diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/hifi/tablet/Tablet.qml b/interface/resources/qml/hifi/tablet/Tablet.qml
index c6b38b538f..4ea1891737 100644
--- a/interface/resources/qml/hifi/tablet/Tablet.qml
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/hifi/tablet/Tablet.qml
@@ -3,12 +3,34 @@ import QtGraphicalEffects 1.0
 
 Item {
     id: tablet
+    objectName: "tablet"
 
     property double miclevel: 0.8
 
     width: 480
     height: 720
 
+    // called by C++ code when a button should be added to the tablet
+    function addButtonProxy(properties) {
+        var component = Qt.createComponent("TabletButton.qml");
+        var button = component.createObject(flowMain);
+        if (properties.icon) {
+            button.icon = properties.icon;
+        }
+        if (properties.color) {
+            button.color = properties.color;
+        }
+        if (properties.text) {
+            button.text = properties.text;
+        }
+        return button;
+    }
+
+    // called by C++ code when a button should be removed from the tablet
+    function removeButtonProxy(properties) {
+        console.log("TABLET_UI_HACK: removeButtonProxy, NOT IMPLEMENTED!, properties = " + JSON.stringify(properties));
+    }
+
     Rectangle {
         id: bgAudio
         height: 90
diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/hifi/tablet/TabletButton.qml b/interface/resources/qml/hifi/tablet/TabletButton.qml
index 75f5423f41..92a7ee2865 100644
--- a/interface/resources/qml/hifi/tablet/TabletButton.qml
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/hifi/tablet/TabletButton.qml
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ Item {
     width: 132
     height: 132
 
+    signal clicked()
+
     Rectangle {
         id: buttonBg
         color: tabletButton.color
@@ -62,6 +64,7 @@ Item {
     MouseArea {
         anchors.fill: parent
         hoverEnabled: true
+        onClicked: tabletButton.clicked();
         onEntered: {
             console.log("Tablet Button Hovered!");
             tabletButton.state = "hover state";
diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 5eca9590dd..a4d72a3e1d 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@
 #include <ScriptCache.h>
 #include <SoundCache.h>
 #include <steamworks-wrapper/SteamClient.h>
+#include <TabletScriptingInterface.h>
 #include <Tooltip.h>
 #include <udt/PacketHeaders.h>
 #include <UserActivityLogger.h>
@@ -478,6 +479,7 @@ bool setupEssentials(int& argc, char** argv) {
     DependencyManager::set<WindowScriptingInterface>();
     DependencyManager::set<HMDScriptingInterface>();
     DependencyManager::set<ResourceScriptingInterface>();
+    DependencyManager::set<TabletScriptingInterface>();
     DependencyManager::set<ToolbarScriptingInterface>();
     DependencyManager::set<UserActivityLoggerScriptingInterface>();
 
