diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_screen.hh b/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_screen.hh
index 4fe3a1ba27c..97ccfbabbfd 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_screen.hh
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_screen.hh
@@ -527,6 +527,11 @@ ARegion *BKE_area_region_copy(const SpaceType *st, const ARegion *region);
  */
 void BKE_area_region_free(SpaceType *st, ARegion *region);
 void BKE_area_region_panels_free(ListBase *panels);
+/**
+ * Create and free panels.
+ */
+Panel *BKE_panel_new(PanelType *panel_type);
+void BKE_panel_free(Panel *panel);
 /**
  * Doesn't free the area itself.
  */
diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/screen.cc b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/screen.cc
index bf864d88d1d..1ac65547cc9 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/screen.cc
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/screen.cc
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 #include "BLI_math_vector.h"
 #include "BLI_mempool.h"
 #include "BLI_rect.h"
+#include "BLI_string.h"
 #include "BLI_utildefines.h"
 
 #include "BLT_translation.h"
@@ -486,23 +487,36 @@ void BKE_region_callback_free_gizmomap_set(void (*callback)(wmGizmoMap *))
   region_free_gizmomap_callback = callback;
 }
 
-static void area_region_panels_free_recursive(Panel *panel)
+Panel *BKE_panel_new(PanelType *panel_type)
+{
+  Panel *panel = MEM_cnew<Panel>(__func__);
+  panel->runtime = MEM_cnew<Panel_Runtime>(__func__);
+  panel->type = panel_type;
+  STRNCPY(panel->panelname, panel_type->idname);
+  return panel;
+}
+
+void BKE_panel_free(Panel *panel)
 {
   MEM_SAFE_FREE(panel->activedata);
   MEM_SAFE_FREE(panel->drawname);
+  MEM_freeN(panel->runtime);
+  MEM_freeN(panel);
+}
 
+static void area_region_panels_free_recursive(Panel *panel)
+{
   LISTBASE_FOREACH_MUTABLE (Panel *, child_panel, &panel->children) {
     area_region_panels_free_recursive(child_panel);
   }
-
-  MEM_freeN(panel);
+  BKE_panel_free(panel);
 }
 
 void BKE_area_region_panels_free(ListBase *panels)
 {
   LISTBASE_FOREACH_MUTABLE (Panel *, panel, panels) {
     /* Free custom data just for parent panels to avoid a double free. */
-    MEM_SAFE_FREE(panel->runtime.custom_data_ptr);
+    MEM_SAFE_FREE(panel->runtime->custom_data_ptr);
     area_region_panels_free_recursive(panel);
   }
   BLI_listbase_clear(panels);
@@ -1095,11 +1109,11 @@ static void direct_link_panel_list(BlendDataReader *reader, ListBase *lb)
   BLO_read_list(reader, lb);
 
   LISTBASE_FOREACH (Panel *, panel, lb) {
+    panel->runtime = MEM_cnew<Panel_Runtime>(__func__);
     panel->runtime_flag = 0;
     panel->activedata = nullptr;
     panel->type = nullptr;
     panel->drawname = nullptr;
-    panel->runtime.custom_data_ptr = nullptr;
     direct_link_panel_list(reader, &panel->children);
   }
 }
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_layout.cc b/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_layout.cc
index 8746ac28e96..cb0fb486317 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_layout.cc
+++ b/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_layout.cc
@@ -3179,6 +3179,8 @@ void uiItemPopoverPanel_ptr(
   if (ok && (pt->draw_header != nullptr)) {
     layout = uiLayoutRow(layout, true);
     Panel panel{};
+    Panel_Runtime panel_runtime{};
+    panel.runtime = &panel_runtime;
     panel.type = pt;
     panel.layout = layout;
     panel.flag = PNL_POPOVER;
@@ -5963,8 +5965,7 @@ static bool ui_layout_has_panel_label(const uiLayout *layout, const PanelType *p
 
