",
     "archiver": "^5.0.2",
     "aws-sdk": "^2.840.0",
     "compression": "^1.7.4",
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@
     "knex": "^0.95.1",
     "lodash": "^4.17.21",
     "logform": "^2.3.2",
+    "luxon": "^2.0.2",
     "minimatch": "^3.0.4",
     "minimist": "^1.2.5",
     "morgan": "^1.10.0",
diff --git a/packages/backend-common/src/context/RootContext.test.ts b/packages/backend-common/src/context/RootContext.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d83485a78b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend-common/src/context/RootContext.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2021 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import { Duration } from 'luxon';
+import { RootContext } from './RootContext';
+
+describe('RootContext', () => {
+  it('can perform a manual abort', async () => {
+    const { ctx, abort } = RootContext.create().withAbort();
+
+    const cb = jest.fn();
+    ctx.abortSignal.addEventListener('abort', cb);
+    ctx.abortPromise.then(cb);
+
+    abort();
+
+    await ctx.abortPromise;
+    expect(cb).toBeCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+
+  it('can abort on a timeout', async () => {
+    const ctx = RootContext.create().withTimeout(Duration.fromMillis(200));
+    const start = Date.now();
+
+    const cb = jest.fn();
+    ctx.abortSignal.addEventListener('abort', cb);
+    ctx.abortPromise.then(cb);
+
+    await ctx.abortPromise;
+    const delta = Date.now() - start;
+
+    expect(delta).toBeGreaterThan(100);
+    expect(delta).toBeLessThan(300);
+    expect(cb).toBeCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+
+  it('can apply behaviors', () => {
+    const ctx = RootContext.create().with(
+      c => c.withValue('a', 1),
+      c => c.withValue<number>('a', p => p! + 1),
+      c => c.withValue('b', 3),
+    );
+
+    expect(ctx.value('a')).toBe(2);
+    expect(ctx.value('b')).toBe(3);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/backend-common/src/context/RootContext.ts b/packages/backend-common/src/context/RootContext.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..889f9d3f5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend-common/src/context/RootContext.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2021 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import { DateTime, Duration } from 'luxon';
+import { AbortSignal } from 'node-abort-controller';
+import {
+  abortManually,
+  abortOnTimeout,
+  ContextAbortState,
+} from './features/abort';
+import {
+  ContextValues,
+  findInContextValues,
+  unshiftContextValues,
+} from './features/values';
+import { Context, ContextDecorator } from './types';
+
+// The context value key used for holding abort related state
+const abortKey = Symbol('Context.abort');
+
+/**
+ * A context that is meant to be passed as a ctx variable down the call chain,
+ * to pass along scoped information and abort signals.
+ *
+ * @public
+ */
+export class RootContext implements Context {
+  /**
+   * Creates a root context.
+   *
+   * @remarks
+   *
+   * This should normally only be called near the root of an application. The
+   * created context is meant to be passed down into deeper levels, which may
+   * or may not make derived contexts out of it.
