diff --git a/phpgwapi/inc/class.accounts.inc.php b/phpgwapi/inc/class.accounts.inc.php
index 5618bec6a4..b6d21cdca2 100644
--- a/phpgwapi/inc/class.accounts.inc.php
+++ b/phpgwapi/inc/class.accounts.inc.php
@@ -124,6 +124,28 @@ class accounts extends accounts_backend
 		'start' => 'start with',
 		'exact' => 'exact',
 	);
+    
+	/**
+	 * the instance of the accounts class
+	 *
+	 * @var accounts
+	 */
+	static $_instance = NULL;
+ 
+	/**
+	 * the singleton pattern
+	 *
+	 * @return accounts
+	 */
+    static function getInstance()
+    {
+        if (self::$_instance === NULL) {
+            self::$_instance = new accounts;
+        }
+ 
+        return self::$_instance;
+    }
+	
 	/**
 	 * Constructor
 	 * 
@@ -136,6 +158,18 @@ class accounts extends accounts_backend
 		$this->accounts_backend();	// call constructor of extended class
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * set the accountId used by this class
+	 *
+	 * @param int $accountId
+	 */
+    function setAccountId($accountId)
+    {
+        if($accountId && is_numeric($accountId)) {
+            $this->account_id = (int)$accountId;
+        }
+    }
+	
 	/**
 	 * Searches / lists accounts: users and/or groups
 	 *