 static void ui_paneltype_draw_impl(bContext *C, PanelType *pt, uiLayout *layout, bool show_header)
 {
-  Panel *panel = MEM_cnew<Panel>(__func__);
-  panel->type = pt;
+  Panel *panel = BKE_panel_new(pt);
   panel->flag = PNL_POPOVER;
 
   if (pt->listener) {
@@ -5993,9 +5994,9 @@ static void ui_paneltype_draw_impl(bContext *C, PanelType *pt, uiLayout *layout,
   panel->layout = layout;
   pt->draw(C, panel);
   panel->layout = nullptr;
-  BLI_assert(panel->runtime.custom_data_ptr == nullptr);
+  BLI_assert(panel->runtime->custom_data_ptr == nullptr);
 
-  MEM_freeN(panel);
+  BKE_panel_free(panel);
 
   /* Draw child panels. */
   LISTBASE_FOREACH (LinkData *, link, &pt->children) {
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_panel.cc b/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_panel.cc
index f25093cbc96..334b6e2c8d8 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_panel.cc
+++ b/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_panel.cc
@@ -222,11 +222,9 @@ static bool panels_need_realign(const ScrArea *area, ARegion *region, Panel **r_
 
 static Panel *panel_add_instanced(ListBase *panels, PanelType *panel_type, PointerRNA *custom_data)
 {
-  Panel *panel = MEM_cnew<Panel>(__func__);
-  panel->type = panel_type;
-  STRNCPY(panel->panelname, panel_type->idname);
+  Panel *panel = BKE_panel_new(panel_type);
 
-  panel->runtime.custom_data_ptr = custom_data;
+  panel->runtime->custom_data_ptr = custom_data;
   panel->runtime_flag |= PANEL_NEW_ADDED;
 
   /* Add the panel's children too. Although they aren't instanced panels, we can still use this
@@ -301,11 +299,7 @@ static void panel_delete(const bContext *C, ARegion *region, ListBase *panels, P
   BLI_freelistN(&panel->children);
 
   BLI_remlink(panels, panel);
-  if (panel->activedata) {
-    MEM_freeN(panel->activedata);
-  }
-  MEM_SAFE_FREE(panel->drawname);
-  MEM_freeN(panel);
+  BKE_panel_free(panel);
 }
 
 void UI_panels_free_instanced(const bContext *C, ARegion *region)
@@ -319,8 +313,8 @@ void UI_panels_free_instanced(const bContext *C, ARegion *region)
       }
 
       /* Free panel's custom data. */
-      if (panel->runtime.custom_data_ptr != nullptr) {
-        MEM_freeN(panel->runtime.custom_data_ptr);
+      if (panel->runtime->custom_data_ptr != nullptr) {
+        MEM_freeN(panel->runtime->custom_data_ptr);
       }
 
       /* Free the panel and its sub-panels. */
@@ -446,7 +440,7 @@ static void reorder_instanced_panel_list(bContext *C, ARegion *region, Panel *dr
   /* Set the bit to tell the interface to instanced the list. */
   drag_panel->flag |= PNL_INSTANCED_LIST_ORDER_CHANGED;
 
-  CTX_store_set(C, drag_panel->runtime.context);
+  CTX_store_set(C, drag_panel->runtime->context);
 
   /* Finally, move this panel's list item to the new index in its list. */
   drag_panel->type->reorder(C, drag_panel, move_to_index);
@@ -666,13 +660,10 @@ Panel *UI_panel_begin(
 {
   Panel *panel_last;
   const char *drawname = CTX_IFACE_(pt->translation_context, pt->label);
-  const char *idname = pt->idname;
   const bool newpanel = (panel == nullptr);
 
   if (newpanel) {
-    panel = MEM_cnew<Panel>(__func__);
-    panel->type = pt;
-    STRNCPY(panel->panelname, idname);
+    panel = BKE_panel_new(pt);
 
     if (pt->flag & PANEL_TYPE_DEFAULT_CLOSED) {
       panel->flag |= PNL_CLOSED;
@@ -694,7 +685,7 @@ Panel *UI_panel_begin(
     panel->type = pt;
   }
 