+   */
+  static create() {
+    return new RootContext(undefined).withValue<ContextAbortState>(
+      abortKey,
+      abortManually(),
+    );
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc Context.abortSignal}
+   */
+  public get abortSignal(): AbortSignal {
+    return this.value<ContextAbortState>(abortKey)!.signal;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc Context.abortPromise}
+   */
+  public get abortPromise(): Promise<void> {
+    return this.value<ContextAbortState>(abortKey)!.promise;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc Context.deadline}
+   */
+  public get deadline(): DateTime | undefined {
+    return this.value<ContextAbortState>(abortKey)!.deadline;
+  }
+
+  private constructor(private readonly values: ContextValues) {}
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc Context.withAbort}
+   */
+  withAbort(): { ctx: Context; abort: () => void } {
+    const state = abortManually(this.value<ContextAbortState>(abortKey));
+    return {
+      ctx: this.withValue(abortKey, state),
+      abort: state.abort,
+    };
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc Context.withTimeout}
+   */
+  withTimeout(timeout: Duration): Context {
+    return this.withValue<ContextAbortState>(abortKey, previous =>
+      abortOnTimeout(timeout, previous),
+    );
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc Context.with}
+   */
+  with(...items: ContextDecorator[]): Context {
+    return items.reduce<Context>((prev, curr) => curr(prev), this);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc Context.withValue}
+   */
+  withValue<T = unknown>(
+    key: string | symbol,
+    value: T | ((previous: T | undefined) => T),
+  ): Context {
+    return new RootContext(unshiftContextValues(this.values, key, value));
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc Context.value}
+   */
+  value<T = unknown>(key: string | symbol): T | undefined {
+    return findInContextValues<T>(this.values, key);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/backend-common/src/context/features/abort.test.ts b/packages/backend-common/src/context/features/abort.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..74cd8cbfe2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend-common/src/context/features/abort.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2021 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import { Duration } from 'luxon';
+import { abortManually, abortOnTimeout } from './abort';
+
+describe('ContextAbortState', () => {
+  describe('abortManually', () => {
+    it('can perform a manual abort', async () => {
+      const state = abortManually();
+
+      const cb = jest.fn();
+      state.signal.addEventListener('abort', cb);
+      state.promise.then(cb);
+
+      state.abort();
+
+      await state.promise;
+      expect(cb).toBeCalledTimes(2);
+    });
+
+    it('triggers child when parent is aborted', async () => {
+      const parent = abortManually();
+      const child = abortManually(parent);
+
+      const parentCb = jest.fn();
+      parent.signal.addEventListener('abort', parentCb);
+      parent.promise.then(parentCb);
+
+      const childCb = jest.fn();
+      child.signal.addEventListener('abort', childCb);
+      child.promise.then(childCb);
+
+      parent.abort();
+
+      await child.promise;
+      expect(parentCb).toBeCalledTimes(2);
+      expect(childCb).toBeCalledTimes(2);
+    });
+
+    it('does not trigger parent when child is aborted', async () => {
+      const parent = abortManually();
+      const child = abortManually(parent);
+
+      const parentCb = jest.fn();
+      parent.signal.addEventListener('abort', parentCb);
+      parent.promise.then(parentCb);
+
+      const childCb = jest.fn();
+      child.signal.addEventListener('abort', childCb);
+      child.promise.then(childCb);
+
+      child.abort();
+
+      await child.promise;
+      expect(parentCb).toBeCalledTimes(0);
+      expect(childCb).toBeCalledTimes(2);
+    });
+
+    it('only triggers once', async () => {
+      const state = abortManually();
+
+      const cb = jest.fn();
+      state.signal.addEventListener('abort', cb);
+      state.promise.then(cb);
+
+      state.abort();
+
+      await state.promise;
+      expect(cb).toBeCalledTimes(2);
+
+      state.abort();
+
+      await state.promise;
+      expect(cb).toBeCalledTimes(2);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('abortOnTimeout', () => {
+    it('can abort on a timeout', async () => {
+      const state = abortOnTimeout(Duration.fromMillis(200));
+      const start = Date.now();
+
+      const cb = jest.fn();
+      state.signal.addEventListener('abort', cb);
+      state.promise.then(cb);
+
+      await state.promise;
+      const delta = Date.now() - start;
+
+      expect(delta).toBeGreaterThan(100);
+      expect(delta).toBeLessThan(300);
+      expect(cb).toBeCalledTimes(2);
+    });
+
+    it('aborts early if parent triggers first', async () => {
+      const parent = abortManually();
+      const child = abortOnTimeout(Duration.fromMillis(200), parent);
+
+      const parentCb = jest.fn();
