diff --git a/libraries/Template.php b/libraries/Template.php
index 8a1a3aa83e..b2a759f3de 100644
--- a/libraries/Template.php
+++ b/libraries/Template.php
@@ -16,31 +16,49 @@ namespace PMA\libraries;
  */
 class Template
 {
-
+    /**
+     * Name of the template
+     */
     protected $name = null;
 
+    /**
+     * Data associated with the template
+     */
+    protected $data;
+
+    /**
+     * Helper functions for the template
+     */
+    protected $helperFunctions;
+
     const BASE_PATH = 'templates/';
 
     /**
      * Template constructor
      *
      * @param string $name Template name
+     * @param array $data Variables to be provided to the template
+     * @param array $helperFunctions Helper functions to be used by template
      */
-    protected function __construct($name)
+    protected function __construct($name, $data = array(), $helperFunctions = array())
     {
         $this->name = $name;
+        $this->data = $data;
+        $this->helperFunctions = $helperFunctions;
     }
 
     /**
      * Template getter
      *
      * @param string $name Template name
+     * @param array $data Variables to be provided to the template
+     * @param array $helperFunctions Helper functions to be used by template
      *
      * @return Template
      */
-    public static function get($name)
+    public static function get($name, $data = array(), $helperFunctions = array())
     {
-        return new Template($name);
+        return new Template($name, $data, $helperFunctions);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -57,19 +75,93 @@ class Template
         return preg_replace($regexp, "$1$2", $content);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Adds more entries to the data for this template
+     *
+     * @param array|string $data containing data array or data key
+     * @param string       $value containing data value
+     */
+    public function set($data, $value = null)
+    {
+        if(is_array($data) && ! $value) {
+            $this->data = array_merge(
+                $this->data,
+                $data
+            );
+        } else if (is_string($data)) {
+            $this->data[$data] = $value;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Adds a function for use by the template
+     *
+     * @param string $funcName function name
+     * @param callable $funcDef function definition
+     */
+    public function setHelper($funcName, $funcDef)
+    {
+        if (! isset($this->helperFunctions[$funcName])) {
+            $this->helperFunctions[$funcName] = $funcDef;
+        } else {
+            throw new \LogicException(
+                'The function "' . $funcName . '" is already associated with the template.'
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Removes a function
+     *
+     * @param string $funcName function name
+     */
+    public function removeHelper($funcName)
+    {
+        if (isset($this->helperFunctions[$funcName])) {
+            unset($this->helperFunctions[$funcName]);
+        } else {
+            throw new \LogicException(
+                'The function "' . $funcName . '" is not associated with the template.'
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Magic call to locally inaccessible but associated helper functions
+     *
+     * @param string $funcName function name
+     * @param array  $arguments function arguments
+     */
+    public function __call($funcName, $arguments)
+    {
+        if (isset($this->helperFunctions[$funcName])) {
+            return call_user_func_array($this->helperFunctions[$funcName], $arguments);
+        } else {
+            throw new \LogicException(
+                'The function "' . $funcName . '" is not associated with the template.'
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Render template
      *
-     * @param array $data Variables to provides for template
+     * @param array $data Variables to be provided to the template
      * @param bool  $trim Trim content
+     * @param array $helperFunctions Helper functions to be used by template
      *
      * @return string
      */
-    public function render($data = array(), $trim = true)
+    public function render($data = array(), $trim = true, $helperFunctions = array())
     {
         $template = static::BASE_PATH . $this->name . '.phtml';
         try {
-            extract($data);
+            $this->set($data);
+            extract($this->data);
+            $this->helperFunctions = array_merge(
+                $this->helperFunctions,
+                $helperFunctions
+            );
             ob_start();
             if (file_exists($template)) {
                 include $template;
diff --git a/templates/test/add_data.phtml b/templates/test/add_data.phtml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..eee5ebe053
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/test/add_data.phtml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+<?php
+echo $variable1;
+echo $variable2;
diff --git a/templates/test/set_helper.phtml b/templates/test/set_helper.phtml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8491e437b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/test/set_helper.phtml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+<?php
+echo $this->hello($variable);
diff --git a/test/classes/TemplateTest.php b/test/classes/TemplateTest.php
index 69a148a903..8d9a19aa67 100644
--- a/test/classes/TemplateTest.php
+++ b/test/classes/TemplateTest.php
@@ -15,6 +15,44 @@ require_once 'test/PMATestCase.php';
  */
 class TemplateTest extends PMATestCase
 {
+    /**
+     * Test for set function
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function testSet()
+    {
+        $template = PMA\libraries\Template::get('test/add_data');
+        $template->set('variable1', 'value1');
+        $template->set(
+            array(
+                'variable2' => 'value2'
+            )
+        );
+        $result = $template->render();
+        $this->assertContains('value1', $result);
+        $this->assertContains('value2', $result);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Test for setHelper
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function testSetHelper()
+    {
+        $template = PMA\libraries\Template::get('test/set_helper');
+        $template->setHelper('hello', function ($string) {
+            return 'hello ' . $string;
+        });
+        $template->set(
+            array(
+                'variable' => 'world'
+            )
+        );
+        $this->assertEquals('hello world', $template->render());
+    }
+
     /**
      * Test for render
      *