diff --git a/interface/src/scripting/QmlWrapper.h b/interface/src/scripting/QmlWrapper.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7dd319e445
--- /dev/null
+++ b/interface/src/scripting/QmlWrapper.h
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+//
+//  Created by Anthony J. Thibault on 2016-12-12
+//  Copyright 2013-2016 High Fidelity, Inc.
+//
+//  Distributed under the Apache License, Version 2.0.
+//  See the accompanying file LICENSE or http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.html
+//
+
+#ifndef hifi_QmlWrapper_h
+#define hifi_QmlWrapper_h
+
+#include <QtCore/QObject>
+#include <OffscreenUi.h>
+#include <DependencyManager.h>
+
+class QmlWrapper : public QObject {
+    Q_OBJECT
+public:
+    QmlWrapper(QObject* qmlObject, QObject* parent = nullptr)
+        : QObject(parent), _qmlObject(qmlObject) {
+    }
+
+    Q_INVOKABLE void writeProperty(QString propertyName, QVariant propertyValue) {
+        auto offscreenUi = DependencyManager::get<OffscreenUi>();
+        offscreenUi->executeOnUiThread([=] {
+            _qmlObject->setProperty(propertyName.toStdString().c_str(), propertyValue);
+        });
+    }
+
+    Q_INVOKABLE void writeProperties(QVariant propertyMap) {
+        auto offscreenUi = DependencyManager::get<OffscreenUi>();
+        offscreenUi->executeOnUiThread([=] {
+            QVariantMap map = propertyMap.toMap();
+            for (const QString& key : map.keys()) {
+                _qmlObject->setProperty(key.toStdString().c_str(), map[key]);
+            }
+        });
+    }
+
+    Q_INVOKABLE QVariant readProperty(const QString& propertyName) {
+        auto offscreenUi = DependencyManager::get<OffscreenUi>();
+        return offscreenUi->returnFromUiThread([&]()->QVariant {
+            return _qmlObject->property(propertyName.toStdString().c_str());
+        });
+    }
+
+    Q_INVOKABLE QVariant readProperties(const QVariant& propertyList) {
+        auto offscreenUi = DependencyManager::get<OffscreenUi>();
+        return offscreenUi->returnFromUiThread([&]()->QVariant {
+            QVariantMap result;
+            for (const QVariant& property : propertyList.toList()) {
+                QString propertyString = property.toString();
+                result.insert(propertyString, _qmlObject->property(propertyString.toStdString().c_str()));
+            }
+            return result;
+        });
+    }
+
+protected:
+    QObject* _qmlObject{ nullptr };
+};
+
+#endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/interface/src/scripting/ToolbarScriptingInterface.cpp b/interface/src/scripting/ToolbarScriptingInterface.cpp
index 0cb314615a..1f2228c6d9 100644
--- a/interface/src/scripting/ToolbarScriptingInterface.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/scripting/ToolbarScriptingInterface.cpp
@@ -8,58 +8,11 @@
 
 #include "ToolbarScriptingInterface.h"
 
+
 #include <QtCore/QThread>
 
 #include <OffscreenUi.h>
-
-class QmlWrapper : public QObject {
-    Q_OBJECT
-public:
-    QmlWrapper(QObject* qmlObject, QObject* parent = nullptr)
-        : QObject(parent), _qmlObject(qmlObject) {
-    }
-
-    Q_INVOKABLE void writeProperty(QString propertyName, QVariant propertyValue) {
-        auto offscreenUi = DependencyManager::get<OffscreenUi>();
-        offscreenUi->executeOnUiThread([=] {
-            _qmlObject->setProperty(propertyName.toStdString().c_str(), propertyValue);
-        });
-    }
-
-    Q_INVOKABLE void writeProperties(QVariant propertyMap) {
-        auto offscreenUi = DependencyManager::get<OffscreenUi>();
-        offscreenUi->executeOnUiThread([=] {
-            QVariantMap map = propertyMap.toMap();
-            for (const QString& key : map.keys()) {
-                _qmlObject->setProperty(key.toStdString().c_str(), map[key]);
-            }
-        });
-    }
-
-    Q_INVOKABLE QVariant readProperty(const QString& propertyName) {
-        auto offscreenUi = DependencyManager::get<OffscreenUi>();
-        return offscreenUi->returnFromUiThread([&]()->QVariant {
-            return _qmlObject->property(propertyName.toStdString().c_str());
-        });
-    }
-
-    Q_INVOKABLE QVariant readProperties(const QVariant& propertyList) {
-        auto offscreenUi = DependencyManager::get<OffscreenUi>();
-        return offscreenUi->returnFromUiThread([&]()->QVariant {
-            QVariantMap result;
-            for (const QVariant& property : propertyList.toList()) {
-                QString propertyString = property.toString();
-                result.insert(propertyString, _qmlObject->property(propertyString.toStdString().c_str()));
-            }
-            return result;
-        });
-    }
-
-
-protected:
-    QObject* _qmlObject{ nullptr };
-};
-
+#include "QmlWrapper.h"
 
 class ToolbarButtonProxy : public QmlWrapper {
     Q_OBJECT
diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableWebEntityItem.cpp b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableWebEntityItem.cpp
index b48fd4263a..cba6842ba9 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableWebEntityItem.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableWebEntityItem.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <PathUtils.h>
 #include <TextureCache.h>
 #include <gpu/Context.h>
+#include <TabletScriptingInterface.h>
 
