diff --git a/source/blender/makesrna/RNA_types.hh b/source/blender/makesrna/RNA_types.hh
index 358c07592df..7c14949ca22 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesrna/RNA_types.hh
+++ b/source/blender/makesrna/RNA_types.hh
@@ -791,9 +791,21 @@ enum FunctionFlag {
    */
   FUNC_USE_SELF_ID = (1 << 11),
 
+  /**
+   * Pass 'self' data as a PointerRNA (by value), rather than as a pointer of the relevant DNA
+   * type.
+   *
+   * Mutually exclusive with #FUNC_NO_SELF and #FUNC_USE_SELF_TYPE.
+   *
+   * Useful for functions that need to access `self` as RNA data, not as DNA data (e.g. when doing
+   * 'generic', type-agnostic processing).
+   */
+  FUNC_SELF_AS_RNA = (1 << 13),
   /**
    * Do not pass the object (DNA struct pointer) from which it is called,
    * used to define static or class functions.
+   *
+   * Mutually exclusive with #FUNC_SELF_AS_RNA.
    */
   FUNC_NO_SELF = (1 << 0),
   /** Pass RNA type, used to define class functions, only valid when #FUNC_NO_SELF is set. */
diff --git a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/makesrna.cc b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/makesrna.cc
index 0c58717d73f..8f8cdb252ad 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/makesrna.cc
+++ b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/makesrna.cc
@@ -2916,7 +2916,10 @@ static void rna_def_struct_function_call_impl_cpp(FILE *f, StructRNA *srna, Func
 
   if ((func->flag & FUNC_NO_SELF) == 0) {
     WRITE_COMMA;
-    if (dsrna->dnafromprop) {
+    if ((func->flag & FUNC_SELF_AS_RNA) != 0) {
+      fprintf(f, "this->ptr");
+    }
+    else if (dsrna->dnafromprop) {
       fprintf(f, "(::%s *) this->ptr.data", dsrna->dnafromname);
     }
     else if (dsrna->dnaname) {
@@ -3170,7 +3173,10 @@ static void rna_def_function_funcs(FILE *f, StructDefRNA *dsrna, FunctionDefRNA
   }
 
   if ((func->flag & FUNC_NO_SELF) == 0) {
-    if (dsrna->dnafromprop) {
+    if ((func->flag & FUNC_SELF_AS_RNA) != 0) {
+      fprintf(f, "\tstruct PointerRNA _self;\n");
+    }
+    else if (dsrna->dnafromprop) {
       fprintf(f, "\tstruct %s *_self;\n", dsrna->dnafromname);
     }
     else if (dsrna->dnaname) {
@@ -3251,7 +3257,10 @@ static void rna_def_function_funcs(FILE *f, StructDefRNA *dsrna, FunctionDefRNA
   }
 
   if ((func->flag & FUNC_NO_SELF) == 0) {
-    if (dsrna->dnafromprop) {
+    if ((func->flag & FUNC_SELF_AS_RNA) != 0) {
+      fprintf(f, "\t_self = *_ptr;\n");
+    }
+    else if (dsrna->dnafromprop) {
       fprintf(f, "\t_self = (struct %s *)_ptr->data;\n", dsrna->dnafromname);
     }
     else if (dsrna->dnaname) {
@@ -3904,7 +3913,10 @@ static void rna_generate_static_parameter_prototypes(FILE *f,
     if (!first) {
       fprintf(f, ", ");
     }
-    if (dsrna->dnafromprop) {
+    if ((func->flag & FUNC_SELF_AS_RNA) != 0) {
+      fprintf(f, "struct PointerRNA _self");
+    }
+    else if (dsrna->dnafromprop) {
       fprintf(f, "struct %s *_self", dsrna->dnafromname);
     }
     else if (dsrna->dnaname) {
diff --git a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_define.cc b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_define.cc
index fff759b862c..1e34c440de9 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_define.cc
+++ b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_define.cc
@@ -4691,6 +4691,14 @@ void RNA_def_function_output(FunctionRNA * /*func*/, PropertyRNA *ret)
 void RNA_def_function_flag(FunctionRNA *func, int flag)
 {
   func->flag |= flag;
+
+  if (func->flag & FUNC_USE_SELF_TYPE) {
+    BLI_assert_msg((func->flag & FUNC_NO_SELF) != 0, "FUNC_USE_SELF_TYPE requires FUNC_NO_SELF");
+  }
+  if (func->flag & FUNC_SELF_AS_RNA) {
+    BLI_assert_msg((func->flag & FUNC_NO_SELF) == 0,
+                   "FUNC_SELF_AS_RNA and FUNC_NO_SELF are mutually exclusive");
+  }
 }
 
 void RNA_def_function_ui_description(FunctionRNA *func, const char *description)