diff --git a/pkg/infra/appcontext/user.go b/pkg/infra/appcontext/user.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..604ec008b7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/infra/appcontext/user.go
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+package appcontext
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/models"
+	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/services/contexthandler/ctxkey"
+	grpccontext "github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/services/grpcserver/context"
+	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/services/user"
+)
+
+type ctxUserKey struct{}
+
+// WithUser adds the supplied SignedInUser to the context.
+func WithUser(ctx context.Context, usr *user.SignedInUser) context.Context {
+	return context.WithValue(ctx, ctxUserKey{}, usr)
+}
+
+// User extracts the SignedInUser from the supplied context.
+// Supports context set by appcontext.WithUser, gRPC server context, and HTTP ReqContext.
+func User(ctx context.Context) (*user.SignedInUser, error) {
+	// Set by appcontext.WithUser
+	u, ok := ctx.Value(ctxUserKey{}).(*user.SignedInUser)
+	if ok && u != nil {
+		return u, nil
+	}
+
+	// Set by incoming gRPC server request
+	grpcCtx := grpccontext.FromContext(ctx)
+	if grpcCtx != nil && grpcCtx.SignedInUser != nil {
+		return grpcCtx.SignedInUser, nil
+	}
+
+	// Set by incoming HTTP request
+	c, ok := ctxkey.Get(ctx).(*models.ReqContext)
+	if ok && c.SignedInUser != nil {
+		return c.SignedInUser, nil
+	}
+
+	return nil, fmt.Errorf("a SignedInUser was not found in the context")
+}
+
+// MustUser extracts the SignedInUser from the supplied context, and panics if a user is not found.
+// Supports context set by appcontext.WithUser, gRPC server context, and HTTP ReqContext.
+func MustUser(ctx context.Context) *user.SignedInUser {
+	usr, err := User(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+	return usr
+}
diff --git a/pkg/infra/appcontext/user_test.go b/pkg/infra/appcontext/user_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..91913c692f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/infra/appcontext/user_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+package appcontext_test
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"crypto/rand"
+	"math/big"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/infra/appcontext"
+	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/infra/tracing"
+	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/models"
+	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/services/contexthandler/ctxkey"
+	grpccontext "github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/services/grpcserver/context"
+	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/services/user"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestUserFromContext(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("User should error when context is missing user", func(t *testing.T) {
+		usr, err := appcontext.User(context.Background())
+		require.Nil(t, usr)
+		require.Error(t, err)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("MustUser should panic when context is missing user", func(t *testing.T) {
+		require.Panics(t, func() {
+			_ = appcontext.MustUser(context.Background())
+		})
+	})
+
+	t.Run("should return user set by ContextWithUser", func(t *testing.T) {
+		expected := testUser()
+		ctx := appcontext.WithUser(context.Background(), expected)
+		actual, err := appcontext.User(ctx)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.Equal(t, expected.UserID, actual.UserID)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("should return user set by gRPC context", func(t *testing.T) {
+		expected := testUser()
+		handler := grpccontext.ProvideContextHandler(tracing.InitializeTracerForTest())
+		ctx := handler.SetUser(context.Background(), expected)
+		actual, err := appcontext.User(ctx)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.Equal(t, expected.UserID, actual.UserID)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("should return user set by HTTP ReqContext", func(t *testing.T) {
+		expected := testUser()
+		ctx := ctxkey.Set(context.Background(), &models.ReqContext{
+			SignedInUser: expected,
+		})
+		actual, err := appcontext.User(ctx)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.Equal(t, expected.UserID, actual.UserID)
+	})
+}
+
+func testUser() *user.SignedInUser {
+	i, err := rand.Int(rand.Reader, big.NewInt(100000))
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+	return &user.SignedInUser{
+		UserID: i.Int64(),
+		OrgID:  1,
+	}
+}