+      parent.signal.addEventListener('abort', parentCb);
+      parent.promise.then(parentCb);
+
+      const childCb = jest.fn();
+      child.signal.addEventListener('abort', childCb);
+      child.promise.then(childCb);
+
+      expect(parentCb).toBeCalledTimes(0);
+      expect(childCb).toBeCalledTimes(0);
+
+      const start = Date.now();
+
+      parent.abort();
+
+      await child.promise;
+      expect(parentCb).toBeCalledTimes(2);
+      expect(childCb).toBeCalledTimes(2);
+      expect(Date.now() - start).toBeLessThan(100);
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/backend-common/src/context/features/abort.ts b/packages/backend-common/src/context/features/abort.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1a37de960b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend-common/src/context/features/abort.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2021 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import { DateTime, Duration } from 'luxon';
+import { AbortController, AbortSignal } from 'node-abort-controller';
+
+export type ContextAbortState = {
+  signal: AbortSignal;
+  promise: Promise<void>;
+  deadline: DateTime | undefined;
+  abort: () => void;
+};
+
+export function abortManually(
+  previous?: ContextAbortState | undefined,
+): ContextAbortState {
+  const controller = new AbortController();
+  const abort = controller.abort.bind(controller);
+  previous?.signal.addEventListener('abort', abort);
+
+  return {
+    signal: controller.signal,
+    promise: new Promise<void>(resolve => {
+      controller.signal.addEventListener('abort', resolve);
+    }),
+    deadline: previous?.deadline,
+    abort,
+  };
+}
+
+export function abortOnTimeout(
+  timeout: Duration,
+  previous?: ContextAbortState | undefined,
+): ContextAbortState {
+  const deadline = DateTime.now().plus(timeout);
+  if (previous?.deadline && deadline > previous.deadline) {
+    return previous;
+  }
+
+  const controller = new AbortController();
+
+  const timeoutHandle = setTimeout(() => {
+    controller.abort();
+  }, timeout.as('milliseconds'));
+
+  const abort = () => {
+    previous?.signal.removeEventListener('abort', abort);
+    clearTimeout(timeoutHandle);
+    controller.abort();
+  };
+
+  previous?.signal.addEventListener('abort', abort);
+
+  return {
+    signal: controller.signal,
+    promise: new Promise<void>(resolve => {
+      controller.signal.addEventListener('abort', resolve);
+    }),
+    deadline,
+    abort,
+  };
+}
diff --git a/packages/backend-common/src/context/features/values.test.ts b/packages/backend-common/src/context/features/values.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..63d2da80de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend-common/src/context/features/values.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2021 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import {
+  ContextValues,
+  findInContextValues,
+  unshiftContextValues,
+} from './values';
+
+describe('ContextValues', () => {
+  it('can start from the empty list', () => {
+    let list: ContextValues = undefined;
+    expect(findInContextValues(list, 'a')).toBeUndefined();
+    list = unshiftContextValues(list, 'a', 'b');
+    expect(findInContextValues(list, 'a')).toBe('b');
+    expect(findInContextValues(list, 'x')).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it('always fetches the most recent value', () => {
+    let list: ContextValues = undefined;
+    expect(findInContextValues(list, 'a')).toBeUndefined();
+    list = unshiftContextValues(list, 'a', 1);
+    expect(findInContextValues(list, 'a')).toBe(1);
+    list = unshiftContextValues(list, 'a', 2);
+    expect(findInContextValues(list, 'a')).toBe(2);
+  });
+
+  it('handles all key types', () => {
+    let list: ContextValues = undefined;
+    const symbol1 = Symbol('str');
+    const symbol2 = Symbol('str');
+    list = unshiftContextValues(list, 'str', 'str');
+    list = unshiftContextValues(list, symbol1, 'sym');
+    expect(findInContextValues(list, 'str')).toBe('str');
+    expect(findInContextValues(list, symbol1)).toBe('sym');
+    expect(findInContextValues(list, 'blah')).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(findInContextValues(list, symbol2)).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/backend-common/src/context/features/values.ts b/packages/backend-common/src/context/features/values.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b7ab062e32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend-common/src/context/features/values.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2021 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * An immutable key-value list. The only operations possible are to add a new
+ * node at the start forming a new list, and to find by key from the start and
+ * backwards through the list.
+ */
+export type ContextValues = ContextValueNode | undefined;
+
+type ContextValueNode = {
+  key: string | symbol;
+  value: unknown;
+  next: ContextValueNode | undefined;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Creates a new list with the given key-value pair as its first element.