-  panel->runtime.block = block;
+  panel->runtime->block = block;
 
   UI_panel_drawname_set(panel, drawname);
 
@@ -736,14 +727,14 @@ Panel *UI_panel_begin(
 
 void UI_panel_header_buttons_begin(Panel *panel)
 {
-  uiBlock *block = panel->runtime.block;
+  uiBlock *block = panel->runtime->block;
 
   ui_block_new_button_group(block, UI_BUTTON_GROUP_LOCK | UI_BUTTON_GROUP_PANEL_HEADER);
 }
 
 void UI_panel_header_buttons_end(Panel *panel)
 {
-  uiBlock *block = panel->runtime.block;
+  uiBlock *block = panel->runtime->block;
 
   /* A button group should always be created in #UI_panel_header_buttons_begin. */
   BLI_assert(!block->button_groups.is_empty());
@@ -801,7 +792,7 @@ static void panel_calculate_size_recursive(ARegion *region, Panel *panel)
   }
   else {
     const int old_sizex = panel->sizex, old_sizey = panel->sizey;
-    const int old_region_ofsx = panel->runtime.region_ofsx;
+    const int old_region_ofsx = panel->runtime->region_ofsx;
 
     /* Update width/height if non-zero. */
     if (width != 0) {
@@ -817,8 +808,8 @@ static void panel_calculate_size_recursive(ARegion *region, Panel *panel)
       panel->ofsy += old_sizey - panel->sizey;
     }
 
-    panel->runtime.region_ofsx = panel_region_offset_x_get(region);
-    if (old_region_ofsx != panel->runtime.region_ofsx) {
+    panel->runtime->region_ofsx = panel_region_offset_x_get(region);
+    if (old_region_ofsx != panel->runtime->region_ofsx) {
       panel->runtime_flag |= PANEL_ANIM_ALIGN;
     }
   }
@@ -922,7 +913,7 @@ static void region_panels_set_expansion_from_search_filter(const bContext *C,
  */
 static void panel_remove_invisible_layouts_recursive(Panel *panel, const Panel *parent_panel)
 {
-  uiBlock *block = panel->runtime.block;
+  uiBlock *block = panel->runtime->block;
   BLI_assert(block != nullptr);
   BLI_assert(block->active);
   if (parent_panel != nullptr && UI_panel_is_closed(parent_panel)) {
@@ -948,7 +939,7 @@ static void panel_remove_invisible_layouts_recursive(Panel *panel, const Panel *
 
   LISTBASE_FOREACH (Panel *, child_panel, &panel->children) {
     if (child_panel->runtime_flag & PANEL_ACTIVE) {
-      BLI_assert(child_panel->runtime.block != nullptr);
+      BLI_assert(child_panel->runtime->block != nullptr);
       panel_remove_invisible_layouts_recursive(child_panel, panel);
     }
   }
@@ -958,7 +949,7 @@ static void region_panels_remove_invisible_layouts(ARegion *region)
 {
   LISTBASE_FOREACH (Panel *, panel, &region->panels) {
     if (panel->runtime_flag & PANEL_ACTIVE) {
-      BLI_assert(panel->runtime.block != nullptr);
+      BLI_assert(panel->runtime->block != nullptr);
       panel_remove_invisible_layouts_recursive(panel, nullptr);
     }
   }
@@ -1058,7 +1049,7 @@ static void panel_draw_highlight_border(const Panel *panel,
   }
 
   const bTheme *btheme = UI_GetTheme();
-  const float aspect = panel->runtime.block->aspect;
+  const float aspect = panel->runtime->block->aspect;
   const float radius = (btheme->tui.panel_roundness * U.widget_unit * 0.5f) / aspect;
   UI_draw_roundbox_corner_set(UI_CNR_ALL);
 
