diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 02f1170..f3e7ed8 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ Makefile.in
 /src/matrix-event-call-hangup.c
 /src/matrix-event-call-base.c
 /src/matrix-glib-0.0.pc
-/src/matrix-message-emote.c
 /src/matrix-message-notice.c
 /src/matrix-message-file.c
 /src/matrix-message-image.c
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index ebac33e..2594c30 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ libmatrix_glib_0_0_la_VALA_SOURCES = \
 	matrix-event-call-candidates.vala \
 	matrix-event-call-answer.vala \
 	matrix-event-call-hangup.vala \
-	matrix-message-emote.vala \
 	matrix-message-notice.vala \
 	matrix-message-file.vala \
 	matrix-message-image.vala \
@@ -104,6 +103,7 @@ INST_H_SRC_FILES = \
 	matrix-message-base.h \
 	matrix-message-text.h \
 	matrix-message-location.h \
+	matrix-message-emote.h \
 	matrix-event-room-base.h \
 	matrix-event-state-base.h \
 	matrix-event-tag.h \
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ libmatrix_glib_0_0_la_SOURCES = \
 	matrix-message-base.c \
 	matrix-message-text.c \
 	matrix-message-location.c \
+	matrix-message-emote.c \
 	matrix-event-tag.c \
 	matrix-event-presence.c \
 	matrix-event-room-member.c \
diff --git a/src/matrix-event-types.c b/src/matrix-event-types.c
index 8e450b9..c14f05b 100644
--- a/src/matrix-event-types.c
+++ b/src/matrix-event-types.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 
 #include "matrix-message-text.h"
 #include "matrix-message-location.h"
+#include "matrix-message-emote.h"
 
 /*
   Borrowed from GLib
diff --git a/src/matrix-message-emote.c b/src/matrix-message-emote.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e272e7c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/matrix-message-emote.c
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of matrix-glib-sdk
+ *
+ * matrix-glib-sdk is free software: you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation, either
+ * version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * matrix-glib-sdk is distributed in the hope that it will be
+ * useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied
+ * warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+ * See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with matrix-glib-sdk. If not, see
+ * <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#include "matrix-message-emote.h"
+
+/**
+ * SECTION:matrix-message-emote
+ * @short_description: message type to handle emotes
+ *
+ * This is the default message handler for `m.emote` messages.
+ *
+ * This message is similar to `m.text` (see #MatrixMessageText) except that the sender is
+ * “performing” the action contained in the `body` key, similar to the `/me` command in IRC.
+ * When displaying this message, it should be prefixed by the name of the sender, eg. “John
+ * Doe thinks”.  This message could also be represented in a different colour to distinguish
+ * it from regular `m.text` messages.
+ */
+G_DEFINE_TYPE(MatrixMessageEmote, matrix_message_emote, MATRIX_MESSAGE_TYPE_BASE);
+
+static void
+matrix_message_emote_real_from_json(MatrixMessageBase *matrix_message_base, JsonNode *json_data, GError **error)
+{
+    MATRIX_MESSAGE_BASE_CLASS(matrix_message_emote_parent_class)->from_json(matrix_message_base, json_data, error);
+}
+
+static void
+matrix_message_emote_real_to_json(MatrixMessageBase *matrix_message_base, JsonNode *json_data, GError **error)
+{
+    MATRIX_MESSAGE_BASE_CLASS(matrix_message_emote_parent_class)->to_json(matrix_message_base, json_data, error);
+}
+
+MatrixMessageEmote *
+matrix_message_emote_construct(GType object_type)
+{
+    return (MatrixMessageEmote *)matrix_message_base_construct(object_type);
+}
+
+MatrixMessageEmote *
+matrix_message_emote_new(void) {
+    return matrix_message_emote_construct(MATRIX_MESSAGE_TYPE_EMOTE);
+}
+
+static void
+matrix_message_emote_class_init(MatrixMessageEmoteClass *klass)
+{
+    ((MatrixMessageBaseClass *)klass)->from_json = matrix_message_emote_real_from_json;
+    ((MatrixMessageBaseClass *)klass)->to_json = matrix_message_emote_real_to_json;
+}
+
+static void
+matrix_message_emote_init(MatrixMessageEmote *matrix_message_emote)
+{}
diff --git a/src/matrix-message-emote.vala b/src/matrix-message-emote.h
similarity index 51%
rename from src/matrix-message-emote.vala
rename to src/matrix-message-emote.h
index 15e3e31..252dd05 100644
--- a/src/matrix-message-emote.vala
+++ b/src/matrix-message-emote.h
@@ -16,27 +16,25 @@
  * <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
 
-/**
- * The emote message type
- *
- * This message is similar to `m.text` except that the sender is
- * 'performing' the action contained in the `body` key, similar to
- * `/me` in IRC. This message should be prefixed by the name of the
- * sender. This message could also be represented in a different
- * colour to distinguish it from regular `m.text` messages.
- */
-public class Matrix.Message.Emote : Matrix.Message.Base {
-    public override void
-    from_json(Json.Node json_data)
-        throws Matrix.Error
-    {
-        base.from_json(json_data);
-    }
+#ifndef __MATRIX_GLIB_SDK_MESSAGE_EMOTE_H___
+# define __MATRIX_GLIB_SDK_MESSAGE_EMOTE_H___
 
-    public override void
-    to_json(Json.Node json_data)
-        throws Matrix.Error
-    {
-        base.to_json(json_data);
-    }
-}
+# include <glib-object.h>
+# include "matrix-message-base.h"
+
+G_BEGIN_DECLS
+
+# define MATRIX_MESSAGE_TYPE_EMOTE matrix_message_emote_get_type()
+G_DECLARE_DERIVABLE_TYPE(MatrixMessageEmote, matrix_message_emote, MATRIX_MESSAGE, EMOTE, MatrixMessageBase);
+
+struct _MatrixMessageEmoteClass {
+    MatrixMessageBaseClass parent_class;
+};
+
+MatrixMessageEmote *matrix_message_emote_new(void);
+MatrixMessageEmote *matrix_message_emote_construct(GType object_type);
+
+G_END_DECLS
+
+
+#endif  /* __MATRIX_GLIB_SDK_MESSAGE_EMOTE_H___ */
diff --git a/vapi/c-api.vapi b/vapi/c-api.vapi
index dbd1e6e..e745475 100644
--- a/vapi/c-api.vapi
+++ b/vapi/c-api.vapi
@@ -665,5 +665,14 @@ namespace Matrix {
             to_json(Json.Node json_data)
                 throws Matrix.Error;
         }
+
+        [CCode (cheader_filename = "matrix-message-emote.h")]
+        public class Emote : Base {
+            public override void from_json(Json.Node json_data)
+                throws Matrix.Error;
+
+            public override void to_json(Json.Node json_data)
+                throws Matrix.Error;
+        }
     }
 }