+ *
+ * @param list - The original list
+ * @param key - The key of the pair
+ * @param value - The value of the pair, or a function that accepts the
+ *                previously stored value (or undefined if not found) and
+ *                computes the new value
+ * @returns A new list with this pair as its first element
+ */
+export function unshiftContextValues(
+  list: ContextValues,
+  key: string | symbol,
+  value: unknown | ((previous: unknown | undefined) => unknown),
+): ContextValues {
+  return {
+    key,
+    value:
+      typeof value === 'function'
+        ? value(findInContextValues(list, key))
+        : value,
+    next: list,
+  };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Attempts to find the value associated with a given key, starting from the
+ * most recently added element.
+ *
+ * @param list - The list
+ * @param key - The key to search for
+ * @returns The first such value, or undefined if no match was found
+ */
+export function findInContextValues<T = unknown>(
+  list: ContextValues,
+  key: string | symbol,
+): T | undefined {
+  for (let current = list; current; current = current.next) {
+    if (key === current.key) {
+      return current.value as T;
+    }
+  }
+  return undefined;
+}
diff --git a/packages/backend-common/src/context/index.ts b/packages/backend-common/src/context/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a09c32bac5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend-common/src/context/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2021 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+export { RootContext } from './RootContext';
+export type { Context, ContextDecorator } from './types';
diff --git a/packages/backend-common/src/context/types.ts b/packages/backend-common/src/context/types.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e3c880b4a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend-common/src/context/types.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2021 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import { DateTime, Duration } from 'luxon';
+
+/**
+ * A function that accepts a context and produces a new, derived context from,
+ * decorated with some specific behavior.
+ *
+ * @public
+ */
+export type ContextDecorator = (ctx: Context) => Context;
+
+/**
+ * A context that is meant to be passed as a ctx variable down the call chain,
+ * to pass along scoped information and abort signals.
+ *
+ * @public
+ */
+export interface Context {
+  /**
+   * Returns an abort signal that triggers when the current context or any of
+   * its parents signal for it.
+   */
+  readonly abortSignal: AbortSignal;
+
+  /**
+   * Returns a promise that resolves when the current context or any of its
+   * parents signal to abort.
+   */
+  readonly abortPromise: Promise<void>;
+
+  /**
+   * The point in time when the current context shall time out and abort, if
+   * applicable.
+   */
+  readonly deadline: DateTime | undefined;
+
+  /**
+   * Creates a derived context, which signals to abort operations either when
+   * any parent context signals, or when the current layer calls the returned
+   * abort function.
+   *
+   * @returns A derived context, and the function that triggers it to abort.
+   */
+  withAbort(): { ctx: Context; abort: () => void };
+
+  /**
+   * Creates a derived context, which signals to abort operations either when
+   * any parent context signals, or when the given amount of time has passed.
+   * This may affect the deadline.
+   *
+   * @param timeout - The duration of time, after which the derived context
+   *                  will signal to abort.
+   * @returns A derived context with an updated deadline
+   */
+  withTimeout(timeout: Duration): Context;
+
+  /**
+   * Decorates this context with one or more behaviors.
+   *
+   * @remarks
+   *
+   * The decorators are applied in the order that they are given.
+   *
+   * @param decorators - The decorators to apply
+   * @returns A derived context with the relevant behaviors
+   */
+  with(...decorators: ContextDecorator[]): Context;
+
+  /**
+   * Creates a derived context, which has a specific key-value pair set as well
+   * as all key-value pairs set in the original context.
+   *
+   * @param key - The key of the value to set
+   * @param value - The value, or a function that accepts the previous value (or
+   *                undefined if not set yet) and computes the new value
+   */
+  withValue<T = unknown>(
+    key: string | symbol,
+    value: T | ((previous: T | undefined) => T),
+  ): Context;
+
+  /**
+   * Attempts to get a stored value by key from the context.
+   *
+   * @param key - The key of the value to get
+   * @returns The associated value, or undefined if not set
+   */
+  value<T = unknown>(key: string | symbol): T | undefined;
+}
diff --git a/packages/backend-common/src/index.ts b/packages/backend-common/src/index.ts
index e430ddc1a4..238e58b2a8 100644
--- a/packages/backend-common/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-common/src/index.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 
 export * from './cache';
 export { loadBackendConfig } from './config';
+export * from './context';
 export * from './database';
 export * from './discovery';
 export * from './hot';