 #include "EntityTreeRenderer.h"
 #include "EntitiesRendererLogging.h"
@@ -255,7 +256,13 @@ void RenderableWebEntityItem::loadSourceURL() {
     } else {
         _contentType = qmlContent;
         _webSurface->setBaseUrl(QUrl::fromLocalFile(PathUtils::resourcesPath()));
-        _webSurface->load(_sourceUrl, [&](QQmlContext* context, QObject* obj) { });
+        _webSurface->load(_sourceUrl, [&](QQmlContext* context, QObject* obj) {});
+
+        // TABLET_UI_HACK: move this to overlays as well!
+        if (_webSurface->getRootItem() && _webSurface->getRootItem()->objectName() == "tablet") {
+            auto tabletScriptingInterface = DependencyManager::get<TabletScriptingInterface>();
+            tabletScriptingInterface->setQmlTablet("com.highfidelity.interface.tablet.system", _webSurface->getRootItem());
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/libraries/script-engine/src/ScriptEngine.cpp b/libraries/script-engine/src/ScriptEngine.cpp
index 070bc98dbc..8e8ce6a851 100644
--- a/libraries/script-engine/src/ScriptEngine.cpp
+++ b/libraries/script-engine/src/ScriptEngine.cpp
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@
 #include "WebSocketClass.h"
 #include "RecordingScriptingInterface.h"
 #include "ScriptEngines.h"
+#include "TabletScriptingInterface.h"
 
 #include "MIDIEvent.h"
 
@@ -542,6 +543,8 @@ void ScriptEngine::init() {
     auto recordingInterface = DependencyManager::get<RecordingScriptingInterface>();
     registerGlobalObject("Recording", recordingInterface.data());
 
+    registerGlobalObject("Tablet", DependencyManager::get<TabletScriptingInterface>().data());
+
     registerGlobalObject("Assets", &_assetScriptingInterface);
     registerGlobalObject("Resources", DependencyManager::get<ResourceScriptingInterface>().data());
 }
diff --git a/libraries/script-engine/src/TabletScriptingInterface.cpp b/libraries/script-engine/src/TabletScriptingInterface.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1bcdfc6013
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libraries/script-engine/src/TabletScriptingInterface.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+//
+//  Created by Bradley Austin Davis on 2016-06-16
+//  Copyright 2013-2016 High Fidelity, Inc.
+//
+//  Distributed under the Apache License, Version 2.0.
+//  See the accompanying file LICENSE or http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.html
+//
+
+#include "TabletScriptingInterface.h"
+
+#include <QtCore/QThread>
+
+QObject* TabletScriptingInterface::getTablet(const QString& tabletId) {
+
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(_tabletProxiesMutex);
+
+    // look up tabletId in the map.
+    auto iter = _tabletProxies.find(tabletId);
+    if (iter != _tabletProxies.end()) {
+        // tablet already exists, just return it.
+        return iter->second.data();
+    } else {
+        // allocate a new tablet, add it to the map then return it.
+        auto tabletProxy = QSharedPointer<TabletProxy>(new TabletProxy(tabletId));
+        _tabletProxies[tabletId] = tabletProxy;
+        return tabletProxy.data();
+    }
+}
+
+void TabletScriptingInterface::setQmlTablet(QString tabletId, QQuickItem* qmlTablet) {
+    TabletProxy* tablet = qobject_cast<TabletProxy*>(getTablet(tabletId));
+    if (tablet) {
+        tablet->setQmlTablet(qmlTablet);
+    } else {
+        qWarning() << "TabletScriptingInterface::setupTablet() bad tablet object";
+    }
+}
+
+
+//
+// TabletProxy
+//
+
+TabletProxy::TabletProxy(QString name) : _name(name) {
+    ;
+}
+
+static void addButtonProxyToQmlTablet(QQuickItem* qmlTablet, TabletButtonProxy* buttonProxy) {
+    QVariant resultVar;
+    Qt::ConnectionType connectionType = Qt::AutoConnection;
+    if (QThread::currentThread() != qmlTablet->thread()) {
+        connectionType = Qt::BlockingQueuedConnection;
+    }
+    bool hasResult = QMetaObject::invokeMethod(qmlTablet, "addButtonProxy", connectionType,
+                                               Q_RETURN_ARG(QVariant, resultVar), Q_ARG(QVariant, buttonProxy->getProperties()));
+    if (!hasResult) {
+        qWarning() << "TabletScriptingInterface addButtonProxyToQmlTablet has no result";
+        return;
+    }
+
+    QObject* qmlButton = qvariant_cast<QObject *>(resultVar);
+    if (!qmlButton) {
+        qWarning() << "TabletScriptingInterface addButtonProxyToQmlTablet result not a QObject";
+        return;
+    }
+    QObject::connect(qmlButton, SIGNAL(clicked()), buttonProxy, SLOT(clickedSlot()));
+}
+
+void TabletProxy::setQmlTablet(QQuickItem* qmlTablet) {
+    if (qmlTablet) {
+        _qmlTablet = qmlTablet;
+        std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(_tabletButtonProxiesMutex);
+        for (auto& buttonProxy : _tabletButtonProxies) {
+            addButtonProxyToQmlTablet(_qmlTablet, buttonProxy.data());
+        }
+    } else {
+        _qmlTablet = nullptr;
+    }
+
+}
+
+QObject* TabletProxy::addButton(const QVariant& properties) {
+    auto tabletButtonProxy = QSharedPointer<TabletButtonProxy>(new TabletButtonProxy(properties.toMap()));
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(_tabletButtonProxiesMutex);
+    _tabletButtonProxies.push_back(tabletButtonProxy);
+    if (_qmlTablet) {
+        addButtonProxyToQmlTablet(_qmlTablet, tabletButtonProxy.data());
+    }
+    return tabletButtonProxy.data();
+}
+
+void TabletProxy::removeButton(QObject* tabletButtonProxy) {
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(_tabletButtonProxiesMutex);
+    auto iter = std::find(_tabletButtonProxies.begin(), _tabletButtonProxies.end(), tabletButtonProxy);
+    if (iter != _tabletButtonProxies.end()) {
+        if (_qmlTablet) {
+            QMetaObject::invokeMethod(_qmlTablet, "removeButton", Qt::AutoConnection, Q_ARG(QVariant, (*iter)->getProperties()));
+        }
+        _tabletButtonProxies.erase(iter);
+    } else {
+        qWarning() << "TabletProxy::removeButton() could not find button " << tabletButtonProxy;
+    }
+}
+
+//
+// TabletButtonProxy
+//
+
+TabletButtonProxy::TabletButtonProxy(const QVariantMap& properties) : _properties(properties) {
+    ;
+}
+
+void TabletButtonProxy::setInitRequestHandler(const QScriptValue& handler) {
+    _initRequestHandler = handler;
+}
+
+// TABLET_UI_HACK remove
+/*
+static QString IMAGE_URL_KEY = "imageUrl";
+static QString IMAGE_URL_DEFAULT = "";
+
+QString TabletButtonProxy::getImageUrl() const {
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(_propertiesMutex);
+    return _properties.value(IMAGE_URL_KEY, IMAGE_URL_DEFAULT).toString();
+}
+
