diff --git a/services/presence/buddy.py b/services/presence/buddy.py
index 53999e8b..ab397ef2 100644
--- a/services/presence/buddy.py
+++ b/services/presence/buddy.py
@@ -236,6 +236,28 @@ class Buddy(ExportedGObject):
             full set of properties, just the changes.
         """
 
+    @dbus.service.signal(_BUDDY_INTERFACE, signature='sou')
+    def TelepathyHandleAdded(self, tp_conn_name, tp_conn_path, handle):
+        """Another Telepathy handle has become associated with the buddy.
+
+        This must only be emitted for non-channel-specific handles.
+
+        tp_conn_name -- The bus name at which the Telepathy connection may be
+            found
+        tp_conn_path -- The object path at which the Telepathy connection may
+            be found
+        handle -- The handle of type CONTACT, which is not channel-specific,
+            newly associated with the buddy
+        """
+
+    @dbus.service.signal(_BUDDY_INTERFACE, signature='sou')
+    def TelepathyHandleRemoved(self, tp_conn_name, tp_conn_path, handle):
+        """A Telepathy handle has ceased to be associated with the buddy,
+        probably because that contact went offline.
+
+        The parameters are the same as for TelepathyHandleAdded.
+        """
+
     # dbus methods
     @dbus.service.method(_BUDDY_INTERFACE,
                         in_signature="", out_signature="ay")
@@ -294,6 +316,22 @@ class Buddy(ExportedGObject):
             props[_PROP_CURACT] = ""
         return props
 
+    @dbus.service.method(_BUDDY_INTERFACE,
+                         in_signature='', out_signature='a(sou)')
+    def GetTelepathyHandles(self):
+        """Return a list of non-channel-specific Telepathy contact handles
+        associated with this Buddy.
+
+        :Returns:
+            An array of triples (connection well-known bus name, connection
+            object path, handle).
+        """
+        ret = []
+        for plugin in self.handles:
+            conn = plugin.get_connection()
+            ret.append((str(conn.service_name), conn.object_path,
+                        self.handles[plugin]))
+
     # methods
     def object_path(self):
         """Retrieve our dbus.ObjectPath object"""
diff --git a/services/presence/server_plugin.py b/services/presence/server_plugin.py
index d4930c9e..daa31aa1 100644
--- a/services/presence/server_plugin.py
+++ b/services/presence/server_plugin.py
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ class ServerPlugin(gobject.GObject):
         """
         gobject.GObject.__init__(self)
 
+        self._conn = None
         self._icon_cache = BuddyIconCache()
 
         self._registry = registry
diff --git a/sugar/presence/presenceservice.py b/sugar/presence/presenceservice.py
index 1bc9a579..a0b60ee1 100644
--- a/sugar/presence/presenceservice.py
+++ b/sugar/presence/presenceservice.py
@@ -16,20 +16,15 @@
 # Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330,
 # Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
 
-import dbus, dbus.glib, gobject
 import logging
 
-# XXX use absolute imports
-#   from sugar.presence import buddy, activity
-# this *kind* of relative import is deprecated
-# with an explicit relative import slated to be 
-# introduced (available in Python 2.5 with a __future__
-# import), that would read as:
-#   from . import buddy, activity 
-# see PEP: http://docs.python.org/whatsnew/pep-328.html
+import dbus
+import dbus.exceptions
+import dbus.glib
+import gobject
 
-import buddy
-from activity import Activity
+from sugar.presence.buddy import Buddy
+from sugar.presence.activity import Activity
 
 
 DBUS_SERVICE = "org.laptop.Sugar.Presence"
@@ -159,7 +154,7 @@ class PresenceService(gobject.GObject):
             obj = self._objcache[object_path]
         except KeyError:
             if object_path.startswith(self._PS_BUDDY_OP):
-                obj = buddy.Buddy(self._bus, self._new_object,
+                obj = Buddy(self._bus, self._new_object,
                         self._del_object, object_path)
             elif object_path.startswith(self._PS_ACTIVITY_OP):
                 obj = Activity(self._bus, self._new_object,
@@ -317,6 +312,32 @@ class PresenceService(gobject.GObject):
             return None
         return self._new_object(buddy_op)
 
+    def get_buddy_by_telepathy_handle(self, tp_conn_name, tp_conn_path,
+                                      handle):
+        """Retrieve single Buddy object for the given public key
+
+        :Parameters:
+            `tp_conn_name` : str
+                The well-known bus name of a Telepathy connection
+            `tp_conn_path` : dbus.ObjectPath
+                The object path of the Telepathy connection
+            `handle` : int or long
+                The handle of a Telepathy contact on that connection,
+                of type HANDLE_TYPE_CONTACT. This may not be a
+                channel-specific handle.
+        :Returns: the Buddy object, or None if the buddy is not found
+        """
+        try:
+            buddy_op = self._ps.GetBuddyByTelepathyHandle(tp_conn_name,
+                                                          tp_conn_path,
+                                                          handle)
+        except dbus.exceptions.DBusException, err:
+            _logger.warn('Unable to retrieve buddy handle for handle %u at '
+                         'conn %s:%s from presence service: %s',
+                         handle, tp_conn_name, tp_conn_path, err)
+            return None
+        return self._new_object(buddy_op)
+
     def get_owner(self):
         """Retrieves the laptop "owner" Buddy object."""
         try: