diff --git a/docs/rst/c_api/core_api.rst b/docs/rst/c_api/core_api.rst
index 5457013f..c738ce29 100644
--- a/docs/rst/c_api/core_api.rst
+++ b/docs/rst/c_api/core_api.rst
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@ Core
 
    digraph inheritance {
       rankdir=LR;
-      GObject -> WpCore;
+      GObject -> WpObject;
+      WpObject -> WpCore;
    }
 
 .. doxygenstruct:: WpCore
diff --git a/lib/wp/core.c b/lib/wp/core.c
index 2d4cc963..26abd2d9 100644
--- a/lib/wp/core.c
+++ b/lib/wp/core.c
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ wp_loop_source_new (void)
  */
 struct _WpCore
 {
-  GObject parent;
+  WpObject parent;
 
   /* main loop integration */
   GMainContext *g_main_context;
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ enum {
 
 static guint32 signals[NUM_SIGNALS];
 
-G_DEFINE_TYPE (WpCore, wp_core, G_TYPE_OBJECT)
+G_DEFINE_TYPE (WpCore, wp_core, WP_TYPE_OBJECT)
 
 static void
 core_info (void *data, const struct pw_core_info * info)
@@ -184,8 +184,10 @@ core_info (void *data, const struct pw_core_info * info)
   wp_info_object (self, "connected to server: %s, cookie: %u",
       self->info->name, self->info->cookie);
 
-  if (new_connection)
+  if (new_connection) {
     g_signal_emit (self, signals[SIGNAL_CONNECTED], 0);
+    wp_object_update_features (WP_OBJECT (self), WP_CORE_FEATURE_CONNECTED, 0);
+  }
 }
 
 static void
@@ -251,6 +253,7 @@ proxy_core_destroy (void *data)
   self->pw_core = NULL;
   wp_debug_object (self, "emit disconnected");
   g_signal_emit (self, signals[SIGNAL_DISCONNECTED], 0);
+  wp_object_update_features (WP_OBJECT (self), 0, WP_CORE_FEATURE_CONNECTED);
 }
 
 static const struct pw_proxy_events proxy_core_events = {
@@ -392,10 +395,59 @@ wp_core_set_property (GObject * object, guint property_id,
   }
 }
 
+static WpObjectFeatures
+wp_core_get_supported_features (WpObject * self)
+{
+  return WP_CORE_FEATURE_CONNECTED;
+}
+
+enum {
+  STEP_CONNECT = WP_TRANSITION_STEP_CUSTOM_START,
+};
+
+static guint
+wp_core_activate_get_next_step (WpObject * self,
+    WpFeatureActivationTransition * transition, guint step,
+    WpObjectFeatures missing)
+{
+  /* we only support CONNECTED, so this is the only
+     feature that can be in @em missing */
+  g_return_val_if_fail (missing == WP_CORE_FEATURE_CONNECTED,
+      WP_TRANSITION_STEP_ERROR);
+
+  return STEP_CONNECT;
+}
+
+static void
+wp_core_activate_execute_step (WpObject * self,
+    WpFeatureActivationTransition * transition, guint step,
+    WpObjectFeatures missing)
+{
+  switch (step) {
+  case STEP_CONNECT: {
+    wp_core_connect (WP_CORE (self));
+    break;
+  }
+  case WP_TRANSITION_STEP_ERROR:
+    break;
+  default:
+    g_assert_not_reached ();
+  }
+}
+
+static void
+wp_core_deactivate (WpObject * self, WpObjectFeatures features)
+{
+  if (features & WP_CORE_FEATURE_CONNECTED) {
+    wp_core_disconnect (WP_CORE (self));
+  }
+}
+
 static void
 wp_core_class_init (WpCoreClass * klass)
 {
   GObjectClass *object_class = (GObjectClass *) klass;
+  WpObjectClass *wpobject_class = (WpObjectClass *) klass;
 
   object_class->constructed = wp_core_constructed;
   object_class->dispose = wp_core_dispose;
@@ -403,6 +455,11 @@ wp_core_class_init (WpCoreClass * klass)
   object_class->get_property = wp_core_get_property;
   object_class->set_property = wp_core_set_property;
 
+  wpobject_class->get_supported_features = wp_core_get_supported_features;
+  wpobject_class->activate_get_next_step = wp_core_activate_get_next_step;
+  wpobject_class->activate_execute_step = wp_core_activate_execute_step;
+  wpobject_class->deactivate = wp_core_deactivate;
+
   g_object_class_install_property (object_class, PROP_G_MAIN_CONTEXT,
       g_param_spec_boxed ("g-main-context", "g-main-context",
           "A GMainContext to attach to", G_TYPE_MAIN_CONTEXT,
diff --git a/lib/wp/core.h b/lib/wp/core.h
index c33a7525..5dee3440 100644
--- a/lib/wp/core.h
+++ b/lib/wp/core.h
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@
 #ifndef __WIREPLUMBER_CORE_H__
 #define __WIREPLUMBER_CORE_H__
 
-#include <gio/gio.h>
-#include "defs.h"
+#include "object.h"
 #include "properties.h"
 #include "spa-json.h"
 
@@ -20,13 +19,22 @@ struct pw_context;
 struct pw_core;
 typedef struct _WpObjectManager WpObjectManager;
 
+/*!
+ * \brief Flags to be used as WpObjectFeatures on WpCore
+ * \ingroup wpcore
+ */
+typedef enum { /*< flags >*/
+  /*! connects to pipewire */
+  WP_CORE_FEATURE_CONNECTED = (1 << 0),
+} WpCoreFeatures;
+
 /*!
  * \brief The WpCore GType
  * \ingroup wpcore
  */
 #define WP_TYPE_CORE (wp_core_get_type ())
 WP_API
-G_DECLARE_FINAL_TYPE (WpCore, wp_core, WP, CORE, GObject)
+G_DECLARE_FINAL_TYPE (WpCore, wp_core, WP, CORE, WpObject)
 
 /* Basic */