+void TabletButtonProxy::setImageUrl(QString imageUrl) {
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(_propertiesMutex);
+    _properties[IMAGE_URL_KEY] = imageUrl;
+}
+*/
+
+#include "TabletScriptingInterface.moc"
diff --git a/libraries/script-engine/src/TabletScriptingInterface.h b/libraries/script-engine/src/TabletScriptingInterface.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..13d7219306
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libraries/script-engine/src/TabletScriptingInterface.h
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+//
+//  Created by Anthony J. Thibault on 2016-12-12
+//  Copyright 2013-2016 High Fidelity, Inc.
+//
+//  Distributed under the Apache License, Version 2.0.
+//  See the accompanying file LICENSE or http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.html
+//
+
+#ifndef hifi_TabletScriptingInterface_h
+#define hifi_TabletScriptingInterface_h
+
+#include <mutex>
+
+#include <QtCore/QObject>
+#include <QVariant>
+#include <QScriptValue>
+#include <QQuickItem>
+
+#include <DependencyManager.h>
+
+
+class TabletProxy;
+class TabletButtonProxy;
+
+/**jsdoc
+ * @namespace Tablet
+ */
+class TabletScriptingInterface : public QObject, public Dependency {
+    Q_OBJECT
+public:
+    /**jsdoc
+     * Creates or retruns a new TabletProxy and returns it.
+     * @function Tablet.getTablet
+     * @param name {String} tablet name
+     * @return {TabletProxy} tablet instance
+     */
+    Q_INVOKABLE QObject* getTablet(const QString& tabletId);
+
+    void setQmlTablet(QString tabletId, QQuickItem* qmlTablet);
+
+protected:
+    std::mutex _tabletProxiesMutex;
+    std::map<QString, QSharedPointer<TabletProxy>> _tabletProxies;
+};
+
+/**jsdoc
+ * @class TabletProxy
+ * @property name {string} name of this tablet
+ */
+class TabletProxy : public QObject {
+    Q_OBJECT
+    Q_PROPERTY(QString name READ getName)
+public:
+    TabletProxy(QString name);
+
+    void setQmlTablet(QQuickItem* qmlTablet);
+
+    /**jsdoc
+     * @function TabletProxy#addButton
+     * Creates a new button, adds it to this and returns it.
+     * @param properties {Object} button properties UI_TABLET_HACK: enumerate these when we figure out what they should be!
+     * @returns {TabletButtonProxy}
+     */
+    Q_INVOKABLE QObject* addButton(const QVariant& properties);
+
+    /**jsdoc
+     * @function TabletProxy#removeButton
+     * removes button from the tablet
+     * @param tabletButtonProxy {TabletButtonProxy} button to be removed
+     */
+    Q_INVOKABLE void removeButton(QObject* tabletButtonProxy);
+
+    QString getName() const { return _name; }
+protected:
+    QString _name;
+    std::mutex _tabletButtonProxiesMutex;
+    std::vector<QSharedPointer<TabletButtonProxy>> _tabletButtonProxies;
+    QQuickItem* _qmlTablet { nullptr };
+};
+
+/**jsdoc
+ * @class TabletButtonProxy
+ * @property imageUrl {string}
+ */
+class TabletButtonProxy : public QObject {
+    Q_OBJECT
+public:
+    TabletButtonProxy(const QVariantMap& properties);
+
+    /**jsdoc
+     * @function TabletButtonProxy#setInitRequestHandler
+     * @param handler {Function} A function used by the system to request the current button state from JavaScript.
+     */
+    Q_INVOKABLE void setInitRequestHandler(const QScriptValue& handler);
+
+    const QVariantMap& getProperties() const { return _properties; }
+
+public slots:
+    void clickedSlot() { emit clicked(); }
+
+signals:
+    /**jsdoc
+     * Signaled when this button has been clicked on by the user.
+     * @function TabletButtonProxy#clicked
+     * @returns {Signal}
+     */
+    void clicked();
+
+protected:
+    mutable std::mutex _propertiesMutex;
+    QVariantMap _properties;
+    QScriptValue _initRequestHandler;
+};
+
+#endif // hifi_TabletScriptingInterface_h
diff --git a/scripts/system/help.js b/scripts/system/help.js
index e79ed0444c..a577688032 100644
--- a/scripts/system/help.js
+++ b/scripts/system/help.js
@@ -13,20 +13,14 @@
 
 (function() { // BEGIN LOCAL_SCOPE
 
-    var toolBar = Toolbars.getToolbar("com.highfidelity.interface.toolbar.system");
-    var buttonName = "help"; // matching location reserved in Desktop.qml
-    var button = toolBar.addButton({
-        objectName: buttonName,
-        imageURL: Script.resolvePath("assets/images/tools/help.svg"),
-        visible: true,
-        hoverState: 2,
-        defaultState: 1,
-        buttonState: 1,
-        alpha: 0.9
+    var tablet = Tablet.getTablet("com.highfidelity.interface.tablet.system");
+    var button = tablet.addButton({
+        //icon: "help.svg",
+        color: "#ff6f6f",
+        text: "HELP"
     });
 
     // TODO: make button state reflect whether the window is opened or closed (independently from us).
-    
     function onClicked(){
         Menu.triggerOption('Help...')
     }
@@ -34,7 +28,7 @@
     button.clicked.connect(onClicked);
 
     Script.scriptEnding.connect(function () {
-        toolBar.removeButton(buttonName);
+        tablet.removeButton(buttonName);
         button.clicked.disconnect(onClicked);
     });