@@ -1177,7 +1168,7 @@ static void panel_draw_aligned_backdrop(const Panel *panel,
   }
 
   const bTheme *btheme = UI_GetTheme();
-  const float aspect = panel->runtime.block->aspect;
+  const float aspect = panel->runtime->block->aspect;
   const float radius = btheme->tui.panel_roundness * U.widget_unit * 0.5f / aspect;
 
   immBindBuiltinProgram(GPU_SHADER_3D_UNIFORM_COLOR);
@@ -1669,7 +1660,7 @@ static bool uiAlignPanelStep(ARegion *region, const float factor, const bool dra
   for (int i = 0; i < active_panels_len; i++) {
     PanelSort *ps = &panel_sort[i];
     const bool show_background = UI_panel_should_show_background(region, ps->panel->type);
-    ps->panel->runtime.region_ofsx = region_offset_x;
+    ps->panel->runtime->region_ofsx = region_offset_x;
     ps->new_offset_x = region_offset_x + (show_background ? UI_PANEL_MARGIN_X : 0);
   }
 
@@ -1828,7 +1819,7 @@ void UI_panels_end(const bContext *C, ARegion *region, int *r_x, int *r_y)
 
   LISTBASE_FOREACH (Panel *, panel, &region->panels) {
     if (panel->runtime_flag & PANEL_ACTIVE) {
-      BLI_assert(panel->runtime.block != nullptr);
+      BLI_assert(panel->runtime->block != nullptr);
       panel_calculate_size_recursive(region, panel);
     }
   }
@@ -2400,7 +2391,7 @@ int ui_handler_panel_region(bContext *C,
 
 static void ui_panel_custom_data_set_recursive(Panel *panel, PointerRNA *custom_data)
 {
-  panel->runtime.custom_data_ptr = custom_data;
+  panel->runtime->custom_data_ptr = custom_data;
 
   LISTBASE_FOREACH (Panel *, child_panel, &panel->children) {
     ui_panel_custom_data_set_recursive(child_panel, custom_data);
@@ -2410,7 +2401,7 @@ static void ui_panel_custom_data_set_recursive(Panel *panel, PointerRNA *custom_
 void UI_panel_context_pointer_set(Panel *panel, const char *name, PointerRNA *ptr)
 {
   uiLayoutSetContextPointer(panel->layout, name, ptr);
-  panel->runtime.context = uiLayoutGetContextStore(panel->layout);
+  panel->runtime->context = uiLayoutGetContextStore(panel->layout);
 }
 
 void UI_panel_custom_data_set(Panel *panel, PointerRNA *custom_data)
@@ -2418,8 +2409,8 @@ void UI_panel_custom_data_set(Panel *panel, PointerRNA *custom_data)
   BLI_assert(panel->type != nullptr);
 
   /* Free the old custom data, which should be shared among all of the panel's sub-panels. */
-  if (panel->runtime.custom_data_ptr != nullptr) {
-    MEM_freeN(panel->runtime.custom_data_ptr);
+  if (panel->runtime->custom_data_ptr != nullptr) {
+    MEM_freeN(panel->runtime->custom_data_ptr);
   }
 
   ui_panel_custom_data_set_recursive(panel, custom_data);
@@ -2427,7 +2418,7 @@ void UI_panel_custom_data_set(Panel *panel, PointerRNA *custom_data)
 
 PointerRNA *UI_panel_custom_data_get(const Panel *panel)
 {
-  return panel->runtime.custom_data_ptr;
+  return panel->runtime->custom_data_ptr;
 }
 
 PointerRNA *UI_region_panel_custom_data_under_cursor(const bContext *C, const wmEvent *event)
diff --git a/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_screen_types.h b/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_screen_types.h
index 5ce238e4f70..9d300fd3799 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_screen_types.h
+++ b/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_screen_types.h
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ typedef struct Panel {
   /** Sub panels. */
   ListBase children;
 
-  Panel_Runtime runtime;
+  Panel_Runtime *runtime;
 } Panel;
 
 /**